Writer홍보협력팀
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2021-07-15
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The number of students at KSI San Antonio, which opened in the middle of the pandemic crisis last year, has already reached 120. This is attributed to their creative online education programs such as in-depth culture lectures and contents concentrating on the students. Let us meet President Lim Seong-bae who led to the designation of the institute and the successful performance today, and ask him about the journey he has been through and the future of the institute.
When I attended an international academic conference at Mykolas Romeris University in Lithuania, I had a chance to visit the King Sejong Institute partnered by Dongseo University, Mount Royal University, and Mykolas Romeris University. I was really impressed that the students loved Korean language and culture almost as much as Koreans, so I thought it would be a nice idea to have KSI at St. Mary’s University where I worked. I requested Dongseo University right away to help me open one at St. Mary’s University. I explained that KSI San Antonio is necessary to promote cultural diversity. President Jang Je-kook of Dongseo University agreed with me and actively supported me in my plans to open a KSI in San Antonio.
For last year, although it was the first year, about 120 students participated in lessons. As COVID-19 started spreading as soon as we were designated as a new institute, we could offer education through online classes mostly. We plan to switch back to face-to-face lessons from this fall, but I believe that COVID-19 has greatly transformed the future of education. We are also trying to develop more effective and creative online education. Our institute also offers special lessons on culture for the residents of San Antonio, in addition to regular classes. San Antonio is a big city with the 7th-largest population in America. We are disseminating the value of Korea through communicating with people by inviting experts in various fields including K-pop, Korean traditional music, Korean art, K-quarantine, Hangeul designs, etc.
The special lecture by Choi Seong-ho, Senior Member of Jeongakdan Traditional Music Band of the National Gugak Center. The lecture was about traditional Korean music using daegeum (Korean bamboo flute). I was actually worried that the students may feel bored because of the calmness of traditional music. However, they embraced Korean music without any prejudice and showed great interest. I think the students felt the traditional culture was refreshing; the culture that we ourselves sometimes dismiss as old and boring. I again was reminded of the saying “What is most Korean is also what is most global.”
Korean culture is very popular throughout the world nowadays. It is the same in San Antonio. The success of BTS is great here as well. We once invited a Hangeul font design expert who designed BTS’s album. So many people came, and the response was amazing. Interest in K-Food is also rising, and you can now buy Korean food in most grocery stores. Korean culture, in various fields from K-Pop and K-Food to K-quarantine, is receiving growing attention. My son in middle school once said that liking Korean culture is considered “cool” among kids. I am very proud that Korean culture is being loved by all ages from children to adults.
King Sejong Institute has been disseminating Korean language and culture. Now, it’s time to expand the base to suit the stature of Korea in the world. I hope that KSI becomes “the platform for blending the culture” in which diverse cultures of the world communicate. To this end, we plan to hold events to introduce various cultures of countries around the world for the students. The objective of King Sejong Institute to “raise cultural diversity” still stands. Our institute will continue our cultural communication and grow into a new cultural base.
As the world is increasingly connected into one, cultural knowledge is becoming more and more important. I believe that King Sejong Institute is like a welcome rain in the drought to students. I hope that the teachers will take pride in what they do and continue their education. Remember that all of us, not just the teachers, but also the students, are “public diplomats” that disseminate the value of Korea through KSI. Finally, I’d like to thank President Kang Hyounhwa of King Sejong Institute Foundation for paying attention to what local institutes have to say with an open heart and giving endless support.