Students are required to submit two reports regarding culture pass. Students can 1) attend two Culture Pass Events or 2) attend one Culture Pass Event and participate in at least two Language Exchange Sessions. Each culture pass report will count for 2% of the final grade. Both culture pass reports are due by the last day of class, December 9th. Students can find Korean culture events in the Boston area on the BU Korean Program's Instagram page (@bukoreanstudies): https://www.instagram.com/bukoreanstudies/

Culture Pass Event Report:

Students attend Culture Pass Events organized by the World Languages and Literatures department or other cultural events approved by the professor. Students will write interesting aspects about the event in English and post a photo they took at the event on Padlet. For each event, students may describe the event, what they have learned from it, and what they thought about it in 15-20 sentences.

Language Exchange Session Report:

Students participate in at least 2 Language Exchange Sessions (50 minutes each) with students at Sogang University or Daegu National University of Education. They will write a report summarizing what they learned throughout the Zoom meeting sessions in 15-20 sentences in English. The students will post a screenshot of the online meeting participants with their names on Padlet to report along with other writings. Each session will consist of 25 minutes in Korean and 25 minutes in English. While speaking Korean, students can practice the expressions and vocabulary words they’ve learned in class. Participation in 2 language exchange sessions will be counted as 1 culture pass report. The report writeup should include the date, duration, and main topic of each session.

In the second section, we explored Korean dialects and their different intonations and accents based on different regionalities. It made me realize how languages constantly change, reflecting the culture of each place. The discussion about slang showed how expressions evolve with time, making me think of similar trends in Chinese. The section also included fun quizzes and prizes, which made learning enjoyable. I also picked up some new Korean phrases throughout the process and made friends with others who attended. I enjoyed this event very much.

Han Kang’s book The Vegetarian was discussed, and I found it interesting how she writes in a way that makes the reader feel like they are part of the story. It made me uncomfortable, but in a good way—it felt like I was being pulled into the characters’ pain and struggles. One poem we talked about said, “Departed, beautiful souls...You are coming back, aren’t you?” It gave me goosebumps because it felt like a message of hope, even after all the terrible things that happened.

This event made me realize how powerful stories can be in keeping memories alive. Even though it was hard to hear about the suffering, I felt grateful for the chance to learn about it. It reminded me that sharing these stories helps us remember the past and honors the people who stood up for what was right, even when it was dangerous.

One of the first books that spoke about this uprising was called "Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the age" which became very popular as it became available in Korea, Japan, and even America. All in all, I found this discussion to be very informational as I got to know more about the history of Korea along with the tragedies that came along with. I find it very important that people are aware of this as this was a very tragic event in Korea. With that being said, we do not want history to repeat itself.

After covering the basics, we officially started the murder mystery investigation. The case involved Detective Pedro Pascal looking into the death of Oscar Isaac, the CFO of a company who had been in a car accident and was recovering in the hospital but mysteriously died during recovery. We were divided into six groups, each with 12 pieces of evidence to examine. Our task was to investigate the people around Isaac, uncover their hidden relationships and conflicts, and identify the killer. The entire process was fascinating and full of brainstorming. We had lively discussions as a group, and when the time was up, we submitted our interpretation and waited for the hosts to announce the "result" and reveal the key evidence. Unfortunately, we didn’t get it right, as we didn’t expect the killer would be the detective!

We then went over the complicated character relationship in which all the roles are named after famous Korean and Spanish TV stars. Then I was totally overwhelmed by the tons of clues and detective reports on the table. I mean is it always fun to discuss with friends but to go through the details one by one and to give clear reasoning in a short time is totally a challenge. We are largely distracted by the complicated character relationship when trying to get a conclusion. But we were actually very close to the truth thanks to the brainstorming of Speshall.

The actual task of the event was to find the killer amongst a group of suspects. We were given several pieces of evidence such as bank statements, police reports, emails amongst CEOs, and more. This task was very challenging because we didn't have much to work with and had to piece together the case with only twelve pieces of evidence and general background information. The killer ended up being the detective, Pedro Pascall, which was a huge plot twist and only one group who participated correctly guessed it. This event was extremely fun and I would definitely recommend it to other students. 

The second part of the event mainly focused on the history and origin of Hanguel. We learned about the creation of Hangeul by King Sejong. He designed the language to reflect the pronunciation of Korean. Back when Hangeul was not invented, the writing of Korean mainly used Chinese which made the understanding of it require advanced education. The creation of Hangeul made the spread of it much easier so that more people were able to get access to the information including the content of Confucianism and Buddhist ideas. This helps the spread of knowledge.

The snacks are nice, the events are wonderful, I really had a great time and learned a lot.

In fact, which made the experience even more worthwhile, I had the opportunity to taste some Korean snacks and drinks between the two sessions. I was delighted to discover these snacks, H-Mart later on, which made me happy. The second session was about the different dialects in Korea. I was surprised to learn that people say the same thing in different ways in different areas. It showed me how language can be different even in one country.

This event helped me understand Hangeul better and also gave me a sense of Korean culture and history. I didn’t know so much before, and now I want to learn more. It was a fun and interesting event, and I left feeling excited. Now, I feel more connected to the language, and I want to study Korean more.

