▲ Biography of Jang Hyang-sil

Professor of Korean Language and Literature at Sangji University / President of the International Network for Korean Language and Culture (INK) Jang graduated from Korea University with a degree in Korean Language and Literature and obtained her master’s degree and Ph.D. from the same university. She was dispatched by the Korea Research Foundation to teach at Beijing Foreign Studies University and served as the Head of the Education Department at the Korea University Korean Language Center and the President of Sangji University International Language School. In 2020, she contributed to the development of learning materials by heading the King Sejong Institute Foundation’s project called “Development of Online Korean Language Learning Content Using Hallyu Content.”

1. The King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) and the International Network for Korean Language and Culture (INK) are collaborating to disseminate the Korean language and culture and promote related education. What was the biggest achievement made by KSIF in these efforts, in your opinion? The KSI network was expanded dramatically and a lot of accomplishments were made in various aspects, including the development of diverse learning materials, so it’s difficult to pick just one. But among them, the projects, “Development of Online Korean Language Learning Content Using Hallyu Content” and “AI-based Korean Language Learning Support Services,” were especially meaningful in that they were distinctively different from previous projects and reflect the trends of the times.

As for “Development of Online Korean Language Learning Content Using Hallyu Content,” the outcome was quite meaningful to the International Network for Korean Language and Culture (INK) as we took part in the development process. This project was aimed at inducing hallyu fans who can be found around the world to learn Korean.

The learning content developed in this project gets learners to learn the Korean language and culture based on hallyu content such as dramas, K-pop, and variety shows. It presents an advantage in that by using hallyu content in the learning materials, it can motivate learners to learn, as they are keenly interested in such content. We also made the bold move to avoid the conventional formats when it comes to content production. A characteristic of the learning content is that it was created as short clips with a running time of 4 to 5 minutes in reflection of the current content consumption trends. This allows users to stay focused until the end and use the content on various devices including a smartphone anytime, anywhere. Also, instead of hiring a Korean language teacher or announcer as the instructor, we hired an online influencer with many Korean learners as followers on YouTube. This was intended to ensure that the learners would become naturally engrossed in the content. A teacher would’ve been more appropriate than an influencer when it comes to educational expertise, but there was a chance that a teacher might not be able to present the hallyu content in an appealing way.

The learning materials lower the burden on learners by combining learning with entertainment and allow them to learn Korean in a fun way. We anticipate that it will attract passive learners who give up after being stuck in the beginner’s stage for a while and help spread the Korean language and culture.

2. The importance of education on Korean culture, not just the language, is being increasingly emphasized. There has also been growing interest in Korean culture with the global boom of hallyu content. What is the direction that KSIF should pursue in order to continue this trend? I believe there is a need to strengthen the understanding of Korean culture by developing more learning materials using hallyu content. The scope of influence of hallyu is now global and its magnitude is immense, which is why hallyu content has high utility as educational content for the Korean language and culture. It will play an important role in inducing hallyu fans who have formed massive fandoms to learn Korean. An increase in Korean language learners using hallyu content will naturally lead to a greater interest in and a broader understanding of Korean culture.

Generally, those learning based on hallyu content tend to follow the stages of “becoming interested in Korean culture such as Korean dramas and K-pop” → “becoming interested in living in Korea” → “gaining heightened interest in the Korean language” → “actively learning the Korean language and culture.” Thus, in order to keep them learning the Korean language and culture, there needs to be a Korean language learning support system based on popular culture.

To this end, there is a need to increase the breadth of hallyu content used in education on the Korean language and culture. Prior to our project, we analyzed overseas learners’ needs and demands in relation to hallyu content. The results showed that there is demand for a wider variety of content, such as variety shows, films, and webtoons, than what we originally assumed based on what is widely known to be popular such as K-pop and dramas. As such, there is a need to broaden the scope of hallyu content used in education on the Korean language and culture.

What must be done prior to this is to resolve the copyright issues. That was actually the biggest challenge we faced in this project. We had to spend a great deal of time resolving copyright issues, and in the case of some of the content, we weren’t able to resolve the copyright issue and had to discard all that we had researched and developed. I hope that KSIF and related institutions make an active effort to open the door to using hallyu content. KSIF should provide administrative support to resolve issues that cannot be handled by individual researchers or research organizations so as to form a foundation for spreading hallyu.

