Exchange Report

Yonsei University (연세대학교) ,

KIM, Joo Eun BBA in Global Business & Marketing, Year 3 Fall 2017

Part I: Monthly Activity Log August 2017

I arrived in Seoul in late August, a few days before the dorm check-in day. After relaxing and exploring Seoul with my family and friends, I moved in to ’s SK Global House on the 26th. The few days before Orientation is a great time to snap some gorgeous campus photos as students are still on holiday and there is barely any crowd.

Most people after moving in went to stock up on home supplies at Daiso (this chain of stores has economical prices). There is a large Daiso located across the road from Exit 2 station, and a smaller one before that right next to the station exit.

For my SIM card plan, I got it activated at SK Telecom in the main Sinchon road in front of school. I found it really unique how you could pick the last four digits of your phone number. Before the start of the semester on September 1st, I had catch-ups with my family and friends who came to visit. We went for a fantastic Korean BBQ at 형제갈비 in Sinchon (the BBQ is incredibly pricey, but the 24H 갈비탕 is very worth it), visited 경복궁 while wearing 한복 and also had a refreshing 팥빙수 at the iconic 설빙 dessert place.

September 2017

Semester started on the 1st, and the first week or so was about settling into the study rhythm and groove of the University lifestyle. I sampled a lot of classes that I was interested in, but eventually tailored them down to the credits I needed. I met many of my friends in SK Global and in classes. In between classes, I found time to go out and explore the Sinchon area—there are many decent restaurants and places to shop.

With a few exchange friends that I met on Orientation day, I went to visit 광장시장, which is a market that has a lot of street food. I’d recommend it if you’re into markets and bustling food places.

By far the most memorable and phenomenal experience of this month was 연고전, which is the annual sports games between Yonsei University and Korea University. Before the actual Games, the cheerleading team hosts cheering/chanting practices that you should definitely go and participate in. The arena was filled with spirit and anticipation of the Games.

Five sports are played: baseball, basketball, ice hockey, rugby and football. FYI, you can watch all games without a ticket except for basketball and ice hockey. Basketball and ice hockey tickets were distributed first-come-first-serve by the Mentors Club a few days before the actual matches. You can choose from either ice hockey or basketball, but keep in mind tickets have limited quota so line up early. My friends and I luckily got the ice hockey ticket (which tends to be popular), and we got to see a super exciting match.

There was non-stop cheering, singing and dance moves throughout all the matches for literally the whole time. We really felt the incredible Eagle spirit condensed into two days. This year, Yonsei brought home victory with a win in all five sports, which is the first time in history. Afterwards, there was a post-Games celebration in Sinchon road, which was super fun.

PAGE 1 October 2017

One of the great things about Korea is its café culture. There are many cafés in every road, where the ambience is perfect to study and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea. Often, my friends and I went out to study at cafés, but also chill and relax before exams.

As the weather started to become more winter-like, leaves adorning the buildings on campus began to change their colours into red and orange. With the slightly windy weather perfect for walking around, I met up with another HKUST friend studying at Korea University to visit 홍익대학교 and explore 홍대거리. 홍대거리 has many cheap clothes stores, so if you’re looking for some budget shopping, check it out. Yonsei University that is in Sinchon, is near Hongik and Ewha, which are three districts that are very popular with youth.

October was the month of mid-terms. As with any exchange, it was important to balance study and fun. I visited my relatives in Korea, went to 연희동 (which is a small residential village near Yonsei with some cute restaurants—but transportation is pretty inconvenient without a car) and explored another palace: 덕수궁. Palaces are incredibly pretty when the leaves turn all autumn-like and also when the architecture is caked with snow (although cold). We had expected the trees to be a bit more yellow, orange and red but they were still relatively green. The palace has a 1,000KRW entry fee. Nearby, you can also plan to see the Seoul Museum of History and/or the Seoul Museum of Art in the same day.

November 2017

I continued to explore Seoul, prepare for upcoming group project presentations and attended events on campus, such as the Global CEO Talk featuring AmorePacific’s CEO, and hosted by the Yonsei School of Business. According to one of my exchange friends, Seoul has one of the biggest IKEAs in the world—so we visited.