I was inspired by Mark on stage — his love for his work and how hard he worked to bring his dream to reality. He wasn’t simply performing; he was living his dream, and it was evident from every last move. We were all there shining with him, lighting up the arena. His commitment made me strive to work that much more in my own life and served as a reminder that anything is possible if you put in the work.

K-pop has long been a major component of Korean culture, but it’s more than music. It shows how people from different cultures and backgrounds connect with one another." For me, the concert was less about an evening of great music than about being inspired by and feeling connected to the culture. K-pop, as a lesson, taught me to fight for what I love and never give up, and for that I’ll always be thankful.

The second session I attended was a brief introduction to Korean dialects, led by professors Heeju Lee and Jinmyung Lee. Hearing various examples of dialects from popular movies and k-dramas, and listening to the professors speak one word in different dialects was really interesting. Some of my favorite phrases I learned that day were “아아”, which means “ice americano” and “얼죽아” which is in short for “얼어죽어도 아이스 아메리카노” which means “Even if I freeze to death it’s ice americano”. This was really funny to me because I do this so often so I can relate to this phrase heavily. My mother is from Daegu, South Korea, so after the event I told her what I learned; she was very happy.

There were Korean snacks and drinks provided throughout the duration of the event, making the celebration day feel very lighthearted and welcoming. 

I have some family members who are in some way related to the Gwangju uprising, so one of the main reasons I wanted to attend this event was to truly learn more about what happened during the Gwangju uprising. I was also interested in seeing any documentaries because I have only researched this tragedy through the internet and websites. It was truly devastating to hear and watch about the stories of the victims. The only standing documentaries of the Gwangju uprising were filmed by German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter, who was also the only journalist who has filmed the 1980 tragedy of Korea. It makes me think that if it weren’t for his documentaries, the public media would’ve never gotten the truth of what life was like during the massacre. Due to political power and media, a simple “everything is okay” can truly throw off how the outside world viewed the legitimacy of what was happening in Gwangju. It would’ve been assumed that everything was fine when it really wasn’t, which is really horrifying to think about. Just imagining how scared and tense the city was, especially when the military isolated the city from the rest of South Korea, prohibiting citizens from speaking up, as they would be punished through violence. 

Regardless of the heavy topic, I have learned a lot throughout the book discussion event, it was a very meaningful and powerful lecture and experience. 

Literatures department in October, and it was such a memorable experience. The event focused on the origin of Hangul, the Korean writing system, and how it was created by King Sejong in the 15th century. I was really impressed by how thoughtfully Hangul was designed—it’s simple, logical, and easy to learn, yet it holds so much cultural significance. Learning about its history gave me a deeper appreciation for the Korean language.

One of the best parts of the event was meeting my wonderful Korean professor and classmates. Seeing familiar faces made the event even more enjoyable, and it was a great opportunity to connect with others who are also passionate about learning Korean. We shared what we learned during the event and had some interesting discussions about Korean culture. It felt nice to be part of such a welcoming and supportive group.

Another highlight was definitely the food! There was an amazing selection of Korean

snacks, and I got to try some new ones for the first time. They were so delicious and added a fun, flavorful touch to the whole experience. Overall, attending this event was both educational and enjoyable, and it made me even more excited to continue exploring Korean culture.

The lecture focused on the intersection of religion and politics in the region. Professor Troen highlighted the evolving relationships among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam regarding the concept of the "Promised Land." He provided insights into how religious doctrines have influenced political actions and international attitudes toward Israel and Palestine. The slides presented during the event were very informative. They outlined major historical milestones, such as the Vatican's role in UN General Assembly Resolution 181 (1947).

Overall, I found the lecture deeply. It made me realize how intertwined religion and politics can be, especially in regions like the Middle East. The reception afterward provided a great opportunity to interact with other attendees and reflect on the discussion. This event broadened my perspective on a complex issue that I previously knew little about.

I wandered from booth to booth, each offering something unique and exciting. One booth had Chinese-themed games where I got a crash course in my luck. But the snacks booth made up for it, I still dream about the red bean buns and savory dumplings. The smell alone transported me to bustling street markets in Beijing.

The highlight, of course, was the Mahjong tables. I couldn’t hide my excitement when I saw them. Being a Mahjong expert, I felt right at home. I joined a game, and it wasn’t long before a small crowd gathered to watch. Playing with a mix of seasoned players and enthusiastic beginners, I shared strategies, explained tile combinations, and celebrated with everyone when they nailed their first pung or kong. One beginner told me, "I’ve always wanted to learn this game, but it seemed so complicated!" Watching their confidence grow throughout the game was deeply rewarding.

The atmosphere became electric during the "Ichiban Prize" event. Everyone crowded around, tickets in hand, cheering as winners were announced. I didn’t win anything, but the energy in the room was so infectious that it didn’t matter.

By the end of the day, I left not just with a bag full of exquisite souvenirs but with a full heart. I felt more connected to my culture and proud to share it with others, especially through Mahjong. For a few hours, it wasn’t just about celebrating Chinese tradition—it was about building a shared experience with a diverse community, one tile and one snack at a time.

Some of the eboards were also teaching traditonal dances. I observed the techniques and the elegnace of the moves and even related it back to my Tibetan cultural dance. How they both tend to focus on the arms rather than the legs. And how each move is carried out perfectly and with patience. Overall, I thought this was a very fun event. It was very engaging as there were lots of interactive activites provided. 10/10 recommend.