By Honorary Reporter Caroline Ceban from Moldova

Korea is growingly a popular choice for international students.

To better understand what student life there is like, four foreign nationals agreed to speak about their experiences: Erlyna Juany, 24, a first-year master's student from Indonesia at Yonsei University; Marina Gavrish, 21, an international studies student from Russia at Korea University; Laeticia Genaya Sarjono, 24, an Indonesian who completed a one-semester exchange program at Chung-Ang University; and Sara Vollmer, 20, a half-Spanish, half-German student of Korean at Yonsei.

The interviews were conducted via email from Feb. 3-7.

Erlyna Juany is an Indonesian student at Yonsei University in Seoul. (Erlyna Juany)

Juany said, "Korea has always been my dream country; great public transportation, entertainment, beauty and a strong sense of tradition." 

Sarjono, a big fan of Hallyu (Korean Wave) like K-pop, K-dramas and even art, was familiar with the country's food and music before moving to study. "I even learned a bit of the language and could read Hangeul," she added.

Gavrish was also drawn to Korea thanks to K-dramas but Korea was also close to her hometown of Vladivostok and offers quality education.

Sarjono stressed how safe Korea is, saying, "I once left my laptop, phone and bag at a cafe while going to the restroom at a nearby station, and when I came back, everything was exactly where I left it."

Gavrish said respect and consideration are a big part of everyday life in Korea. "In Russia, people are more straightforward, but in Korea, if people don't like something, they won't say it outright. I think that's good because everyone is so considerate."

"Public transportation is very quiet, people aren't loud in the streets and when Koreans line up, they don't cut in."

Sarjono spent a semester at Chung-Ang University in Seoul. (Laeticia Genaya Sarjono)

Interacting with the locals can be a bit more challenging. Despite being familiar with Korean culture, Gavrish said she initially struggled to make friends.

In contrast, Sarjono had a more positive experience, like when a student helped her find her dorm. "Koreans are kind, friendly and helpful, contrary to stereotypes," she said.

Academic life also poses challenges and pressure.

"Everyone studies hard during exam periods. Two weeks before exams, the libraries are full. People even stay up all night to study," Gavrish said.

Juany said studying in Korea is way more intense than in Indonesia, adding, "The 24/7 study cafes and libraries are things we don't have back home. They really take academics seriously here."

Sarjono said, "If you walk around campus, you'll find students studying everywhere. Rather than feeling pressured, it motivated me to work harder."

For Vollmer, the pressure can feel overwhelming at times. "Studying in Korea brings a lot more work, competition, stress and time pressure than back home," she said.

Marina Gavrish studies at Korea University. (Marina Gavrish)

Despite all this, the four students agree that studying in Korea has been rewarding. Juany said she enjoys meeting people from all over the world and Vollmer said one of the best things about studying there is the opportunities.

"The best thing about being a student in Korea is the opportunities you get, being able to meet people from all over the world and having the freedom to explore," Vollmer said.

For Sarjono, the best part is how easy it is to enjoy things she likes. "As someone who loves K-pop and art, everything I like is so easy to access here," she said. 

Gavrish added, "I love having a lot of lectures in English at my university. We have many international students and a lot of events. Every semester, we have a big event like the school festival, which attracts a lot of Korean artists."

The four gave their final tips to those planning to study in Korea.

Gavrish: Have realistic expectations. You should know that life here isn't like in K-dramas. Also do a lot of research, watch videos about studying in Korea and learn Korean before coming."

Juany: Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to focus only on academics. Enjoy your time living abroad; meet new friends, explore Korea and try new things.

Vollmer: Don't stress about meeting the right people or whether you'll like it here at first. Everyone needs time to adjust to a new country. Just go with the flow and things will work out.

Sarjono: Just have fun and don't stress too much. Korea is such an exciting place. But on a more serious note, always be respectful. Koreans value politeness and respect.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.