Author: Eva Casto | Major: Computer Science | Semester: January Intercession 2025
Wearing Korean traditional attire in front of a royal palace
Studying abroad is an opportunity that should not be passed up, since you can combine learning with personal growth and having fun in a new place. I knew I would study abroad, but I was particularly interested in taking a course that would be relevant for my computer science degree. Mainly external programs offer this kind of flexibility where you can choose the course you want to take while abroad. Also, I was interested in visiting an Asian country. Both of these factors led to me to choose the Korea University Winter Program from TEAN. When I saw that Introduction to Artificial Intelligence was a course option at Korea University, I knew I wanted to take that class. In the last few years, even people outside of the tech world have heard of and used AI, so from a computer science background it’d be advantageous to learn how to actually build and operate artificial intelligence models. In addition, I thought KU would be one of the best places to learn AI since Seoul is a very modern and technologically advanced city, being the home of tech giants like Samsung and LG.
I spent 3 weeks in Seoul from December 23, 2024 to January 11, 2025. This was such a magical time to be there, as I spent holidays like Christmas and New Years with my new friends, surrounded by festive lights and displays in addition to the skyscrapers and city lights. It was an environment so drastically different to what I’m used to, and I treasured every minute of it.
The Korea University campus itself is in a more peaceful neighborhood, with plenty of trees and placed on top of a hill that overlooks the rest of the city. The KU International Winter Campus commenced on December 24, with all 800+ students from all over the world heading to our classes. My Intro to AI class was taught by Dr. Joongheon Kim, a professor at KU who specializes in AI and Mobility research, specifically advanced and emerging topics like Quantum AI. Just in our first lecture, I could tell that he was very knowledgeable on the topic, as I easily digested the course material on AI theory, mathematical concepts behind it, and programming examples. In fact, he showed us how to make our own neural network models using Python, utilizing different libraries like PyTorch and Keras. Although this was an accelerated 3-week course, I thoroughly enjoyed it, gaining exposure to advanced topics typically covered in graduate-level classes, like generative adversarial networks and reinforcement learning. This course provided an excellent foundation in AI, which I plan to build upon in a Master’s in Computer Science program after graduation.
The most memories in this study abroad program were made outside of class. I crammed every day full of activities, and I still wish I could have stayed longer. I really enjoyed the extensive, clean, and punctual public transportation, making it easy to visit multiple neighborhoods in a day and make the most of my time in Seoul. The subway was my favorite mode of transportation, since it’s so fast and comfortable. With my new group of friends, we enjoyed cuisine like Korean BBQ, noodles and dumplings, and Korean fried chicken.
Some other moments I fondly remember are riding thrilling rollercoasters at Lotte World (like a Korean version of Disney World), going to Christmas markets and festivals, and going to cafes and bakeries which can be found literally everywhere you turn. One of my favorite places to go was the Myeongdong shopping street, and I went there probably 8 times because there is so much to do. The street is lined with fashion and beauty stores, restaurants, street food, and anything you could want to buy. Personally, that is a dream come true for me. Even though the frigid temperatures had me freezing, having to layer like never before, the memories I was making kept my heart warm.
After the KU International Winter Campus graduation ceremony, it was time to return to Arkansas. I’m grateful for having this opportunity from the Honors College and the Study Abroad office, and every part of my study abroad experience was enjoyable, from academics to adventuring. I certainly will be returning to South Korea one day.