Sahmyook University Hosts Korean Culture Experience Event for Students from New York Private Schools

Students from a private school in New York visited Samyook University’s Department of Global Korean Studies to learn Korean language and culture.

On the 23rd, the Department of Global Korean Studies at Samyook University announced that it is hosting students from the Korean language class of Whispering Pines SDA School in New York for a three-week "Korean Culture Experience and Department Visit Program" until the 9th of next month.

The program involved 18 participants, including 7th and 8th grade students, parents, and teachers from Whispering Pines School.

Whispering Pines School, a private school located in Long Island, New York, has adopted Korean as a second foreign language alongside Spanish, and all students learn Korean twice a week.

Students from the Korean language class at Whispering Pines School in the United States are visiting the Department of Global Korean Studies at Sahmyook University to learn K-pop dance.
[Photo by Sahmyook University]

The students visiting Samyook University attend Korean language classes in the morning for three weeks, and in the afternoon, they experience Korean culture with students from the Department of Global Korean Studies through activities such as K-pop dance, Samulnori (traditional Korean percussion), Korean cooking, Korean crafts, and calligraphy. After classes, they also tour major Seoul landmarks including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheonggyecheon Stream, the National Museum of Korea, Namdaemun Market, Myeongdong, and Ttukseom.

Park Sung-woo, a first-year student in the Department of Global Korean Studies who taught K-pop dance to the students on the first day, said, “I was surprised that the students knew more K-pop groups than I expected,” and added, “I hope this becomes an opportunity for them to better understand the Korean language and culture.”

Lee Yong-geun, a teacher at Whispering Pines School, said, “In Korea, students hear Korean everywhere they go, and that is really important,” and added, “I hope this motivates them to continue learning Korean and to take more interest in Korea even after returning to the United States.”

Samyook University and Whispering Pines School plan to make this program a biennial event. Additionally, they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to dispatch current students and graduates of the Department of Global Korean Studies as Korean language teacher interns to Whispering Pines School and other schools in the New York area.

Kim Bong-geun, head of the Department of Global Korean Studies, said, “Seeing the enthusiastic response from students from the United States makes me feel the global Korean Wave and fills me with pride in Korean culture,” and explained, “Through continuous exchanges with schools in New York, we aim to greatly enhance the major skills of our students and hope this will serve as a stepping stone for them to work as Korean language teachers and promoters of Korean culture overseas, including in the United States, after graduation.”