Eoui Daedongje, SeoulTech's festival, took place from September 25 to 27. In the daytime, attendees could explore various booths and flea markets run by SeoulTech's offices, student groups, and external companies along Hyanghak-ro. In the evening, they could enjoy performances by artists and students on the stage. They could also try dishes and drinks through food trucks and bars.

 

How did international students enjoy the festival? The SeoulTech conducted a survey targeting international students, including exchange students, students attending SeoulTech's Korean language school, and students enrolled in SeoulTech's study abroad program.

Most respondents were impressed by the line-up of artists and the event's metallic blue theme, reflecting the ocean’s waves driving voyage, which symbolized a youthful journey toward student’s dreams.

However, they pointed out several disappointing aspects. All the groups of international students shared four concerns; They felt that the festival souvenirs, including baseball jerseys, bandanas, and lighters, were overpriced and in short supply. Similarly, the food truck was considered disappointment due to high pricing and lack of diversity. In other feedback about seating at the bar, some said that finding an empty seat was overwhelming. Furthermore, sitting with students from different fields of study was difficult because the seating area was divided according to major. They also felt that entering the stage was complicated and took a long time.

 

Moreover, The SeoulTech found additional points of dissatisfaction unique to their status as each international student, with exchange and language school students having notable difficulties.

A common complaint among exchange students was the limited availability of information in English about the events. Some exchange students expressed frustration over this issue, sharing comments like, "It was really confusing as there was barely any information in English about seating at the bar," and "I had no way of understanding what the host was saying, which made everything difficult to navigate."

Others noted, "I didn't understand all the activities," and "I didn't have anyone to ask for help or explain things, which left me in the dark." Other exchange students also expressed discontent for not getting information in advance about the events. Specific feedback included comments such as, "There were things I didn't know about beforehand, and I probably missed some activities because I didn't get any explanations about the festival," and "There wasn't much information for some activities, making it hard to participate."

Others responded that "I received information about the events too late, just the day before they started," and "I discovered some activities only after the event had ended."

Language school students also provided feedback particular to their situation. While onethird reported that everything was good, others felt ignored or excluded due to difficulty obtaining free wristbands, which were needed to enter the stage but required payment. Since language school students are not officially recognized as full-time SeoulTech students and do not receive official student ID numbers, this may have contributed to their experiences. One student commented, "I couldn't enter the stage for free because I only study at the Korean language school. The staff member handing out wristbands gave us an unpleasant look, as if we shouldn't even approach her to ask for one." Another added, "There was a lot of confusion about where and how to obtain the wristband. Some students received one easily, while we were completely turned away or had to pay for it."

 

Reporter,

Hyewon Kim happyhw2@seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 김혜원

• 직책 :
• e-mail : happyhw2@seoultech.ac.kr