Explore Korea: Past, Present, & Future in Spring/Summer 2027 SOAN Study Abroad Program

This is the website for the tentative 2027 Explore Korea Program. I took students to Korea in both 2024 and 2025. Students had a truly immersive and life-changing transformative cultural experience. Please browse the website to get a sense of what you will do during the program. Space is limited. If you have any questions, please contact me at sangyoub.park@washburn.edu.

SOAN300 Explore Korea in the Spring of 2025 should be an interactive course with a traveling portion in the Summer of 2025 (Late May thru Early June). Let's explore the past, present, and future of Korea with Dr. Park. Space is limited. WTE Scholarships (SCWTEs or International Education Scholarships) are available. If you have any questions about the K-program, please email me at sangyoub.park@washburn.edu.

If you don't have your passport yet, please apply for your passport ASAP. It could take 3-4 months to get your passport.

Tentatively scheduled on Wed, 5/28 to Fri, 6/13 in 2025.

Explore Korea: Past, Present, & Future will be a study abroad program offered by the Sociology and Anthropology Department in 2025. The program is a combination of a 3-credit course (SOAN 300 K-Pop & Beyond, Spring 2025) and the travel portion (Summer 2025).

Visiting Cultural Sites, 2025 (Bongeunsa Temple, K-Star Road, Gangnam Medical Tour Center)
Visiting Cultural Sites, 2025 (Mt. Inwangsan, Sokcho East Coast, HiKR Ground)
Hands-on Cultural Activities, 2025
Explore Korea, 2025 Finger Korean Hearts
With Dr. Park, 2025

The travel portion of the course is based on visiting historical and cultural sites including numerous museums and experiencing hands-on activities including K-pop, K-cooking, or K-crafting. Further, students will have the opportunity to chat with local experts on K-pop and immigration. Students will get to experience everything about K-culture: K-pop, K-movies, K-dramas, K-food, K-education, and K-fun!

Summer 2024: K-Cooking, HiKR (K-culture Center), Herbal Medicine Market, K-Crafting
Summer 2024 - Twister Alley (with handmade tote bags), Gangnam K-pop St, K-Star Road, Tea Ceremony
K-temple Food Center. Learning about K-temple food and cooking. Today's menu includes Rice with eggplant mushroom & Spicy bracken radish soup.
K-cooking & Eating
Templestay Information Center - Coloring coasters (one way to meditate)
Car-Free Jamsu-Bridge Festival, Han River.
Jamsu Bridge Rainbow Fountain, Han River.
Namsan Folk Village - it takes only a few steps to visit the past of Korea. Seoul is a city of old and new mingling, not to mention the city never sleeps!
Changshin-dong - One of K-Culture spots in Seoul. I had a chance to visit Teacher Kim who will provide us with hands-on experience (K-Crafting) next year. This area is known as Sewing Street and has many migrant workers.
I am planning to bring the students to this place. This is one of "must-visit-places" in Bukchon. I just happened to be in the right time. Although I am a customer, I am helping Mr. Park (not related to Dr. Park) serving 19 French high schoolers with 3 teachers. This is a good example of "studying abroad, “ which is like a box of chocolate!! We made 22 instant ramen bowols!! He said, bring your students next year!
K-Temple & K-Food. Students will have a chance to learn more about Korea Temple Food.
You can try on Hanbok while walking around Seoul!
Various cultural spots in Seoul!
Seoul has many traditional markets. We will visit about five K-markets.
Seoul Square & Gwanghwamun Square - There will be so many cultural events!
'HiKR Ground'' is a Korean tourism publicity center where visitors can experience K-Pop and view media art at the same time. The name ''HiKR Ground'' embodies the meaning that Korea (KR) will greet ("Hi") global tourists and become a playground. Let's visit K-Playground together next year!
Summer, Seoul in 2022 - HYBE (BIg Hit Entertainment Co.: BTS), Sewing History Museum, Mongolian Town, K-Beauty Shop in the high-end area

The program will focus on the past, present, and future of Korea. In particular, the program will highlight social, cultural, and demographic shifts occurred over the past 50 years and where Korea is heading over the next 20 years.

Multicultural Towns in Seoul and Beyond, Summer 2022 - Nepali Supermarket, Russian Bread Shop, Vietnam Cafe, Multicultural Food Street
Various K-cuisines, Summer 2022 - Yukhoe (Korean steak tartare), Rice Noodle, Clam Soup, and Hansik (Korean Cuisine)

WTE scholarship or International Education scholarship is available. In addition, we will try to fund-raise the program!

Seoul, Summer 2022
2024 Korea Program by Maliyah
2024 Korea Program by Hinata
2024 Korea Program by Storm

For more info, please contact Dr. Park (sangyoub.park@washburn.edu).