Are Students Losing Interest in Korean Studies Degrees?
Interesting posting over at ROK Drop favorite, Dr. B.R. Myers site about how many students who go into Korean Studies lose interest in it after a year or two:
Many a university here has learned this the hard way. I assume that a higher proportion of Westerners are willing to pay their own money to learn about China or Japan, because such a degree promises enhanced access to a much bigger economy, therefore better job prospects. I doubt if Hallyu fandom and demand for Korea-related courses are even a reliable indicator of an all-surpassing interest in this country. One can be crazy about BTS, and even crazier about Japanese anime.
The question is whether the measures Prof. King proposes will help incentivize young Westerners to pursue a Korean studies degree. Although not in a Korean studies department I have some relevant experience. About a third of my students are from foreign countries. Some stay in Korea for one semester, some for four years, and some settle down here, usually in an enclave of their countryfolk. Most seem to lose interest in studying the host language and culture within a year or two.
Funding is not a factor. Virtually all of my foreign students get at least half their tuition paid for; some are on full scholarships. They tend to become disaffected with the study of Korea because they become disaffected with Korea itself, and its perceived nationalism or xenophobia in particular. To give just one anecdote: recently some of my best foreign students, including one in an advanced stage of pregnancy, were asked to leave a coffee shop lest their alienness unsettle local patrons worried about COVID.
B.R. Myers
You can read more at the link.
Almost 10 years ago the Psy cowboy dance craze hit the youtoobs.
Kpop was gonna take over the world with the Korean Wave.
We have now reached the zenith of kpop.
Bangtan Boys dueting with Gwyneth Paltrow’s ex.
Could it be that _____-Studies programs have been recognized as only good for professorships (if at the Ph.D level) and barista jobs (BA and MA levels)?
South Korea’s economy has a loooong way to go to recover from the ill-begotten tyrants who forced the lockdowns by lying about who was affected by COVID-19. And even if fully-sponsored, a degree that has no future earnings potential is NOT going to prosper.
But that late realization can’t help those who already wasted time and treasure.
C’est la vie. Maybe they can “Learn To Code.” There’s a nice little class called “Python For Everyone” on Coursera.
But wait!
Perhaps a bit of Project Management training is in order. Starting with learning how to scope a project by gathering requirements before committing resources.
Custer at Little Big Horn and Chelmsford at Isandhlwana deployed their troops before discovering where the battle would be, and lost roughly 50 percent killed (neatly all of those engaged).
Plumbers and Electricians (and other tradesmen) often make more money than college graduates — and do so without incurring crippling debts.
Maybe stepping away from someone else’s dreams and building one’s own, with a bit of disciplined thought up front, is a better path than whatever the current fad happens to be.
Before embarking on a course of study, ask yourself, “Will the skills I am learning make money for someone else?”
It is really that simple.
Pro Level: “Can I monetize my education by myself?”
Professor Level: “Can I leverage the connections I make while obtaining a worthless degree to get a government job where ability and skill is not really necessary?”
God Level: “Will this piece of paper allow me to teach English in Korea?”
Hey now! Have any Dongseo graduates actually learnt any English?