Korean Studies, Master 2 subject

What made you choose this degree programme?

I have always been interested in the languages and cultures of East Asian countries, especially Japan and Korea.

I started off watching anime as a child. My interest continued to grow, so I also read and collected mangas and even drew some myself. A few years later, I came across K-pop and K-dramas and thus discovered Korean pop culture for myself. I quickly realised that I wanted to learn more about the culture, language and history of this country. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to do this straight after my A-levels and initially worked for six years. 

But I never lost interest and started learning the writing system and the language itself at home.

After my exciting trip to Korea, I finally decided to take the plunge and start this degree programme.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

I knew beforehand that this degree programme would be exhausting. However, the great lecturers here at the university and, above all, the way in which the content is taught, ensure that you can understand everything quickly and easily and that you feel well looked after. In addition to the required modules for this degree programme, there is also an exciting and wide range of other courses relating to the cultures of East Asian countries.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

That you don't get overly bored in spite of your ability to learn languages. You also notice how quickly you can develop and make progress here, so that you quickly recognise a Hanja here and there in series for example and are simply happy about it.  On top of this, it's not just the language and history courses that take place, but also the activities such as the film club, which ensure that you can learn more in a fun way.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Definitely getting back into the ‘school’ system after 6 years of work and finding out for yourself what is the best way to learn. If you're also studying a second subject, you must be very mindful of your time management.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

After my Bachelor’s degree, I definitely want to do my Master’s degree. After that, I would very much like to pass on my knowledge and develop even further.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Having had contact with the subject beforehand really helps to get off to a good start. In any case, you shouldn't underestimate the subject, as it is more extensive than what you know from school. You should also really want to do the degree programme with a goal in mind. Nevertheless, you can achieve a lot with motivation and, above all, fun, so that you can be really proud of yourself. Even if it sometimes seems ‘too hard’, you should definitely keep at it, it will be worth it!

What made you choose this degree programme?

I have a great interest in Korean culture, language and history. Even before my studies, I was impressed and fascinated by these topics. I have also fallen in love with Korea as a country and would like to move and spend my life there.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

The courses on pre-modern and modern Korean history gave me the opportunity to learn about the development of the country and its culture. Even in the language courses, you often had the feeling of being there as the lecturers regularly explained the history of the language. You can also talk to the lecturers about life in Korea, which gives you a better understanding of the living situation in Korea.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

The opportunity to talk about the country and its culture with people who are just as fascinated as I am.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

The Chinese characters (hanja) require a lot of patience and you have to repeat them often to memorise them. However, if you develop the ambition to do well in the weekly dictations, learning can actually be fun.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

My plan is to work and live in Korea. With this degree, I want to learn as much as possible about the country that is so close to my heart.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Korean studies is a demanding subject that requires a lot of patience and attention. You should have both. As long as you put your heart into it and are prepared to invest time in your studies, even in your free time, you will certainly enjoy Korean Studies.

What made you choose this degree programme?

I was very interested in East Asian culture for many years before I started my studies and also enjoyed learning new languages. Especially those that are difficult to learn and unusual for native German speakers. My aunt once gave me the hint that you can also study this and a good friend of mine is also studying Korean Studies. As a result, my desire to pursue a degree in Korean Studies grew stronger and stronger. Even though the idea of studying Korean Studies once arose from an interest in K-pop, as it did for many people, it always remained, even in times when I was less interested in K-pop etc.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

You learn the language much faster than I thought, which surprised me in a positive way. I learn languages quickly and really enjoy it and even if it was a bit overwhelming at times, the lessons really help you to understand and apply everything. After the first semester, I looked back and was really surprised by my own abilities. It's very different to language lessons at school, because there's simply no ‘We have to do this according to the syllabus, we just don't have enough time’ and the lecturers are noticeably competent with a lot of experience and really know what they're doing. What I had already anticipated, however, is that you will find lots of people with similar interests and goals, especially as it is a small degree programme. In addition, the OAW student council at RUB offers many opportunities to get to know other people who are not directly involved in your courses and to gather information about your own degree programme.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

What I enjoy most are the little moments of success that come from learning. When you finally have a vocabulary word down, a dialogue is suddenly fluent or you can remember all irregular verbs at once without any problems when you're doing a task. Apart from that, it's definitely the lessons themselves that are so much fun. You will be well prepared for everything and you almost always feel like a small team thanks to the partner work and you can help each other with small gaps. In addition, the subject matter is always explained and taught so well that questions rarely arise (which are of course answered).

