Korean Student Documents Escape from Israel in Vlog
Safely Returns Home via Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the military conflict between Israel and Iran, a Korean international student who was staying in Israel has drawn attention by releasing a video documenting their escape during the war.
A video titled "The World's First War Refugee Vlog" released on a YouTube channel by an Israeli international student. YouTube capture
On June 19, a video titled "The World's First War Refugee Vlog" was uploaded to the YouTube channel of a university student, referred to as A, who was studying in Israel. The video captures the entire process, from taking shelter in a bomb shelter in Israel, deciding to escape, and ultimately returning to Korea.
A stated that around 3 a.m. on June 13 (local time), they heard a sudden siren and evacuated to a bomb shelter. They said, "Although sirens occasionally went off in the past, it was the first time I heard one at this hour," adding, "I sensed that something was seriously wrong." Afterwards, A received a notification that their flight to Paris, which had been booked four months earlier and was scheduled to depart on the 16th, had been canceled. From their dormitory window, they witnessed several missiles falling. In just ten minutes, they received over 100 missile alerts on their mobile phone.
A video titled "The World's First War Refugee Vlog" released on a YouTube channel by an Israeli international student. YouTube capture
Realizing the gravity of the situation, A decided to make an emergency escape, but was unable to return home immediately as flight prices soared to as much as 9 million won. As a result, A reported that, with assistance from the Korean Association, the embassy, and Myeongseong Church, they were able to travel by bus to Amman, Jordan, and then take a flight. After crossing the Israeli border by bus and arriving in Amman, A stayed overnight at the home of local Koreans before heading to Amman Airport. A recalled, "While editing the video, the entire airport went dark," and added, "I was terrified that the power outage would prevent the plane from taking off." Afterwards, A was able to safely arrive in Korea after more than 18 hours of travel, transiting through Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar.
As of June 23, the video has surpassed 1 million views, drawing significant attention. Viewers who watched the video commented, "Missiles appearing in a vlog is unbelievable," "I'm so relieved you made it home safely," "Your family must have been so worried," "I hope the war stops," "Even just watching the video is terrifying," "Who is this war really for?" and "I hope all our citizens return safely," among other reactions.
A video titled "The World's First War Refugee Vlog" released on a YouTube channel by an Israeli international student. YouTube capture
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of June 22, there are about 70 Korean nationals staying in Iran and about 460 in Israel. Some Korean residents in Israel and Iran had already evacuated on their own via flights before the situation deteriorated, while those who remain are reportedly either temporarily relocating or preparing for further evacuation. The government is currently closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and strengthening crisis management systems to protect its citizens and stabilize the region.
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