Engineering in Tokyo and Seoul: Season 🇰🇷Episode 0
It’s hard to believe I’m already in my third week abroad, transitioning straight from my time in Japan to my first week in South Korea. Stepping onto the campus at Sogang University felt like a whole new start. The campus is vibrant and energetic, making for a great home base while I’m here. My classes are a cool mix of subjects ranging from Korean movie culture and Hallyu to a statistics course that's equivalent to EECS 301 back home at Umich.
(view of Sogang University's soccer court from above)
After settling into classes, I headed over to Hongdae where I am staying to check out the local scene. It’s the center of youth culture here, and the streets are filled with music, shopping, and street performers. I stopped to watch a talented young performer putting on an awesome show right on the main street, surrounded by huge crowds taking in the music and energy. Everytime I pass by and see performers I wonder if I will be one to capture the next big idol.
(a young idol performing in the streets)
To get a better look at the scale of Seoul, I visited the observatory to see the entire skyline spread out in front of me. Seeing the city lights stretch on into the distance really put the size of the city into perspective and remains one of my favorite sights in Korea.
(observatory in Seoul)
Later that evening, I took a bus tour along the bridge crossing the Han River right at sunset. The glow of the sun over the water and the silhouette of the city was easily one of the most calm and beautiful sights from the whole week.
(sunset on Han River)
One thing I heard Korea was known for was fried chicken, so knowing that we went out to Outdark which is a popular chicken restaurant in Hongdae. They served up massive platters of crispy chicken piled high with fries and potato wedges. Eating incredible comfort food with friends in a cozy spot made for the perfect dinner after a long day of exploring.
(one of the best fried chicken I've had)
I also made sure to catch a Korean baseball game at the dome, watching the Kiwoom Heroes take on the LG Twins. It was technically a home game for the Heroes, but looking around, almost the entire stadium was packed with Twins fans. Surrounded by a sea of rival fans, I couldn't help but laugh at the situation and ended up grabbing some Heroes merch for myself despite cheering for the Twins the whole time.
(my first baseball game ever)
Toward the end of the week, I took a trip out to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which was a much more reflective and grounded experience. Right before heading down into one of the historical tunnels running beneath the border, I snapped a quick photo of the memorial monument out front. Going inside the tunnel itself was intense and photos weren't allowed, but walking through it felt incredibly cramped, damp, and deeply underground. Getting the chance to see a recently used war tunnel really reminded me of the history between the Koreas during the Korean War.
(monument by the DMZ)
My first week in Korea has already been packed with new routines, memorable sights, and plenty of laughs. Moving from Tokyo to Seoul has made this third week abroad feel like an exciting new chapter, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the semester brings.