Princess for a Day at Gyeongbokgung Palace

Author: Camille Wagner | Majors: International Business and Supply Chain

This past year, I studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea. This was my first time living in a big city for an extended time, and without any family or friends! I planned to study abroad since freshman year, and though many challenges and uncertainties came with traveling during COVID, I wasn’t about to let that stop me from the adventure of a lifetime.

I studied at Yonsei University, famously known as one of the “SKY Universities” in South Korea or top 3 universities (the Y standing for Yonsei). I took 3 business classes, a Korean language class, and a Korean history class. While my classes were online, I still had to adjust to the teaching differences of a Korean university. In general, my Korean professors were a lot more “hands-off” than my professors back home, and every single class had a group project.

The best thing about online classes is that it allowed me the freedom to travel more. There’s so much to do in just Seoul that everyday I would step on the bus or train and be whisked off, one stop, ten stops, to something exciting. From walking around the ritzy streets of Gangnam to the traditional Ikseondong Hanok Village there was never a dull moment, especially once the sun set. Café culture is a huge in Korea so much so that “café hopping” is a common activity. Fun, themed café menus and classic Korean foods is maybe what I miss the most. A 3-minute walk down the street from my dorm sold huge bowls of 7,000 won ($5) bibimbap, a delicious rice dish, with fresh kimchi on the side. One of my favorite activities was going to the Han River for a chill evening of picnicking with friends and the classic fried chicken and ramyun cooked right there by the river. Pro-tip: buy soft boiled eggs and throw it in with the ramyun. I could wax poetry about my food adventures for a long time so I will conclude it by saying: 5 months is nowhere near enough time to eat all the food I wanted!

Places I visited outside of Seoul included Busan, Gangneung, Suwon, and Jeju Island. Each place had its own unique charms (and specialty dishes) to offer that you couldn’t find staying in Seoul. A bonus of living in a smaller country with great public transportation is that I could travel 1 hour and hike the tallest peak, or 3 hours and be at the beach. One of my biggest tips for travelling to South Korea is to be sure to clear your photo space for all the photo spots and food shots you’ll find.

Before ending my study abroad, I knew I would return to South Korea for another trip. There’s a reason that Korean culture continues to send waves across the globe, and though I certainly don’t romanticize living in South Korea there is something special about it that captures the attention.