Foreign students discuss opportunities, challenges of studying outside Seoul

Does the study abroad experience differ greatly in Seoul from other cities in Korea? Here's what some international students had to say.

Studying outside Seoul comes with many pros and cons, international students say. Pictured above is a small village near Kongyang University in Nonsan, South Chungcheong. [ALIZA KHAN]

As Korea's influence grows in the age of social media, more and more foreigners are interested in the country's culture and what it has to offer. While one would think that most foreigners opt to come to Korea as tourists, a growing number of students are also opting to study full-time at Korean universities.

Many of those students coming to Korea receive acceptance letters from universities in Seoul with the expectations of living in the country's capital and enjoying the benefits of all the opportunities the city has to offer.

However, does the study abroad experience differ greatly in Seoul from other rural cities in Korea? Does studying in Seoul, one of the world's top 30 most expensive cities, really make the study abroad experience in Korea drastically better?

Here's what some international students had to say.

Cost of living

The most notable difference students see between their experience in Seoul and other cities in Korea is the cost of living. Vivian Isabella Jesus Lima, a Brazilian student at Yonsei University in Seoul, said she was frustrated by the difference when she moved from Nonsan, South Chungcheong, where she studied Korean, to Seoul this year.

"Seoul is way more expensive. The food and housing are more expensive, and you also need to take public transportation more often," she said. "I always feel like I am broke. When I was in Nonsan, I always had some savings."

Azima Lailiyatul Rizky Fitri, an Indonesian student at Daegu University in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang, echoed Lima's sentiment.

"Everything is costly [in Seoul]," Fitri said. "The housing and food especially. I don't think I could ever afford to live there. Everything [in Gyeonsan] seems to be cheaper. You can find a one-room [studio apartment] with a separate kitchen for under 300,000 won ($225) per month easily."

Transportation

Seoul has the country's most comprehensive and systematic public transportation system, with bus routes and subway lines covering the entire city and its metropolitan area, which makes it the most convenient city in Korea to get around.

This made quite a difference for Lima when she moved to Seoul.

"In Nonsan, we had almost no buses, so Kakao and Naver maps didn't even show the [arrival] time of the buses," she said. "You just need to guess when it's coming and keep waiting at the stop. Unfortunately, to go to a lot of places in Nonsan, you need to either walk or take a taxi since public transportation doesn't go there."

"In Seoul, you can literally go anywhere just by taking buses and the subway."

Social scene

International students often choose to study in Seoul because they are drawn to the city's social scene. However, a larger city with a higher number of foreign students does not necessarily equate to a more fulfilling social life.

For Lima, studying in Nonsan meant stronger bonds.

"Because we lived in such a small city, I was able to build a community of people, and we would help and keep in contact with each other," she said. "It was easier to build a community of friends that felt more like home."

Fitri disagreed, saying the biggest disadvantage of living in smaller cities is the loneliness.

"It was harder to make friends [in Gyeongsan], and I often experienced racist behavior from local people. Just a few people are able to speak English, and they mostly avoided talking with foreigners."

Lima had a different opinion on the subject, arguing that an individual's social life can thrive as long as they are surrounded by many international students, regardless of whether they live in Seoul or a regional city.

"I found it harder to make friends after moving from Nonsan, but I believe that happened because in Nonsan, I studied with foreigners, so it was way easier to make friends," she said.

"However, after moving from Nonsan, I started to study with Koreans [in Seoul], and they are not the most friendly, maybe because of the language barrier."

A tranquil view from Kongyang University. [ALIZA KHAN]

Access to opportunities

A concern among international students could be the insufficient cultural experiences and educational opportunities when studying in rural cities.

"In small cities, there are almost no festivals or K-pop stores," Lima said. "I believe Seoul also has way more opportunities, as I keep seeing foreigners moving from small cities to Seoul to [...] find a job."

Fitri agreed with Lima, saying, "I see that some universities in Seoul offer a lot of high-quality events that involve or push foreign students to be more active in society and their respective majors. This couldn't be found in my university [in Gyeongsan]."

BY STUDENT REPORTER ALIZA KHAN [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]