Educational travel in Korea is following the trajectory of so much else associated with Korea and is on a constant upward curve. Korean culture, music, football and pandemic response has been the envy of the world in recent years and consequently more and more visitors have been attracted to this stunning country. Plus there’s the incredible economic growth that has seen Korea move from poverty to one of the continent’s largest economies in just a few decades. Korea also ranks near the top across several educational metrics and all these factors combined make it both an enriching an inspiring place to visit. There’s plenty more to focus on too with a plethora of fun cultural options. Our student trips to Korea combine a mixture of the educational and the cultural. This blog explores some subject areas that are ideally suited to a trip to Korea.
Business and Tech
This is a subject area that appeals to economics and business students as they try and make sense of the remarkable success of Korean business in the last few decades. We arrange visits to a whole range of different business- from major manufacturing factories to tech start-ups.
We aim to offer an insight into the business culture of South Korea. It has amongst the highest working hours in the world and it is this work ethic tied with the innovation that has enabled companies like Samsung and Hyundai to establish themselves as global pioneers. We’ll visit these companies and hear more about their success stories. You can also gain an insight into the future and the technical developments with visits to Samsung D-Light and SK Telecom HQ. Samsung is constantly looking at cutting-edge ways to improve users experiences- they recently joined forces with Six Flags Theme Park to launch a range of virtual reality rollercoasters. Digitalisation has taken hold across the globe but nowhere is this tech savviness more evidenced than in Korea. 98% of 18-24 year olds own a smart phone and the business culture is plugged in and future-focused.
STEM
We will arrange a school visit centred around STEM lessons as well as a number of other STEM-related activities. The highly interactive Gwacheon National Science Museum is a great way to gain an insight into some of the scientific developments. Korea has the quickest data in the world and hear more about how this has been achieved with a visit to a telecoms provider. We’ll also join in a coding class in Gangnam district and you can join Koreans who are trying to improve their skills to compete in the modern world.
Culture
The “Hallyu” refers to the Korean wave of culture that has swept the globe. It’s likely your students will have consumed some of the Korean cultural exports with the growing popularity of the K-Pop music scene, TV shows and Oscar-winning movies. Our trips take in some of these modern aspects but also explores the rich cultural heritage of Korea. One place which is great to do this in is Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village. You can explore some traditional housing and admire the exquisite gardens. Contrast this tranquillity with the urban excitement of some of Seoul’s more buzzing districts. If K-Pop is your thing – then you’ll love the SM Town COEX Artium. Check out the recording studios and hologram performances.
We’ll also arrange some other cultural experiences such as a Korean language tutorial, a cooking class and a trip to see a Nanta Show. This is a hybrid of a physical comedy show and cooking class with hilarious results! We also arrange school visits which gives students the chance to see how Korean education works and for teachers to consider how this country has managed to have so much success in the PISA rankings. One other cultural experience is watching and trying out the art of Taekwondo!
We also run a number of service projects centred around sustainability projects. We run an upcycling project in Jumunjin where students will help with the processing of items and with the marketing strategy behind the project. They will also have the chance to speak with the people who run the programme and consider the challenges and support associated with green efforts in Korea. This unique opportunity will give a fresh insight into a growing issue and provide students with real hands-on experiences.
