Leisure Behaviors among Mothers and Fathers in Korean Transnational Split Families

The study explored the leisure behaviors and factors affecting leisure among mothers and fathers in Korean Transnational Split families (KTSF). Transnationalism served as the theoretical framework in this study. Data were collected with the use of 19 individual in-depth interviews with KTSF mothers residing in the U.S. and fathers residing in Korea. The leisure of women in the U.S. involved participating in similar activities as in Korea, yet the motivations for participation were different in the new environment. Their leisure was shaped by family separation, immigration status, and the family life stage. Fathers in Korea engaged in active leisure pursuits such as exercising, golf, and tennis, as well as socializing and home-based activities, to distract themselves from loneliness and family separation, and to address health issues caused by overwork.