Many international students experience Korean university life at SeoulTech and learn about Korea. However, there is a student who has actually learned about Korea professionally before they came to SeoulTech. Svenja, whose major is deeply related to Korean society and culture, would like to share her insight as an international student.

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Q. Can you introduce yourself?

A. Hello! I'm Svenja, an exchange student from Germany. My major in Germany is International Business Management of East Asia, and I'm focusing on studying Korean business. At SeoulTech, I am taking lectures in the Department of Business Administration and in the Korean Language Program. I chose SeoulTech as my exchange university because it had the best reviews from other exchange students as it offers clubs that international students can join, high-level Korean language education courses, and majors that matched my field of study.

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Q. What's the difference between university life in Germany and Korea do you think?

A. There is a huge difference, regarding academic life and social life. In Germany, university is self-directed and independent. Professors don't check attendance or give assignments. Students only get graded by one final exam. Conversely in Korea, attendance and assignments are part of the grading criteria. In terms of social activities, in Germany, university is just a place to study. However in Korea, there are various social events like opening parties and MTs.

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Q. As a student majoring in Korean business, do you have any tips in improving your understanding of Korea?

A. Majoring in Korean business brought me a big advantage because I already knew a lot about Korean history, culture, and politics before coming to Korea. This helped me to understand Korean society better and connect with Koreans more easily, by sharing my cultural knowledge and using polite gestures. My tip to other international students is to read and research Korea as much as possible. This will enable smoother and more comfortable interactions with Korean people.

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Q. Although there is almost no language barrier for you, was there any social barrier that you faced as a foreigner?

A. I think most of it comes from appearance. I can carry out a smooth Korean conversation, but Koreans expected me not to know Korean, as I have a Western appearance. Also, people tend to keep their distance with me in public places, maybe in case I ask them something in English. I truly understand that they're not being malicious, but I feel there is still a misconception in Korea that all foreigners only speak English. To overcome these barriers, I tried to show my efforts to speak in Korean by actively expressing my greetings and gratitude to Korean people. This played a big role in changing their overal view of me as a foreigner.

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Q. What is your future career path?

A. Sadly, my exchange program ends in December, and I have to return to Germany to finish my studies. However, I'm very grateful that I had an opportunity to experience Korea. I deeply admire the innovation and creativity of Korea in improving and adapting existing concepts, which is a factor that influenced the overall business and culture of Korea. So, I want to put into action what I have learned through opportunities to visit Korea again.

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Reporter,

Jieun Park pk325382@g.seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 박지은

• 직책 :
• e-mail : pk325382@g.seoultech.ac.kr