2022 Activity Report

March Activity Report

March 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

The GJO Seoul office is used by the students as well as alumni who have been keeping in touch with us. For those who continue to have some interests in Japan after their graduation, the GJO Seoul office provides some information on events and programs for young people.

I remember a student who participated in an exchange festival held by the GJOSeoul office with the Department of Japanese Language at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies was very active and loved the opportunity to interact with others. I heard she later went on an exchange program and made many friends, and after returning to Korea, she continued the exchange activities by participating in some exchange programs.

I was hoping that her passion and positive attitude for exchange activities could contribute to society, and just as I saw an advertisement for the JET Programme (The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme : a youth exchange program that aims to engage in international exchange at the local level, such as foreign language education, youth exchange, and sports exchange in Japan, and to deepen mutual understanding and friendship with Japan), I suggested her to apply. It was highly competitive, and it required the applicants to have not only excellent Japanese language skills, but also knowledge of social culture and an understanding and knowledge of the language and culture of their home country. I tried to support her if there was anything I could help, such as providing the relevant information I had. She proudly passed the selection and is going to her first choice agency in Japan in April. In order to introduce Korea, she wanted to use the pictures she took by herself instead of the pictures on the Internet, so she worked hard to go out to take pictures of the streets and scenery here and there. I hope that these efforts and enthusiasm will reach many people and that the Japan-Korea exchange will become more active.

February Activity Report

February 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

Although 70% of the Korean vocabulary is composed of Chinese characters, the education of Chinese characters is inadequate, and the Korean educational field continues to discuss the teaching of Chinese characters in reading comprehension. Students who begin to study Japanese with little understanding of Chinese characters always face with the “Chinese characters’ barrier” first. Unlike Korean, which you can read anything once you learn Hangul, we use Hiragana, Katakana and numerous Chinese characters in Japanese, so I say it is understandable that students want to give up on studying Japanese. Everyone asks, "What should I do with Chinese characters? Is it okay to use only Hiragana and Katakana?" We provide a variety of learning supports from giving them some conceptual explanations of how to read Chinese characters (kunyomi(the “Japanese” reading of a character) and onyomi(the “Chinese” reading of a character)), to providing workbooks on Chinese characters. The final solution, however, is always “you just have to remember.” It is very painful to see the frustrated face of students who realizes that each Chinese character in Japanese has many ways to read (kunyomi and onyomi) while one Chinese character has only one onyomi in Korean.

I have been trying to devise various ways to learn Chinese characters for some time now, but have been struggling to find a groundbreaking method. One Professor invited me to a seminar on the education of Chinese characters for learners of Japanese as an inherited language. Some of the examples of teaching methods of Chinese characters used by several educational institutions could be used not only for learners of the inherited language but also for university students. I thought that if we arranged the examples showed to us, we could offer a Chinese character study program that is unique in the GJO Seoul office.

Even Japanese speakers have struggled with the Japanese language exam, so no matter how many new learning methods we propose, the sense of stress and difficulty felt by students will remain the same. Even so, I would like to support students so that they can enjoy and feel a sense of accomplishment from this painful learning experience.

January Activity Report

January 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

The GJO Seoul office provides information on events related to Japanese culture in Seoul and offers Korean-only programs for students who do not speak Japanese. This is because language is a part of a country's culture, and the cultural experience leads to an understanding of the language. As a part of these activities, I have previously done some activities in which I watched Japanese dramas and movies, and presented the differences between Japan and Korea. For example, the difference between scenes in Korean dramas, in which the characters mainly travel by car, and scenes in Japanese dramas, in which they travel by train or on foot, led us to ask about the traffic and parking situation, as well as Japanese attitudes and awareness about transportation. At the time, there was a student who did not understand Japanese but participated in the program watching a drama with Korean subtitles. When I heard that that student liked teaching, I told that in Japan there was a "Japanese language teacher training program" where participants could learn Japanese language knowledge and practical skills. The student began studying Japanese after participating in the activity, and then became interested in teaching Japanese and came to the GJO Seoul office for consultation. That student were impressed by the connection from simple comparison of drama scenes to the current state of society and culture, thus immediately checked the curriculum of a Japanese conversation school in Korea, only to find that they only offer classes that teach the language simply from drama dialogue. So, that student decided to use the strengths in "teaching" to create a curriculum as a teacher. I spoke about the currentsituation of Japanese language education, including trends in cultural education, Japanese language teacher qualifications, and the educational fields in which language teachers can be active.

I started this activity to let people who do not understand Japanese know about real Japanese culture, but I was very happy to have them consider Japanese language study and even a career.

