The purpose of this study was to know the changing process of ethnic identity of the Korean-Chinese
in South Korea. To this end, in-depth interviews with 12 Korean-Chinese Korean had been conducted in
order to know how their ethnic identity was changing while they are settling in South Korea. Results had
found that the changing of ethnic identity closely associated with their cultural adaptation process. There
are three s changing stages of their ethnic identity. First, in the initial period of entering to South Korea,
the Korean-Chinese were excited and filled with the hope for their ‘homeland’. Second, while integrating
into mainstream society they feel the crisis of ethnic identity. Social exclusion led them to reconsider their
own Korean-Chinese identity. Third, at the present stage there are three different cognitions for their own
identity--- Korean, Chinese, neither Chinese nor Korean. This study has offered a view to understand the
acculturation process of the Korean-Chinese settling in South Korea. Without a doubt, their self-cognition of
ethnic identity has a big impact on social integration in South Korean. Therefore, Korea mainstream society
with Korean-Chinese needs to work together on building their own healthy ethnic identity.