If you have any interest in studying abroad and would be interested in learning more about Korean culture in an urban city with public transportation and amazing student life, Seoul is a no-brainer. Korea University is a great host university, offering prestige, quality education, and support during your time abroad.
KUBA
Korea University has an amazing program called KUBA, which offers international students a unique and immersive experience. As part of the program, each exchange student is assigned to a group and paired with a local Buddy Assistant, who manages a small group of international students. These buddies can become friends, mentors, and invaluable resources for navigating life in Korea.
Each KUBA group hosts weekly/biweekly dinners full of delicious food and drinks. These gatherings are perfect opportunities to bond with your group members. Many groups plan trips both within Seoul and to other parts of Korea, giving exchange students a chance to explore beyond the campus. Some examples of these trips are outings to Bukhansan National Park, Lotte World, Suwon, Sokcho, jjimjilbangs (Korean bathhouses), etc. If you ever have something you want to do with others, you can ask your group and you’ll likely be able to find people to do it with!
Don’t be afraid to branch out of your assigned KUBA group and make as many friends as you can. Despite being a member of Group 6, I was fortunate to join Group 3’s hiking outing to Bukhansan National Park and made many new friends, both with exchange students and KUBA buddies.
Whether you need advice on the best local restaurants, help navigating public transportation, or suggestions for day trips, your buddy is there to help you make the most of your time in Korea.
School Spirit and Festivals in Korea
First, I want to emphasize the prestige of Korea University. As one of the three SKY (Seoul National, Korea, Yonsei) Universities, you have the chance to represent an Ivy League university. In a country like South Korea, which is highly education-focused, it’s very funny being recognized while wearing the cool varsity jacket and praised for being a student of a prestigious university by older people, especially Korean aunties (ahjummas)!
Korea University’s Culture
One of the most significant aspects is the intense rivalry with Yonsei University, epitomized in the annual KoYeonjeon sports matches. These competitions feature baseball, basketball, hockey, and many others. At your orientation, you’ll learn how to properly cheer at either KoYeonjeon or Ipselenti. Dressed in school jerseys, cheering, and headbanging with my friends is a memory I will never forget. The energy and atmosphere are electric, spreading into the neighboring streets of Anam.
Seoktap Daedongje: Spirit Week
In the third week of May, Korea University transformed into a hub of excitement and school spirit during Seoktap Daedongje, a week-long festival filled with celebrity performances. During this year’s festival, themed “KUtopia,” KU had an incredible lineup of artists, including Illit, Justhis, Giriboy, TripleS, Changmo, Kiss of Life, EXID, NMIXX, and Highlight.
The highlight of Seoktap Daedongje is Ipselenti, which is held on the final day of the festival. For the small cost of ~$15, students were able to see performances from celebrity performers like Qwer, Dynamic Duo, Chungha, Jay Park, AKMU, NewJeans, and Jannabi.
Got to see NewJeans’ first concert performance of How Sweet!
In previous years, Korea University hosted performers like PSY. The school’s cheer team also performs during Ipselenti, creating moments of pure exhilaration and school pride that remain etched in our hearts.
International Students Festival (ISF)
One of the unique events at Korea University is the International Students Festival (ISF), held once a semester. This festival showcases the rich diversity of the student body, with participants from around the world designing tables, playing games, and preparing food related to their home countries. It seemed like a great and exciting cultural exchange. Unfortunately, I missed out on ISF this semester due to the TEAN Tokyo Excursion.
Closing Thoughts
Spring at Korea University is defined by exciting performances of Ipselenti, while the fall brings the competitive spirit of KoYeonjeon. Korea’s seasons of cherry blossom and autumn are both beautiful, so it comes down to you to make the choice of which you’d prefer. Of course, I’m partial to the spring semester, but it did have downsides like fine yellow dust pollution. The raw essence of school spirit brought me to tears while cheering at Ipselenti, as it reached a beautiful point that I’ve never witnessed in the United States. As life moves on and I continue marching forward, I will always look back on the incredible memories forged during this semester at Korea University.
Signing out,
Andrew
Andrew Bower, University of Central Florida, is studying abroad in South Korea with TEAN.