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

The biggest challenge was to keep up with the lessons, even when I was less motivated, and to commit to content that was more difficult to learn, such as Hanja (Chinese characters used in the Korean language), which was completely new to me, or which dynasty colonised whom and when, but somewhere along the line you get used to it. In a way, it's also the pressure you're under, as Korean Studies is only offered in the winter semester. So if you don't pass the semester exam and the re-sit exam, you have to wait a whole semester to repeat the semester if necessary. However, the exam is easy to pass if you have attended classes and studied, but it is a little intimidating, especially the first time. The thought that nobody wants you to fail the exam helped me a lot here.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

This question is often asked by relatives or friends, and of course it is justified. Korean Studies is an unconventional degree programme and doesn't work towards a fixed profession like teaching, for example. I have a lot of general ideas, my favourite would be to do something in the field of translation or journalism. However, what was much more important to me was to study something that I really enjoy and that is my passion. That's why I personally don't have a specific profession that I'm working towards, at least at the moment.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

I think it's important to be aware of how demanding the degree programme is. Especially if you are new to the subject, it can seem like studying Korean Studies is not a serious endeavour. However, there is actually a lot of personal work and commitment behind the scenes. It does settle down over time and you find your routine, but it really is something to be taken seriously and not something you can study on the side. I would recommend taking Hanja seriously right from the start and memorising the associated radicals. You should also take attendance seriously. At the beginning I thought that this might be a bit excessive, but I quickly realised that even if you are absent just once, you notice how much you have to work on and then prepare again. That sounded almost pessimistic, but it can all be done if you really want it!

Anna Witzke is a third-year student of Korean Studies. She is pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree, 2-subject programme. Anna's second subject is Japanese Studies.

What made you choose this degree programme?

Music opened the gates to the Korean world for me and I was spell-bound. This may sound lame to some, but I’m proud of it. K-Pop has a lot to offer, in my opinion, being the result of hard and diligent work – and I’ve always been crazy about Asia anyway. I always knew that I would one day follow my Asian calling. Korean music had torn my eyes and ears away from the manga shelves and broadened my horizons.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

I never had any expectations, to be honest. Therefore, none has been fulfilled or not fulfilled. The unpleasant surprise of sorts was the fact that Korean still very much depends on Chinese characters. As a result, you have to struggle with them in the degree course. But it’s worth the effort, and it’s by far not as tedious as in Chinese or Japanese.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

The ongoing learning process. I think that studying a language is very gratifying, because week by week you notice the progress you have made, the words you have learned, and many things more. Also, you meet many people at tandem parties, as tandem partners and at various Korea/Asia-related events. The great thing about the Faculty of East Asian Studies is that your uniqueness is accepted and valued, no matter how crazy you might be.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Time management; because you mustn’t underestimate the time and effort it takes to study a language. Every week, there’s a new lesson with new grammar, new vocabulary and hanjas. To accommodate all these things and to study another subject at the same time really takes it out of you.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

Be happy. To be honest, I haven’t really given it much thought yet – which is not to say that I don’t have any ideas, because I do. But a career that is tailor-cut to accommodate a Korean studies graduate doesn’t exist, except perhaps lecturer. To me, it is important that I must be fluent in at least 5 languages by the time I get my Bachelor’s degree. Thus, I hope my future perspectives are going to be good.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Previous knowledge is certainly useful, but not crucial. You should be interested in the culture and language, because that will not only facilitate the first steps in the degree course, but also make it much easier in the long term. You should have the ability to pay attention in class, because you will be lost if you don’t. Stamina is also necessary. Most importantly – you should enjoy it!

Kristina Dudda, sixth semester student in Korean Studies. She is pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree, 2-subject programme. Kristina’s second subject is Sinology.

What made you choose this degree programme?

Asia (especially China, Korea and Japan) fascinated me even as a child. After my A-levels, I could take my pick. I therefore gathered information about many different degree courses and applied randomly for every programme that I could imagine pursuing. I knew from the outset that I wanted to study something that I’m interested in and where I would not have to struggle through. This is why I eventually opted for the two East-Asian languages that I’d found fascinating for a long time.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

I didn’t have any particular expectations, apart from the fact that I wished to learn as much as possible about the cultures. Korean studies provides a very good overview over many subjects relevant for Korea; consequently, it met that requirement to a great extent. The scope of the language courses, however, is not quite so satisfying, especially when compared and contrasted with the very comprehensive language courses in sinology.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

I like that we were introduced to the full range of topics covered by Korean studies (literature, history, religions, language) in the first semesters. In the following semesters, we had the option to choose courses according to our interests. I like this freedom of choice very much, as well as the small study groups (Korean studies is a relatively tiny degree course). Moreover, Korean studies is very unique and I am often asked about it at parties.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

The greatest challenge was/has been completing the degree course within the stipulated standard period of study. Both my degree courses are very demanding. Without excellent prior knowledge, which enables you to skip some of the language courses, it is almost impossible to complete these two degrees within 6 semesters.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

I am planning to pursue an academic career. That means I am going to enrol in the Master’s degree course after getting my Bachelor’s degree (which is something that I very much recommend, as only the Master’s degree gives you freedom of choice), and then I will continue to research, with the aim of getting a PhD. I can very well imagine working as a lecturer at university or as a teacher at a language school.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Definitely do something that you care about. Even if there is a class on occasion that you don’t find very interesting, you should try to carve out a small area of interest that you enjoy, or else a semester might be a drag.
Don’t give up the moment your degree course seems too difficult. A lot of work lies ahead, but the workload is not so great that it will overwhelm you. You must not procrastinate, and you should revise vocabulary during the holidays. As one of my fellow students used to say: “Studying is like swimming against the tide; if you stop doing the crawl, you’ll drown.”