Mia Grice (Birmingham City University, UK)

With my trip in Seoul coming to its end in under 48 hours, I want to reflect on the past 4 weeks which will only solidify the belief that I brought with me to Korea; that I do not want to leave. Whilst this course did not offer my first experience of Asian culture, it certainly taught me that no matter how many activities you partake in, there is always something more to do that will expand your knowledge on just what makes a country great.

As I have stated, Hansung University is not my first study abroad experience in Asia, as I was an exchange student for 6 months in Japan. However, this summer programme provided at Hansung University offered an intensive insight into Korea’s people and culture, which would not have been possible if left to me to organize. The lectures on hangul, art, politics, history, and culture alone forever altered how much I understand about the foundations of Korea, and just what it took for this country to be recognized on the world stage. The carefully chosen activities provided after these lectures only cemented in my mind that this summer programme was one of the best offers I have ever accepted, as I was able to experience both historical and modern activities.

Before stepping foot in Korea, all I knew was what K-dramas and K-pop allowed me to see, an idealized version of Korea that was known for its fashion, cosmetics, and music. Of course, I understood that there was more to be discovered, but I did not know what, and Hansung opened my eyes from day one. The itinerary provided explored all kinds of avenues to teach us about Korea, from visiting museums, wearing Hanbok, partaking in taekwondo and traditional dance, and even multiple day trips. There was something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the most surprising things about this trip was how all the students were willing to talk to others and become friends. Despite there being 30 other students in the programme, everyone got along and had no issue talking to each other from day 1, which honestly made the entire experience even more enjoyable. Everyone partook in activities, group photos, and quite a few group outings outside of the programme, meaning I always felt like I had someone to talk to.

Before this trip, I had never paid much attention to sports, as they never piqued my interest...until I went to my first ever baseball game supporting the LG Twins. What I believed to be one of the less interesting activities planned turned out to be one of the best experiences of the entire trip. Both the baseball players and the audience enraptured me through their skills, chants, and overall positive energy during the entire 3-hour game. I am now a proud owner of a baseball jersey and a new appreciation of baseball, which I will be taking back to the UK.

Learning the history of Korea, and how the people went through trial after trial, war after war, only opened my eyes further to the hidden culture of Korea. Once the lectures introduced us to the terms ‘Han’ (shared oppression and sorrow) and ‘Heung’ (ecstasy and enthusiasm through group performance) it began to make sense, how the people of Korea could push through and connect to each other in ways not understood in Western culture. The ways in which these emotions are displayed through dance and music are powerful and are worth researching into even if not choosing to attend the programme, they are inspiring!

The day trips provided in this programme made this experience even more memorable. Travelling to both PyengChang and Gangneung to learn about how the Olympics united both North and South Korea for the first time in decades, and to explore the Ojukheon museum, highlighted momentous occasions in both past and present Korea. Travelling to the DMZ enriched my knowledge of how the North and South interact and maintain the border and made me realize how serious the standstill is between both sides, more so than I could hope to understand from watching a movie. Even spending the day at Lotte World was fascinating, as the shows, attractions, and rides were different to any that I had witnessed before. All day trips were different in what they taught us, but they were all fascinating to experience and we explored different sides of Korea each time.

As I write this and begin to accept my inevitable departure from Korea, I acknowledge that I will never forget the experiences provided to me by Hansung University. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime, precious memories that I will cherish, and a newfound understanding of how Korean society works. If anyone is reading this and trying to decide if the HISS programme is right for them, all I have to say is that an opportunity like this does not come by often, and it will change your life forever if you give it the chance.