Foreign students celebrate New Year in Korea

Foreign students pose outside the theater holding nonverbal show “Jump” in central Seoul during an event last Sunday organized by University News Network and sponsored by the Culture Ministry. Provided by the organization

“Do you know the two major holidays celebrated in Korea?”

When the question was asked, many hands instantly shot up, eager to answer.

“Seollal and Chuseok!”

But this was no classroom. The quiz was taking place in a local restaurant in central Seoul last Sunday where dozens of foreign students had gathered for a New Year’s lunch.

About 70 foreign students, predominantly from Asian countries, currently studying at universities here, met at Kukilgwan, a traditional Korean restaurant in Jongno, to celebrate the New Year.

The unusual gathering of foreign students was organized by University News Network, a local journal focused on university campus affairs, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The event gave foreign participants the opportunity to celebrate the New Year Korean style, by eating tteok guk, or rice cake soup, and watching the famous local nonverbal show “Jump.”

“Since it is a worldwide custom for families to get together on New Year’s Day, we’ve planned this event to comfort foreign students who cannot be with their families and stay in Korea during the holidays,” said Song Gwang-seob, vice-president of University News Network.

The event was part of University News Network’s “Friendly Asia” campaign that was launched in September last year to promote academic and cultural exchanges between domestic and foreign students.

“The Korean wave, or hallyu, which swept Asia and improved the image of Korea, has come to somewhat of a halt now and instead, signs of anti-Korea sentiment have emerged in some Asian countries in recent months,” said Song.

“Considering the circumstances, we’ve come up with the ‘Friendly Asia’ campaign to help foreign students in Korea better understand us and thus build a more positive image of us so that they can promote Korea after they return to their countries.”

To successfully achieve the Friendly Asia project, the organization is working on various plans this year, including visits by foreign students to Korean companies and places of historic interest in the country like the Korean Folk Village as well as a mentorship program in which local students assist their foreign counterparts in their lives here. In return for their service, the local students earn credits from their schools.

“We have a far-reaching plan to carry out when the Friendly Asia project takes off, such as holding a mock Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting where students from APEC member countries get together to exchange their opinions on various international issues and explore ways to work toward a better global community,” Song said.

Any concerns about the Friendly Asia project not taking off were eased judging by the reception by the foreign students at the New Year’s event.

“I’ve lived in Korea for five years now, but an event solely for foreign students particularly during the New Year’s holidays like today’s is the first ever as I recall, which makes it very meaningful,” said Seow Yuening, a Malaysian student who came to Korea in 2004 and is currently working toward a Ph.D. in Korean literature at Sungkyunkwan University.

“It was great to meet other Asian students living in Korea and spend time together at this holiday season,” said Hao Dongqi from China, a master’s student in political science at Sungkyunkwan.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to experience Korea and its culture. I hope we can see more events like this in the future,” said Chinese student Hu Meng, a business undergrad also at Sungkyunkwan University.

By Park Sun-young Staff Reporter[spark0320@joongang.co.kr]