Columns

CHOUNG | South Korea During Winter Break

By |

This winter break, I had the privilege to travel to South Korea for two weeks. It was my first time traveling internationally alone and my two weeks abroad has redefined education for me. I booked the tickets back in September and debated  over traveling for months. I was wondering if it was worth the time, money, and effort to travel to Korea, especially since I was traveling by myself. It has been six years since I last visited Korea and it was nerve racking to think about exploring a foreign country without the help of others. I worked throughout the summer before my freshman year and saved up enough money to book my tickets. I kept my eyes on ticket prices and snatched up the cheapest tickets possible. I spent weeks practicing Korean with my parents and went over how to travel by subway and bus routes. I also practiced simple Korean phrases that are useful in any situation, and gathered up gifts for my relatives. Before I knew it, it was time to leave. 

Uncategorized

Prof’s Respectful Bow Leads to Media Buzz in S. Korea

By |

All Mark Selden, a senior fellow in Cornell’s East Asia program, did was bow, but the viral buzz it made would seem to indicate that he did much more. Selden made the news on several Korean media outlets for the culturally sensitive manner in which he paid his respects to former President of South Korea, Kim Dae-jung.
Although his deep bow (a version of the kowtow) merely followed standard Korean custom, the media attention on Selden reflects larger political issues circulating in Korea in the wake of Kim’s death.