Frances Yee, '28, Undeclared, KI Undergraduate Summer Language Study Grant at Ewha EISC (Tuition Waiver), Summer 2025

This summer, through the generous support of the Korea Institute, I had the privilege of studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea at Ewha Womans University, from which my own grandmother graduated in the 1950s. Previously, I had been to Korea with my family in 2015 and 2023, but this time was distinct for several reasons. It was my first time travelling to Korea alone; my stay was twice as long as my previous visits, and it was my first time having some knowledge of Korean. Empowered by my year of language study in Korean BA and BB, I felt a new independence as well as a deeper sense of connection to the country and its people.

As a third-generation Korean-Chinese-American, I have increasingly realized how conscious I must be in my efforts to connect to my roots. Many layers exist between myself and the nations my grandparents emigrated from, but I have found three powerful bridges to fill the gap, and they just so happen to be my greatest loves: language, art, and food.

Language, art, and food were the reasons I went to Seoul this summer. At Ewha, I took Korean Ceramics, studying Silla duck vessels, Goryeo celadon, and Joseon openwork as inspiration for my own pieces, and every afternoon, I continued my Korean language studies, adding new grammar structures to my bank, practicing my conversational skills, and picking up colloquial acronyms. Every meal, I enjoyed Seoul’s vibrant and exciting foodscape, relishing centuries-old traditional dishes like 삼계탕, modern Korean inventions like 치콜, and fusion foods like bulgogi pizza which emerged out of Korea’s globalization. Every weekend, I explored different neighborhoods of Seoul, soaking in the elegant simplicity of the hanoks in Ikseon-dong, marveling at the intricacy of the inlaid celadon kundikas at the National Museum of Korea, and studying the futuristic lines of the Dongdaemun History and Culture Park’s 
architecture.

I left Korea with my mind, heart, and stomach full. Thank you to the Korea Institute and to all of the people who gifted me this memorable summer. I cannot wait to return someday soon.