December Activity Report

December 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

The Chinese New Year of 2023 will be the first four-day holiday when the entry sanctions will be lifted for the first time since the declaration of the new coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. The number of tourists planning to travel abroad during the Chinese New Year will increase by 7015% compared to last year, and about 50% will be coming to Japan.

A student who wanted to study in Japan was planning a trip to Tokyo and Hokkaido during both the winter and the consecutive holiday breaks with the aspiration of "making it a place to test the Japanese language skills I built so far without relying on translation apps." He already had plans for famous tourist attractions and spots. Still, he wanted to experience the real campus life of Japanese university students and asked for ideas and advice. I suggested looking into university tour programs, just as the one at Korea University of Foreign Studies; however, he said that since he had already booked some tourist spots, it would be difficult to make new plans, so it would be best if he could stop by during his trip. Based on that, I suggested three activities: a walk around the campus to get an idea of the characteristics and the atmosphere of the university from its buildings, a visit to the cafeteria when it is opened to the public to feel the university's consideration for food, and a walk by the library to feel the academic culture. This would allow him to use his time freely and enjoy the campus atmosphere.

I searched for universities along the route of his trip and found several national and private universities in the central area of Sapporo so it would be a great opportunity. Unfortunately, most universities' websites were in Japanese and English, but I gave him a list of the universities and their web addresses since I thought the designs could grant him an initial impression of their characteristics.

I think it was a great idea to visit universities during the trip. And since he is a student who works hard to study abroad in Japan, this visit would greatly motivate him.

November Activity Report

November 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

Before the Corona epidemic, study abroad fairs were held in large venues with many universities participating. However, they were cancelled three years ago when the Corona epidemic began, so they gradually switched to being held online. The ordinary offline study abroad fairs allowed us to attend at our convenient time, collect brochures from many universities, and ask questions to the officials at the booths. However, since the fairs were held online, the number of participating schools has decreased, and on top of that, it has become time-consuming to sign up for information sessions and consultations in advance according to the time set by the organizers. If the time of an information session or a consultation session of two universities coincides, you have no choice but to give up one . Some schools offer only Japanese-language services. Some parents who cannot speak Japanese say that it is unfortunate that the range of school choices is inevitably limited for them.

By the way, we were asked an advice by a parent of a student who is interested in studying in Japan regarding the collection of information on study abroad. The student is not fluent in Japanese and has attended several online information sessions held in Korean language services. He requested information on schools that only offer Japanese language services, so I decided to attend an information session at a study abroad fair to be held in November on his behalf.
First, you select the school you would like to attend from the schedule provided by the organizer, and apply for the information session via Google Form. Then,you will receive a zoom URL by e-mail the day before the session, and another notification in the morning of the day of the session. There will be an explanation of the admission procedures, school life, and post-graduation plans during the one-hour information session. Parents can ask questions during the Q&A session. They sometimes get the answers on the spot, or if supplementary research is necessarty, the school will reply to the parents later by e-mail with the briefing materials.

Before participating in the online fair, I had thought that the procedures to participate and the time limitation were disadvantages compared to the offline fairs, but once I actually participated, I realized the advantage of being able to concentrate on the explanations accompanied by audiovisual materials at my convenient place. Also, having more information provided in data format than in the paper brochure, is a great service for parents who cannot speak Japanese. I also liked the point that I could use a lot of time. In ordinary offline fairs, I felt rushed and I could not ask all the questions if there was a line of people behind me. I thought it was also an advantage to be able to consult with the person in charge via e-mail even after the information session.

Even though it is an adult study abroad program, it is very anxious for parents to send their children who have just graduated from high school abroad alone, so I think the parents want to find out even the smallest details. From now on, I would like to keep in mind to support parents whose children want to study abroad.
Before participating in the online fair, I had thought that the procedures to participate and the time limitation were disadvantages compared to the offline fairs, but once I actually participated, I realized the advantage of being able to concentrate on the explanations accompanied by audiovisual materials at my convenient place. Also, having more information provided in data format than in the paper brochure, is a great service for parents who cannot speak Japanese. I also liked the point that I could use a lot of time. In ordinary offline fairs, I felt rushed and I could not ask all the questions if there was a line of people behind me. I thought it was also an advantage to be able to consult with the person in charge via e-mail even after the information session.

October Activity Report

October 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

An international exchange exhibition, "Sumida River: Urban Landscapes of the Edo Period," was held at the Seoul History Museum for about a month and a half from September.