3. This is a time when qualitative growth of Korean language education to meet the growing demand is particularly important. This year, KSIF plans to complete the development of the Sejong Korean Proficiency Test (S-KPT) and enhance the quality of the Korean language education and assessment system. Please share with us your thoughts on what kind of efforts are needed to have the system gain ground and how qualitative growth of Korean language education can be achieved. The development of the Sejong Korean Proficiency Test (S-KPT), I believe, is meaningful in that it will grant more opportunities for learners to have their Korean proficiency certified. There is only one test measuring proficiency in the Korean language, and it is the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK). While there are many foreigners wishing to take the test, opportunities to do so are quite limited. The National Institute for International Education administering TOPIK are making multi-faceted efforts to improve the situation, but there are limitations to fully satisfying the demand for TOPIK, which has grown explosively.

The development of the Sejong Korean Proficiency Test (S-KPT) is meaningful in that it is an assessment tool that takes into consideration learners with different learning objectives. Those studying Korean at KSI and other institutions abroad have different learning objectives, based on which it was pointed out that it was necessary to develop an assessment tool taking this into account. I believe that an assessment tool that takes into consideration the different learner characteristics and demands will help boost the interest in Korea and the Korean language and even motivate people to learn Korean. There must be numerous foreign learners hoping that this test will begin to be administered as soon as possible, and as someone working in the field of Korean language education, I, too, have great expectations for this project.

Having said that, the development is still in its early stages, and there has been only basic research and development work to perform assessments, such as development of question types, mock tests, and grading criteria. There is still a long way to go. Questions must be developed, and problems discovered in the mock tests must be resolved. Professional graders and question makers must be trained, and a test and grading system must be established. Above all, setting up an effective and reliable assessment system is especially important in carrying large-scale assessments. So to ensure this, instead of making haste to meet a certain deadline for implementation, there needs to be ongoing research and investment based on a long-term plan. KSIF is also aware of this, and they have reflected these matters in the project plan for this year. I hope that the assessment system is established effectively based on ongoing research, data management, and feedback.

Lastly, what I’d like to ask of KSIF with respect to development is to lower the burden on test-takers. When the Sejong Korean Proficiency Test (S-KPT)starts to be administered, most learners will likely take the test as well as TOPIK. So, while the two assessments should be differentiated according to the purpose of assessment, the burden on learners arising from cost and materials they need to study should be alleviated. It is especially important to consider the fact that Korean is designated as a second language or special language in most countries.

4. Please feel free to talk about what you expect from KSIF in the future and give advice. Considering that KSIF was founded in 2012, the accomplishments made in less than a decade are simply astounding. It has established 213 KSIs around the world and developed a unified curriculum and learning materials as well as the achievement assessment test and now the Sejong Korean Proficiency Test (S-KPT). It has made remarkable advances both qualitatively and quantitatively speaking.
There is no hint of doubt that KSIF will play a pivotal role in Korean language and culture education abroad. However, there are certain requests that I have, as KSIF’s role will not just be confined to education but expand to include public diplomacy.

The spread of hallyu has been instilling a sense of pride among Koreans as it has been the result of creating a culture that meets the demands of a new era. However, this may lead to feelings of cultural superiority and induce a unilateral transmission of culture. As the influence of hallyu continues to grow, countries around the world will start to resist against it out of fear that their own culture will become overpowered by hallyu. In order to minimize such resistance and to induce a friendly attitude and support toward Korea and Korean culture, thoughtful efforts must be made. In that respect, there is a need to approach education and exchange based on the principle of reciprocity. It would be advisable to use KSIs and expand its network for this purpose.

For example, in Vietnam, there is a main KSI branch overseeing 15 KSIs in the country, and I believe there is a need to have these main branches take on a more active role. Instead of just overseeing the KSIs in Vietnam and promoting professional expertise in Korean language education, the main branch in Vietnam should also play the role of an R&D institution aiming to promote mutual cultural exchanges between Korea and Vietnam. This is because it is those working at KSIs outside Korea who are capable of understanding and accepting local culture and reflecting it in the education programs and exchanges. This will allow KSIs to become optimized to local conditions, based on the universality of education on the Korean language and culture and the uniqueness of local conditions, and have the locals maintain a favorable attitude toward Korea and desire to learn the Korean language and culture. I look forward to seeing KSIF support and lead public diplomacy based on education on the Korean language and culture.