The highlights of this month were my trip to Busan and the Seoul Lantern Festival. To get to Busan, I took the KTX train. The ride was just over two hours, but with quite comfortable seats and pretty views, the time passed very quickly. In Busan, I visited the night market where we got stretchy ice- cream, and ate a lot of good food such as their famous seafood. Since I have relatives in Busan, I was also able to catch up and spend time with them.

2018’s Seoul Lantern Festival was hosted from the 3rd of the month to around mid-November. This year, it was PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics themed. My friends and I took a nice stroll down 청계천 while snapping photos of the decorations that lit up the evening. One thing: it was super cold— remember to dress well if you plan to go to the Festival.

This month, a friend and I discovered a café called Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in 압구정, and the vibe there is very pleasant. Their pastry selections coupled with coffee are lovely. My favourite combination is the cruffin (croissant + muffin) along with an Americano.

I can still remember seeing the first snow of the year on the 20th November. It was a beautiful landscape and a great transition into the Christmas vibe that was starting up.

PAGE 2 December 2017

The final month of exchange was filled with trips we planned around Seoul before we all had to leave, such as to Common Grounds (a container shopping centre) and Fashion Street (visit the Edae University campus too—it’s pretty). Of course, December was filled with exams too. Through the snow and cold, our explorations of Seoul continued, till the time came when we had to say our goodbyes and return to our homes all around the globe.

There is a lot that this report hasn’t been able to cover, which can only be felt by experiencing everything that exchange has to offer at Yonsei University and in Korea. J

Part II: General Exchange Information 1) Visa Procedures

I didn’t need a visa, but once you are officially accepted as an exchange student at Yonsei, they will guide you through the way and provide the relevant documents needed.

2) Orientation Activities

There were two mandatory Orientations: one for the University, and one for the dorms (if you are living in I-House or SKG), which covers House rules, etc. The proceedings of the Main Orientation on the 29th were the usual welcoming, information for exchange and some insight into the country’s culture by a student sharing. You will receive a packet with brochures and booklets which will be helpful to browse through before school starts. Another important thing in the packet is your Student ID—keep it safe!

Orientation was also when we got to meet other exchange students. There were events you could join afterwards in the day. I joined an evening event hosted by Mentors Club, which is a student society that bridges local and exchange students. At the event, I got to meet some local Korean students and of course, a bunch of other exchange students. We enjoyed a fun dinner at a Korean fried chicken restaurant and had a dance party after. A similar event that you could join was later on in the week, hosted by a second local-exchange student society called IYC (International Yonsei Community).

3) International Services & Activities

Throughout the semester, relevant clubs will host international events and overnight camps. One major event was Yonsei Global Day, which was hosted at the Global Lounge. This semester, it was covering Russia. We got to try on the traditional Russian way of dress and play games to earn stamps that could be exchanged for some Russian snacks and drinks at the end.

4) Accommodations

Yonsei University offers two options for on-campus accommodation: International House and SK Global House. If you want to stay off-campus, there are options near school such as in Sinchon or .

The majority of students who stay in I-House/SKG are exchange students, with a few international Yonsei students. While I was on exchange, International House was reserved only for female students.

PAGE 3 I chose to live in SK Global House after a comparison of the two on-campus options. Location-wise, they are right next to each other. To get more research, it helps to read many blogs of previous exchange students’ experiences.

International House SK Global House Shared bathroom and shower per floor (but it Private bathroom and shower in each room is cleaned for you on weekdays) (but have to clean yourself) Lower room rate Higher room rate Older than SKG Building newer than I-House ^ Not an exhaustive list; some of the major differences only.

5) Courses Registration

From the moment of application, you will receive steady emails from the coordinator at Yonsei, who will also update you about courses registration in due course. Read the emails carefully as they basically contain all the information about how to use the platform and the important dates.

Yonsei uses a mileage registration system, where you allocate a number of points to a course depending on how much you want it (allocating higher means a higher priority of getting in). At the start, you are assigned a set amount of points you can use up for all your courses.

Exchange students take IEE classes (courses designated for exchange students) or normal Yonsei courses that (i) have exchange student quota, and (ii) are taught in English.

6) Teaching & Assessment Methods

These were similar to HKUST. Many of my courses were comprised of: attendance, participation, mid-term exam, final exam OR for more group-work based courses, attendance, participation, mid- term exam, final exam, presentation and group project report.

