I believe that many foreign students who came to Korea to study abroad will have the experience of considering whether to join a club at a Korean university. I think engineering students in particular are very likely to worry about this. This may be because the classes may be difficult and there may be a lot of assignments. I believe that there may still be many people who think that joining a club will bring about the burden of having to invest a lot of time and money.
Despite this situation, there are still many students who participate in clubs. Still, what are the benefits of joining a club? Are you curious about what role clubs can play for international students? This time, we will take a closer look at clubs within Korean universities.
Club introduction
I will introduce you in detail about clubs within Korean universities. Korean universities have clubs that suit a variety of fields and tastes. For example, there are clubs active in fields such as music, dance, sports, religion, academics, service, culture, and art. By joining a club, you can develop your hobbies and talents with new friends and build various experiences and memories. Additionally, you can develop your capabilities and expand your social network through club activities.
Let’s look at some of the clubs at Korean universities as examples.
Source: Korea University Club Association (ster.ws)
Korea University Club Association: A central organization that supports and manages over 150 clubs active on Korea University's Seoul and Sejong campuses. To support the activities of clubs, the club association provides club rooms, practice rooms, equipment, and budgets, and hosts or cooperates with club festivals, performances, and external activities. The club association has divisions such as instrumental arts, society, living culture, exhibition creation, language, performing arts, humanities, religion, and physical education, and each division has several clubs. You can check the introduction and activities of the clubs on the Club Association website ( https://app.club.ku.ster.ws/ ).
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Club Association: As the central club organization of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, it supports and coordinates the various clubs of the College of Foreign Studies. The club association provides club rooms, practice rooms, equipment, and budget for the activities of clubs, and hosts or cooperates with club festivals, performances, and external activities. The club association has various clubs such as rock band, Buddhism, debate, kendo, soccer, basketball, dance, Korean traditional music, and musical. You can check the introduction and activities of the clubs on the Club Association website ( https://cafe.naver.com/edykorea ).
Korea National University of Transportation Club: These are clubs active at the Chungju campus of Korea National University of Transportation. Clubs can be established, joined, and managed through the integrated information system. Clubs are active in fields such as music, sports, culture, art, academics, and service, and enjoy campus life and improve their capabilities through club festivals, performances, and external activities. Introductions and activities of clubs can be found on the website of Korea National University of Transportation ( https://www.ut.ac.kr/kor/sub06_01_02_01.do ).
Good thing about the club
By joining a club, you can develop your hobbies and talents with new friends and build various experiences and memories. In clubs, you can have fun communicating and collaborating with people with the same interests or goals. Additionally, at clubs, you can learn more deeply about your favorite field and improve your skills. For example, if you join a music club, you can learn about various instruments and genres and play or compose music. By joining a dance club, you can learn various dances and express your emotions. By joining a sports club, you can take care of your health and improve your exercise skills.
Source:“Please listen to the explanation of our club!” (gokmu.com)
You can develop your capabilities and expand your social network through club activities. In clubs, you can collaborate with others and develop your leadership and communication skills. Additionally, in the club, you gain expertise and confidence in your field. In the club, you can also participate in exchanges and competitions with other schools and organizations. Through this, you can get recognition for your abilities, interact with more people, and get new opportunities.
The role of the club
Club activities can be helpful to college students’ studies and career paths. Through club activities, you can learn more deeply about the field you are interested in and gain practical experience. For example, joining an academic club allows you to participate in research or projects related to your major. These activities may also be reflected in college students' credits or graduation thesis. Additionally, through club activities, you can learn more clearly about your career path, which can be advantageous for getting a job or going on to higher education in a related field. For example, joining a musical club can help you develop artistic talents such as acting or singing and, in the future, advance into fields such as theater or film.
Source: University club face-to-face promotional event resumed: International Newspaper (kookje.co.kr)
Club activities can help college students build their character and relationships. Through club activities, you can collaborate with others and develop leadership and communication skills. For example, joining a service club can teach you social responsibility and helping hands. Additionally, through club activities, you can participate in exchanges and competitions with other schools and organizations. Through this, you can get recognition for your abilities, interact with more people, and get new opportunities. For example, joining a debate club can help you express your opinions logically, respect other people's opinions, and learn critical thinking.
