Meet Ale, an Italian student who moved to Busan, Korea in November 2021 to study Korean at Pukyong University. Now enrolled in the Global and Interdisciplinary Studies department, Ale loves exploring Korean culture, especially Busan’s blend of nature and urban life, and is determined to build a stable future in Korea.
Interview – Study in Korea
- WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
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Italy
- WHAT DO YOU DO IN KOREA?
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I came to Korea in November 2021 when the pandemic was still going on to study Korean at the Korean language program at Pukyong University (Busan), after a year and a half I managed to enroll in university and now I am a student at the Global and Interdisciplinary Studies department.
- WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN KOREA?
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Since I was a kid I have always loved learning new languages and cultures, I first got interested in Japan and Japanese and while I was living in Japan I was able to travel to Korea for a couple of days, I fell in love with Busan right away and also because of my interest in Kpop I wanted to learn more about this country.
- WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN THIS CITY?
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Busan was the first city I visited in Korea, because I was living in Tokyo at that time flying to Busan was really convenient and cheap so I couldn’t waist an opportunity to travel. When I came I fell in love with it right away, I think Busan has the perfect balance between nature and urban, tradition and modernity, calm and city life.
- WHERE IS YOUR LOCAL RECOMMENDATION IN THIS CITY?
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To anyone coming to Busan I always recommend going to Dadaepo Beach at sunset hour, there I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets of my life. Jeonpo is also a great place for people who love cafés and for just a moment they want to escape from the big city. One last thing I’d say don’t miss out on the Busan night view at Hwangnyeongsan Mountain.
- WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST WHILE STAYING ABROAD?
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I love going out with my friends and enjoying some delicious Korean food or going to some nice café. Korean café culture is so different from Italy but I have to say seeing all these pretty cafés with delicious desserts and great drinks is one of the best things.
- WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEING IN KOREA?
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I have to admit it’s really hard to make Korean friends, I have been here for 2 years and a half and I speak Korean pretty well right now but I still haven’t been able to make Korean friends and often feel discriminated as a foreigner even at university.
- WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KOREA AND YOUR COUNTRY?
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To be honest Italy and Korea are much more similar than I expected, one of the biggest differences though is the Korean extreme working culture and the importance of ranks, it’s always really hard to approach someone because of all these rules about ranks, age, and status.
- DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS?
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I guess the biggest change is that I am not attending university. When I was in Italy I was so sure I didn’t want to continue my studies because of the pressure and hardship I went through however after I came to Korea I felt confident and strong enough to start again as a student.
- WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
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Right now I want to focus in getting my university degree and being able to have a stable life in Korea, honestly with just part-time job it’s not easy to afford oneself these days so I just wish to have a stable and happy life while studying for my future.
- MESSAGE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL GO TO KOREA.
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Please please please do not visit only Seoul when you come to Korea, there are so many beautiful places and cities to visit full of history and tradition, and spending time only in Seoul would be such a missed opportunity.
- HOW DO YOU LEARN KOREAN?
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I learned Korean in my university Korean language program and now the language is just part of my daily life, when talking to people or reading in Korean I always learn new words and interesting facts.
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