Students Enjoying Mini-Games at a Club Fair Booth



On March 10 and 11, the Club Fair, organized by Danji, SeoulTech’s club union, was held along Hyanghak-ro and around Boongeobang Pond.

SeoulTech’s student clubs are organized into seven divisions: performance, martial arts, social, exhibition, religious, sports, and academic, with 43 clubs in total. This year’s Club Fair’s student attendance was estimated at around 2,000.

Danji, which successfully led this event, is a student organization responsible for overseeing and supporting all central clubs on campus. The union plans and manages various club-related activities, while also working to enable students to participate in a safe and supportive environment. Through events such as the Torch Festival, ongoing welfare programs, and the Club Fair, the union strives to foster a vibrant campus culture at SeoulTech.

The primary purpose of the Club Fair is to recruit new members for each of SeoulTech’s clubs.

As many students are unfamiliar with clubs or the application process, each participating club offers activities such as mini-games and snack events to create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere, helping students feel at ease and encouraging them to consider joining.

The SeoulTech interviewed several students who attended the fair to better understand both the benefits and limitations of the event.

Most freshmen expressed enthusiasm about the Club Fair. One student noted that, compared to high school, there are significantly more diverse club activities, which allow students to explore new hobbies and make the most of university life. Responses from Korean students suggested that they generally enjoyed the fair and found it engaging.

The SeoulTech also spoke with an international student, whose perspective offered a contrast to these responses.

Q. Do you think other international students are interested in joining clubs?

A. Yes, I think so. In Western universities, there isn’t really a club culture or the kind of booth festivals we see in Korea. So, I’m sure most are interested in joining, but the language barrier can be a hurdle. It can make people apprehensive on bothsides, but it varies with each club.

Q. Does the language barrier cause any issues for international students joining clubs?

A. There are a few difficulties, as we need to learn some Korean beforehand. With most participants being native Korean speakers, it can be challenging for international students, especially exchange students who often arrive without prior knowledge of Korean, to follow along. While some Korean students can speak English, this isn’t always the case. When fellow students are willing to compromise and help with translation, things are much easier, but it depends on the situation.

Through these interviews, The SeoulTech found that club activities at SeoulTech tend to be more accessible to domestic students. As the number of international students grows each year, more effort is needed to ensure that international students are given equal opportunities to participate in campus life.

To explore possible solutions, The SeoulTech conducted an additional interview with Danji, SeoulTech’s club union, and the International Student Council (ISC). Danji acknowledged the issue of limited accessibility for international students and stated that it is making a significant effort to address it, in cluding plans to open a questionnaire booth specifically for international students in the near future. It also shared its goals for 2026, emphasizing the impor tance of diversity and accessibility in campus organi zations. ISC explained that it receives pamphlets from Danji, translates them, and shares them with interna tional students. However, it noted that, except for a few clubs, eligibility for international students is of ten unclear. In some cases, even when clubs are listed as open when the pamphlets are distributed, many say that recruitment has already closed. As a result, the council added that it operates its own clubs for international students.

Although this year’s Club Fair presented some challenges in ensuring full participation for all students, it remains a meaningful event that brings the campus community together. With continued effort and improvements, the Club Fair is expected to be come an even more inclusive and engaging experience for all students in the future.

Reporters

Hyeonseon Namgung

namgung0121@seoultech.ac.kr

Siyeon Oh

cinamellow@seoultech.ac.kr

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