YouTuber Oliver Sam Returns to Korea After 8 Years
Cites High Taxes, Poor Healthcare System, and Collapse of Public Education
Oliver Sam, a YouTuber with 2.25 million subscribers who immigrated from Korea to the United States, announced that he will return to Korea due to increasingly expensive taxes and an inadequate healthcare system, among other reasons.
English education YouTuber Oliver Sam, who has 2.25 million subscribers, announced that he is giving up his life as an immigrant in the United States and returning to Korea. YouTube channel 'Oliver Sam'
On December 26, Oliver Sam released a video titled "After 8 Years of Immigration to the U.S. with My Korean Wife, I Am Truly Giving Up Now" on his YouTube channel. After marrying his Korean wife and living in Korea, Oliver Sam moved to his hometown in Texas, United States. He said, "Many people think there are no economic problems in the U.S. because it's a superpower, but that's not the reality."
He first pointed out the issue of taxes. Living in a country house on a plot of 8,000 pyeong, he explained, "Starting in 2026, I will have to pay $8,000 (about 11.56 million won) in property taxes," and "the homeowners insurance premium is $4,402 (about 6.37 million won)." Oliver Sam added, "Just owning a house costs about 18 million won a year," and "the problem is that these costs are expected to rise by 15% every year going forward."
He also highlighted that Texas is vulnerable to natural disasters such as tornadoes and wildfires. Oliver Sam said his family had no choice but to purchase expensive insurance. However, major insurance companies are increasingly reluctant to provide coverage.
He said that fears of natural disasters caused by rapid climate change were also a decisive factor in his decision to return. "In Texas, summer temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius," he said. "Just two weeks before my child was born, there was a power outage in Texas and everything stopped. Around 300 people died at that time." He confessed that Texas still lacks the infrastructure to cope with such situations, and he is not confident they can endure the coming summer.
English education YouTuber Oliver Saem, who has 2.25 million subscribers, announced that he is giving up his life as an immigrant in the United States and returning to Korea. YouTube channel 'Oliver Saem'
He then pointed out that the American public education system is collapsing. The Trump administration previously began the process of abolishing the federal Department of Education for the first time in 46 years, and the Texas state government actively supported this move. In reality, as the budget for public schools has been reduced, the number of students has also decreased. It has become difficult to pay teachers, resulting in more school closure days. Oliver Sam's wife said, "The school budget has been cut so much that even large school districts in nearby major cities have closed many schools. Many teachers have either quit or been laid off, so unqualified individuals without teaching credentials are filling the positions instead."
Finally, he addressed the notoriously poor American healthcare system. Oliver Sam said that starting next year, he will have to pay $2,600 (about 3.76 million won) per month for health insurance, but despite paying such high premiums, he is unable to receive quality medical care.
Oliver Sam's wife shared, "My grandfather was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Even before the diagnosis, he had shown symptoms several times and wanted to get tested, so he went to the hospital. It took a long time just to see his primary doctor, and when he finally did, he was told to just eat salt and rest. No matter how much he wanted a thorough examination, he couldn't get one, and in the end, the cancer was only discovered at the terminal stage." She continued, "I started to worry, what if a crisis like this happens to me? I pay about 4 million won a month for insurance, but I don't understand why I have to be treated this way."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
