A nation supplying a beguiling mixture of the ancient and also the futuristic, the commercial therefore the religious, warp-speed action that is urban serene rural isolation, Southern Korea is a superb play ground for worldwide pupils.
Its money town, Seoul, has expanded into among the world’s leading economic hubs, and Korea’s universities have actually in modern times experienced a boom that is similar. With a remarkable 24 universities in Southern Korea flirthookup rated among the world’s top 800 universities within the QS World University Rankings® 2014/15 and 45 rated into the top 300 for the QS University Rankings: Asia 2015, Southern Korea is among the region’s major educational centers, supplying an ever more appealing research abroad selection for pupils throughout the world.
Regardless of which South Korean university you decide to learn at, keep reading for the variety of the most effective 10 things you can do in Southern Korea while you’re here, to make the much of your experience!
1. Explore the urban jungle of Seoul
Top universities in Southern Korea’s money: Seoul National University (SNU, 31 st into the global globe ratings); Yonsei University (106 th ); Korea University (116 th ); Sungkyunkwan University (140 th ); Hanyang University (219 th ), Kyung Hee University (275 th ). To get more top universities in South Korea, look at the QS University Rankings: Asia 2015.
A dizzying metropolis with a populace of 10 million – exceeding perhaps the loves of London, Berlin and New York – Seoul is among the 21 st century’s undisputed metropolitan powerhouses. If you’re visiting Seoul the very first time, the most readily useful destination to have a feeling of its epic scale and also to simply simply take in its sparkling cityscape in the evening, may be the iconic N Seoul Tower. Perched atop Namsan Mountain into the town center, the tower rises to a lofty 479 meters above ocean degree, supplying site visitors with stunning panoramic views throughout the town.
If you’re learning abroad in Seoul, you may be certain this sprawling metropolis could keep tossing up brand new activities and shocks, regardless of how long your system persists. If you’re looking for a cultural top-up, get started with Seoul’s four UNESCO World Heritage internet web web sites: Changdeokgung, a 15 th century palace built by the Joseon dynasty; the imposing 18 th century Hwaseong Fortress; Jongmyo, the earliest extant Confucian shrine; additionally the Royal Tombs associated with the Joseon dynasty.
For retail treatment, check out the Dongdaemun that is massive Market comprised of 26 shopping centers extending over 10 obstructs. And when you need to explore Seoul’s nightlife, the Hongdae region around Hongik University is Southern Korea’s celebration main – take your choose from literally a huge selection of pubs, restaurants, boutiques and nightclubs.
2. See Gyeongju, money associated with the kingdom that is ancient of
Top universities near Gyeongju: Pohang University of Science and tech (POSTECH, 86 th in the field ratings); Yeungnam University (135 th into the Asian positioning); Kumoh National Institute of tech (unranked); Handong Global University (unranked).
The ancient city of Gyeongju is referred to as вЂthe museum without walls’. It gets rather overrun by swarms of tourists throughout the summer time, with eight to nine million individuals visiting the location every year. But there is however an extremely valid reason for this – Gyeongju is an extraordinarily well-preserved piece of Korean history that may dazzle you having its beauty.
The previous money associated with ancient kingdom of Silla, Gyeongju contains a range of architectural and historic treasures, including three UNESCO World Heritage web sites: Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple, and Gyeongju Historic Areas. If you’re history buff, check out the Gyeongju National Museum, which houses over 16,000 items.
Do you know…? The kingdom of Silla ended up being one of many longest-sustained dynasties in Asia’s history. One of many previous three kingdoms of Korea (the other people being Goguryeo and Baekje), Silla retained its autonomy for almost 1,000 years until its dissolution in advertisement 935.
3. Sing your heart down at a вЂnoraebang’
It could now end up being the domain of drunken hen evenings in addition to periodic office that is embarrassing in numerous Western nations – but karaoke happens to be massive all over Asia considering that the 1980s, and nowhere more so compared to Southern Korea. The noraebang (meaning room’ that isвЂsong is a national institution – supplying private booths by which young Koreans allow down vapor by doing battle in the microphone.
You’ll find noraebangs all over Southern Korea, and also if you’re dubious in the beginning we guarantee you won’t keep Korea without developing your very own repertoire that is personal of hits and cringeworthy classics. Just just just What better method of conquering your inhibitions and breaking the ice together with your classmates that are new?
4. Get religious by having A korean temple stay
In addition to getting yourself a world-class education, studying in South Korea can also be an opportunity to experience a brand new tradition. In the event that you genuinely wish to be immersed, even just for several days, there isn’t any better method to do therefore than remaining in a normal temple that is korean. Devote some time away in one of several blissfully secluded retreats that are mountainous by Korean Buddhist monks, that are ready to accept site site visitors.
Temple stay was developed as the opportunity for foreigners to learn about Buddhist culture – so be warned, this won’t become your normal getaway lounging around with a pool! Visitors reside just as the monks do, that involves getting out of bed before dawn, involved in spiritual solutions, meditation, chanting and prostration, following a vegetarian diet plan, and maintaining silence for big amounts of time. It may perhaps not be everyone’s cup tea, but for life – and you never know, it may even change the way you look at the world if you’re ready to try something completely new, a temple stay will be an experience that will remain with you.
Do you know…? Temple remains in Korea had been popularized if the country hosted the soccer World Cup in 2002, with Buddhist monks proposing the theory being a alternate solution to accommodate site site site visitors. Each year over 100,000 people now take part in temple stays in Korea.
