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My exchange to Seoul, South Korea

Michelle's exchange was a whirlwind of culture, media studies, and travel—enjoying K-pop, ancient palaces, vibrant markets, and unforgettable friendships.

Asia
Michelle and friends on steps outside Anam International House

Michelle participated in our Wellington Global Exchange Programme to Korea University in Seoul, South Korea. In this post, she shares why she decided to go on exchange and how she chose Seoul as her destination. She provides valuable advice for future exchange students regarding selecting courses. She also shares her personal reflections on the exchange experience and the benefits of getting involved in buddy programmes, local cultural activities, and local travel.

In Trimester One 2023, I went on exchange to Korea University in Seoul, Korea. I’ve always wanted to do an exchange, and thought it was a perfect way to get a little taste of living abroad, having lived in New Zealand nearly all my life. It also seemed like the perfect way to travel and properly explore a country in depth.

I chose Seoul because I wanted to experience a completely different culture. I knew I loved Korean food, and like everyone else, I had watched Parasite and Squid Games, but didn’t know much else about the culture. It seemed like the perfect place to go to learn a new language, experience a different culture and really challenge myself, living in a country so different to my own.

South Korea heritage buildings

Media studies in a global powerhouse

I chose to study Media overseas, and Korea is a media powerhouse - another reason why I chose Seoul. There is a reasonable selection of Media courses taught in English at Korea University, and they are super interesting. However, they are also incredibly hard to get into - my recommendation is that when selecting your courses, be on the website the second selection opens, and make sure the media courses are the first ones you select. It is probably the most popular subject at Korea University, so get in quick! Taking culture courses is also part of the fun - I chose to do Traditional Korean Culture and Beginners Korean. Korea University’s campus is also beautiful, it feels like you’re studying in a castle!

Touching down in Seoul, I could not have been more nervous. But moving into my dorms (Anam International House, a dorm specifically for exchange students), meeting my roommate and my neighbors helped to ease those nerves. Korea University also organized an orientation the day after I arrived. This helped us familiarize ourselves with the campus, meet new people and settle in to the city we’d call home for the next 5 months.

KUBA: friendship, food, and adventures

Michelle with friends

For me, the best thing about Korea University was the KUBA programme. Here, each exchange student is assigned a Korean buddy as well as an extended group full of exchange students and Korean buddies. There were 8 of these groups and I was in group 8. My KUBA group held weekly dinners and lunches, where I met some of my best friends over good food, soju and karaoke. They also took us to theme parks (Lotte World), an overnight camp in the countryside called MT, and organized International Fairs at the uni, where I got to show off New Zealand.

KUBA allowed me to have so many cool new experiences that as a non-local, I probably would not have experienced otherwise. I’ve heard this social culture and these buddy programmes are not as strong in other Korean universities, and because of that, I would definitely recommend Korea University.

Unforgettable experiences

Another highlight for me was Ipselenti—a music festival the University organizes where they bring in famous Kpop artists. I got to see PSY, Jay Park and G-Idle live which was so cool. Further, being able to explore all the touristy sights was also a highlight. I got to see the beautiful Gyeongbokgung palace, the ancient Hanok villages, the vibrant but chaotic food markets and the shopping scene to name a few. Seoul has so many different things to do - you’ll never get bored! Finally, I got to travel around Korea with some of the friends I’d made in the dorms and in class. I got to visit Jeonju with its beautiful hanok village, the beach cities of Sokcho and Busan and the beautiful island of Jeju. I even got to sneak in a weekend visit to Taiwan - a country with some of the best food I’ve ever eaten.

Night view of lit up palace in South Korea

My time in Korea was amazing. I made so many new friends, had so many new experiences, and fell in love with the city of Seoul. There were definitely tears when leaving, and promises to keep in touch, and come back to Korea as soon as possible. To anyone considering an exchange, I would highly recommend it - it will be a memory of a lifetime, and a highlight of your university experience. If you’re looking for a bustling city, a social University and a beautiful country, I would strongly recommend Korea University.

Learn more about the Wellington Global Exchange Programme.

Learn more about Korea University.