KOREA FOUNDATION

The KF launched the KF Global e-School program in 2011 with the aim of contributing to the development of Korean studies and easing the gap between the international demand for and supply of professional instructors. After a little more than a decade, the program has become one of the most reliable online platforms offering college-level education in Korean studies, continuously breaking its own enrollment records. As of last year, the program has provided 661 regular classes to over 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students at 167 institutes of higher learning in 46 countries across the world.

Here, Prof. Park Sun-hee and a few students of the KF Global e-School of Ewha Womans University in Seoul share their e-School experiences, present activities, and future plans. Prof. Park has worked jointly with the KF to promote Korean studies since the e-School program’s establishment.

 

1. Please introduce the KF Global e-School program at Ewha Womans University.

The e-School at Ewha offers Korean studies classes covering a wide range of subjects, including Korean history, society, culture, literature, economics, business administration, and architecture. We also offer academic Korean language classes. A total of 1,029 students enrolled last year, marking a 72.3 percent increase from 2021 and the largest year-on-year growth since the e-School’s opening.

Ewha’s e-School program is special in that its Korean studies and Korean language classes are customized to meet the particular demands of specific areas and institutes. We receive very satisfactory reviews from students. We also hold a Korean studies video contest.

2. How did Ewha begin the e-School program?

Ewha’s e-School program is operated by the Department of Korean Studies. The department, the first such in the nation, was established in March 1982. From early on, we accepted international students and made considerable efforts to promote Korean studies abroad. Since Ewha has long built a history and traditions related to Korean studies education, it was quite natural for the school to combine its educational potential with the KF’s e-School program.

In addition, we had professors who joined forces to broaden the scope of the e-School program to encompass subjects in the humanities and social sciences. These include Prof. Lee Hai-young of the Department of Korean Studies, who is also the chairperson of the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF); Prof. Kim Sei-wan of the Department of Economics; Prof. Choi Hyung-Yong of the Department of Korean Language and Literature; and, above all, the incumbent Ewha President Dr. Eun Mee Kim, who worked as the dean of the Ewha Graduate School of International Studies back then. Thanks to the on-campus cooperation and the all-out support of these professor, Ewha was able to join the e-School program as early as 2011.

3. How are the e-School classes received internationally? Which is the most popular class?

The response to Ewha’s e-School program is enthusiastic. It isn’t easy to pick just one popular class, but I’ll try. Prof. Kim Sei-wan of the Department of Economics conducts two classes: one on modern Korean economic development and the other on Korean corporate culture. The first class is quite famous at Japan’s Waseda University, as it attracts the greatest number of applicants and boasts the longest waiting list among other classes in the field of economics and business administration. It has been conducted annually since 2016 and garnered the most favorable reviews among all economics and business administration classes at the university in 2021. It’s truly amazing that one of our e-School classes won top place at a university as prominent as Waseda—especially in the highly competitive field of economics and business administration—and I’m very proud of it.

4. Please tell us about your hopes and plans for the future.

Ever since it was launched, the one and only aim and dream of the Ewha e-School has been to one day see Korean studies courses in other countries being conducted in Korean. We want to contribute to fostering Korean studies scholars and experts who study in Korean outside Korea. That’s why our program places an emphasis on teaching academic Korean. Ewha e-School has produced graduates who have gone on to major in Korean at Korean colleges or universities and work as researchers at institutes of higher learning inside and outside Korea, and who are active as Korea experts in a variety of fields both at home and abroad. We will strive to attain our goal of seeing Korean studies courses in other countries being conducted in Korean.

 

 

KF-Ewha Global e-School Video Contest

The contest accepts five- to seven-minute-long videos related to the KF Global e-School’s Korean studies classes. Award winners are invited to the Ewha International Summer College to attend Korean studies classes and experience Korean culture firsthand.

Last spring, we received applications under the theme of “Zoom In, Zoom Out: My Korean Studies” and selected four award winners through a thorough screening process. The four winners were invited to the Ewha International Summer College and spent a meaningful time with students from around the world, attending Korean studies classes and experiencing Korean culture over the course of about two weeks.

 

1. What brought you to the e-School classes?

Miyu Narita: I happened to watch videos of a course titled “Modern Korean Economic Development” without knowing that it was part of the e-School. I only realized after hearing the professor’s explanation in the first class.

Anyiool Lilianna: I joined the e-School after a professor of mine at Irkutsk State University recommended the class “Understanding South Korean Society and Culture through Films.”

Phitchaya Makmee: I applied for the classes because I was interested in Korean culture and history.

Hoang Phuong Trang: I learned about the e-School classes through the school I attend, the Hanoi University of Languages and International Studies.

2. Would you recommend the e-School classes to others? If yes, why?

Miyu: Yes, because we can gain a deep understanding of Korean society and culture, and especially because we can participate in the KF-Ewha Global e-School Video Contest.

Lilianna: I recommend the e-School because it’s a wonderful opportunity to learn a lot about Korea and Korean culture. The school offers a good chance to practice listening and speaking Korean with other Korean language students because its classes are very interactive.

Makmee: I would recommend it 100 percent. Korean literature helps us to gain a deeper understanding of Korea and Korean people. I was never bored during the class that discussed the differences in Korean and Thai literature. I strongly recommend it!

Trang: I recommend the e-School classes to other students. They’re useful and enjoyable, and you could get a nice opportunity to visit Korea afterward by taking part in the KF-Ewha Global e-School Video Contest.

3. What made you participate in the KF-Ewha Global e-School Video Contest?

Miyu: I wanted to take part in the Ewha International Summer College and found it exciting to discuss my personal subjects of interest in Korean.

Lilianna: When I was a first-year student, one of my seniors won the top award in the contest and visited Korea. I had long dreamed of going to Korea and so I decided to participate in the contest the moment I saw the notice.

Makmee: I wanted to study in Korea, albeit for a short period of time. I’m considering pursuing graduate studies in Korea and wanted to confirm whether I could adapt well to life in Korea. There were also many places in Korea I wanted to visit, so I took part in the contest without hesitation.

Trang: I’ve come to better understand the corporate culture of Korea through the e-School classes, and I believe this will help me when I join the corporate workforce in the future. The e-School is an opportunity to make new friends from other countries. I participated in the contest because it offers a precious chance to visit Korea.

4. Do you have any plans to study or work in Korea?

Miyu: I’m planning to attend a graduate school in Korea after graduating from university.

Lilianna: In order to be a good Korean language teacher, I’ll study Korean language and culture diligently. This year, I plan to apply for the KF Korean Language Training Fellowship.

Makmee: I would like to enter a Korean graduate school in 2025 by receiving a scholarship. It’s difficult to tell at the moment whether I’ll be successful, but I’ve applied to two departments related to Korea and I hope for the best.

Trang: I’ll enter a graduate school in Korea to study Korean-Vietnamese translation and interpretation in depth. Until then, I’ll study and practice Korean even harder.

YouTube Links

Miyu Narita, Approaching Korean Society from Economic and Cultural Perspectives: https://youtu.be/zFKUBLavIDs
Anyiool Lilianna, Korean Words Related to Love: https://youtu.be/UcV9PL9VwAU
Phitchaya Makmee, Korea’s Founding Myth: https://youtu.be/eGIWoGKshbE
Hoang Phuong Trang, Development of Public Transportation in Korea: https://youtu.be/5KSJ57FeEGQ