Note that there is a minimum attendance policy at Yonsei, so you must attend the required number of classes to pass the course regardless of your exam/project performance.

7) Sports & Recreation Facilities

At SK Global House, there is a small gym. The main gym and swimming pool are on the main campus which is a little far off from the dorms, so I usually used the SK Global gym. Some of my exchange friends liked to hike a lot.

8) Finance & Banking

The currency is Korean Won (KRW). I managed my finance through the bank account that I opened at Woori Bank on-campus. Overall, the approximate total of expenses for food, shopping, transport, etc. I spent during the semester came down to 3,184,190 KRW (excluding airfare and accommodation). Airfare was around 4,000 HKD. Accommodation was 1,785,000 KRW for a Double Room at SK Global House.

9) Social Clubs & Networking Opportunities

There is a lot going on if you can speak Korean—the challenge is not finding clubs to join when there is little, but picking which ones to go to. There are some clubs that are conducted in English. There will be an information week where you can go up to the respective club booth and ask questions/join. Keep in mind that a lot of the sign-ups will end pretty quickly in the first week or so.

PAGE 4 While I was in Korea, I got to attend an event that brought together Hong Kong people working or studying Korea. I was able to meet exchange students from other Korean universities there.

10) Health & Safety

Sinchon has pharmacies on many streets. At Yonsei, there are also the Severance Hospital and a Health Clinic in the Student Union Building. Seoul is a generally safe city. Just remember to look out for cars and traffic.

11) Food

I thought that on-campus options were decent. When eating on-campus, I mostly went to 부를샘 and 고를샘, which are the newer cafeterias and have a wider variety of international food options.

Off-campus in Sinchon also presents you with an extensive range of places to eat at, though the prices will be higher than on-campus. Korean food is quite good for the price, but often other cuisines such as Italian, Japanese and American were slightly more expensive. MangoPlate was the major food app for my friends and I—consider it as Seoul’s OpenRice.

Fun fact: the student sharing his experience during Orientation told us 찜닭 is his top-rated must-try food in Korea. My tip: always add cheese (adds flavour and richness) and go for the mild unless you are a fan of spicy food (the Korean definition of spicy is on a whole new level).

You may or may not know, but Korea is the land of delivery. When it was too cold or on days we wanted to stay in, my friends and I ordered in delivery. There are two main apps you can use with an extensive range of food options: 요기요 and 배달의 민족. When it also starts to get cold, munching on warm 붕어빵 or 호떡 from the street vendors while chatting with your friends is a unique experience to try.

There are a few places to eat at on the bottom of the SK Global House building.

12) Transportation

I frequented the bus and the subway. Both are relatively convenient. Remember to get a T-money card, which is sold at convenience stores. It is Seoul’s Octopus card.

Top apps to get around Seoul (they are in Korean): NaverMaps, KakaoBus, SubwayKorea.

13) Climate

August and September were still quite hot. In early-to-mid October, it started to get a little chillier— long coats and leather jackets would suffice. It started to get really cold in November, so get a padding coat and muffler ready. Also, remember to stock up on under-layers such as HEATTECH clothing.

Winters get very dry so it is important to moisturise daily.

14) Communication

Often, signs will be in Korean and either Romanised or English. Off-campus, most of the locals will prefer to communicate in Korean so I suggest you learn some basic phrases to help you. However, many of the local Korean students that I met on-campus could speak English quite well.

PAGE 5 Part III: Items to Bring On top of the necessary packing list, you’ll need an adaptor since Korea uses a different plug shape. In the dorms, some people had issues with the Wi-Fi so they used Ethernet/LAN cables. It’s up to luck, because my room was fine with Wi-Fi. As mentioned in the Monthly Log, home supplies were all bought at Daiso.

For most of my winter clothes, I bought them in Korea as they are more suited for the climate and I could often get them at good deals from the many available clothes stores (after all, Seoul is a fashionable city).

I didn’t cook a single time on exchange—we were all too busy exploring the various food options available outside the dorms.

Part IV: Useful Links and Contacts Yonsei Portal: https://portal.yonsei.ac.kr/main/indexe.jsp

Housing: https://ih.yonsei.ac.kr

SK Global Email: [email protected] | International House Email: [email protected]

PAGE 6