I told the students it was an exhibition full of merits, such as the fact that it is hard to get a chance to see the exhibits of the Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum in Seoul, that the Seoul History Museum is easily accessible, located in the Gwanghwamun area of central Seoul, and that the admission fee as well as audio guide is free.

In the autumn of 2019, the Edo-Tokyo Museum held an exhibition titled "The Daily Life of Seoul in the 18 Century: The World of Yumanju Diary," which led to the exhibition of life and culture of the Sumida River basin during the Edo period. It is an informative exhibition that shows how the present-day Tokyo was built by featuring paintings and historical materials of the Sumida River, representing Edo. The river is also familiar to Korean people because it is located beside Sensoji Temple, a famous tourist spot for them.

On the way from Gwanghwamun station to the museum, I found a number of posters and flags of the exhibition, showing a commitment to informing people of the events. There was a large poster in front of the museum building. I rented an audio guide for free at the information desk. The audio guide was recorded in Korean by the Japanese voice, so I felt like I was really visiting a Japanese museum. There was no detailed explanation for all of the exhibits, but thanks to the audio guide, I understood the story of the Sumida River very well. It was a special experience to see real art by famous painters of the Edo period that are not well known in Korea. I wanted to take time to see the unique expressions and gestures of each person in the paintings. There was also an event where we could get a free gift of masking tape with exhibits printed on it if we completed and submitted a questionnaire at the entrance.

The student who is interested in Japanese culture said that he was happy to see the familiar prints, and also said that the next time he goes to Asakusa and see the Sumida River, he will feel a different landscape than before.

I think this exhibition was an even more valuable experience considering that the exhibition was held after the Covid-19 and I heard that the Edo-Tokyo Museum will be closed for renovation work until 2025.

September Activity Report

September 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

Since South Korea lifted the outdoor mask requirement, festivals have been resuming one after another across the country, which had been in an all-stop state. It has been three years since the pandemic began and all scheduled national festivals and events were cancelled.

The "Japan-Korea Friendship Festival," now in its 18th year, is one of the largest private-sector exchange events in Japan, but until last year it was held online due to the pandemic. The GJO Seoul office provided information on how Korean students could participate in the festival, such as recruiting volunteers and applying to experience ikebana (flower arrangement) several months before the event began. I was very much looking forward to this festival, as I had not had a chance to experience foreign culture for about three years due to a lack of travel.

Many students participated in this event held in the center of Seoul. This year's experience corner included the usual kimono/yukata experience, traditional games, and ikebana (flower arrangement). The most popular among them was the traditional costume experience. The students were dressed in beautiful kimonos, took many pictures, and left with many happy memories.

The playtime experience was also popular. Kendama and Daruma Otoshi are unique Japanese games that most of the students had never played before, but ring toss and Koma are also played in Korea.

Many comments were received from the participating students. “I was disappointed that I could not go to Japan because of the pandemic, but I am glad to enjoy Japan in this way, even if only a little. I remember when my trip was canceled. I am waiting for the day when I can travel with no visa like before.", “I was happy to be able to take pictures with my friends wearing beautiful kimonos. I uploaded them on SNS as soon as I could. I was so happy to enjoy everything for free. I definitely want to come back next year.", “I didn't apply to be a volunteer this year, but the volunteers looked having fun, so I want to give it a try next year. I want to make many friends through volunteering.”, “I was surprised to see so many Japanese and Korean companies participating in the festival. I confirm with my own eyes that there is such active exchange between the private sector and businesses." 　Every year we guide the holding of the "Japan-Korea Exchange Festival," and the students who participate in the festival say that it makes them think about Japan-Korea relations once again.

In addition to enjoying the exchange events, I hope that it will have a positive impact on the students, who will play a leading role in building Japan-Korea relations in the future.

August Activity Report

August 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

The campus of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies is slowly returning to its pre-pandemic state. All lectures are now offline, and the second semester festival will be held with great fanfare. The travel restrictions for international students have been lifted, and we saw many international students on campus during the first semester. In fact, the number of Japanese students has been increasing, and the GJO Seoul office is actively promoting language exchange.

The students from TUFS have very good Korean language skills and there are no communication problems among Korean students who are not fluent in Japanese, so I thought that anyone could participate as long as they are interested.

When we offered the Language Exchange program last semester, there was a Korean student who wanted to participate but was not sure. When I asked him why, he replied, "I took Japanese language classes in high school, so I understand a little, but I mainly learned how to read and write, so I never had a chance to speak in Japanese, and besides, I have never spoken to Japanese people. This was the reason. He has always been shy and reserved, but he was worried that he would be even more nervous because the other person was a foreigner. So, I suggested, "Why don't you practice conversation with me, the coordinator, during the summer vacation?"

