Eunice Chae, '26, Government, Harvard Summer School Abroad Program in Korea, Summer 2025

Being a part of the HSS Korea program this past summer has been one of the greatest Harvard experiences of my life so far. As a Korean-American born in California who had never been outside of the United States prior to HSS, I had wanted to visit Korea for as long as I can remember. 

            I grew up with a distinctly Korean and American environment that I am quite in love with. But there were also insecurities – for instance, I spoke Korean very comfortably until I started attending school, at which point English became my dominant language and my Korean skills grew rather rusty (despite the attempts of my incredible parents to have me practice as much as possible). I became anxious about speaking Korean at all to other people and strangers, worried I would sound completely wrong. And as an avid history buff, there were so many Korean historical and cultural sites I wanted to visit and fully learn about but didn’t have the opportunity to, leading to a greater feeling of disconnect. The most difficult thing for me, however, was that I knew I had family members in Korea, but I had never met most of them before.

            I had hoped that studying abroad in Korea would allow me to alleviate at least some of those challenges – to grow just a bit more comfortable with Korean, and to meet some of my family members and connect with them for the first time in my life. But HSS Korea allowed me to do much more. 

            The first month of Korean language coursework solidified my foundation and gave me the critical confidence I needed; that yes, I can speak Korean, and I can speak it to anyone and everyone! And the anthropology class was equally thoughtful, with weekly visits to sites like Tapgol Park and Myeongdong Cathedral and a dynamic, encouraging course environment. Outside the two courses, there were also weekly field trips. A few of my favorites were the Demilitarized Zone, Jeju Island, and the War Memorial of Korea – all of which were places I had always wanted to go to, and places where we could learn just a fraction of Korea’s incredibly long, powerful, and moving history.

            My experiences outside of the classroom were also extremely memorable. I explored much of Korea on my own – traditional marketplaces, restaurants and bakeries, museums, art galleries, and temples! I even had the chance to attend my first 트로트 concert in Suwon – trot is one of my favorite genres of Korean music, so listening to it live was really something!

            One of the biggest benefits of study abroad is how it allows you to become fully immersed in another country – there is no avoiding the language and the culture. HSS Korea was no different. From each site visit and field trip, to every seminar, reading, and discussion, not a minute was wasted to idle busywork. Through HSS Korea, I learned so much, I saw so much, and I met people who I would not have met otherwise – instructors, professors, and students. 

            I am grateful and honored to have been able to participate in HSS Korea, and for the funding from MCS and the Harvard Korea Institute that helped make it possible for me to do so. Thank you to Professor Hi-Sun Kim, Professor Nicholas Harkness, the Korea Institute, the Ewha Womans University staff, and everyone else who made this program what it is. Because of it, I have grown so much as a person and met some of the most important people in my life. Thank you so much – it is an experience I will never forget.