He seemed a little confused, but with the support of his Language Exchange friends, he started practicing. We practiced conversation offline and online at the same time. At first, he were embarrassed to speak out his poor Japanese and mostly just listened to what I had to say, but after he got used to talking with me, he gradually began to tell his own stories.

It was quite difficult and time-consuming to combine the words that came to his mind into sentences and then to say them out loud, but he did his best until the end. He is now able to tell his story and express his intentions. He is now going to participate in the Language Exchange program in the second semester.

Until now, I have only known students who actively participate in language exchanges on their own initiative. Therefore, I did not realize that there were students who were hesitant to participate in the program. From now on, I would like to devise a support system that suits each student's style.

June Activity Report

June 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

Since many countries around the world have taken measures to seal their borders and restrict entry into the country in response to Covid-19, all study abroad programs have stopped. However, entry restrictions were eased in the first semester of this year, and Japanese students are now traveling to Korea. GJO Seoul office has resumed language exchange activities that had been suspended until then. Time flies, and the students who participated in the language exchange will soon be going back to their home countries. I asked some of the Korean students who had participated in the language exchange last semester to share their impressions.

I was nervous because I am not fluent in Japanese, but I was surprised by the excellent Korean language skills of the TUFS students.
In the language exchange, by experiencing traditional Korean culture together and introducing Seoul's famous landmarks, I naturally became curious about Japanese landmarks and culture. It was good that I could actually ask questions about things I had never known or wanted to know.
At first, I participated in the language exchange for the purpose of studying the language, but the most rewarding experience was that I gained a deeper understanding of the other's country by discussing the social culture of each other's country.
It was a valuable experience in my life to make Japanese friends in Korea who can speak Korean during the pandemic. I would like to participate again if I have the chance.

Finally, I left a comment that if there are any Korean students who are worried about communication due to their Japanese language ability, they should feel at ease to participate in the language exchange because we could communicate without any difficulties thanks to the excellent Japanese students. The Korean students were very happy to have pleasant memory of their school days.

In the second semester, we would like to develop the language exchange more actively.

May Activity Report

May 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

The Korean government has announced that it will ease the requirement to wear masks outdoors starting May 2 with some conditions. This is the beginning of a return to life before Covid-19. The campus is now crowded with students, and for the first time in three years, a school festival is being held.

It has been more than two years since the Seoul office converted all of its activities online because of the pandemic.

However, since the quarantine system of the government and schools has been eased, we have decided to convert some of our activities to face to face. Language teaching activities will continue to be held online, but students who wish to meet face-to-face can come to the campus.

We immediately spent an hour studying at a table on campus with students who wanted to meet face-to-face.

I wore a mask even outdoors just to be safe, but it was fun to study while enjoying the lively campus atmosphere.

Students were satisfied with the online advantage of not having to choose a location, but the face-to-face experience was more fulfilling in terms of communication and a greater sense of accomplishment in learning.

Since the easing of quarantine measures does not mean that fear of infection is gone, we will continue to offer both online and face-to-face activities according to students' needs.

April Activity Report

April 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
AHN Soyon

While students majoring in Japanese have a clear purpose for studying, there are various reasons why students who are not majoring in Japanese study Japanese. For example, to get liberal arts credits, to enjoy as a hobby, to travel, to make Japanese friends, etc.

One day, a student from the Department of Electronic Engineering came to the GJO Seoul office for support. He was planning to study in Japan. He has always loved traveling in Japan and had studied Japanese language a bit to enjoy sightseeing on his own. He decided to start studying in earnest when he found out that the Department of Electronic Engineering offers an exchange program. Exchange program is very popular because students can earn credits without taking a leave of absence from university. However, it is highly competitive, and language test scores are required as well as good grades at classes. I decided to help him study for the monthly JPT (Japanese Proficiency Test) to get a high score, and introduced him to Language Exchange for more understanding of Japanese culture.

I asked him why he decided to apply for this exchange program. He loves airplanes and dreams of working for an aviation-related company in the future. He especially wants to work for a Japanese company because Japanese airline companies are of a high standard worldwide. He hopes that the experience of the exchange program and the improved language skills will help him to achieve his dream. In the process, he hopes to make Japanese friends and learn about its culture to get a better understand of Japan and to expand his connection with Japan.

He is studying hard every day to make his dream come true, and the GJO office also supports him every day by answering his questions and providing study sources. He feels great joy when he solves our “mission” (It is homework...) and the knowledge becomes his own. He enjoys studying Japanese, and we are also energized by his enthusiasm.