Gwangju as an Exchange Student – Expectations Versus Reality

That is what I came looking for in Gwangju: the traditions and culture that South Korea is currently evolving from. Gwangju is not the increasingly global society of Seoul; a foreigner here can still get the experience of alterity that should go with any real travel. People can still be surprised here with your altogether “otherness,” be it the way you dress, the way you talk, or the color of your eyes. One Korean friend, in fact, told me that the blue or green color of the eyes of some of his Occidental acquaintances was what struck him the most when meeting them.

Love Opens Doors to Human Hearts

I like this perspective of love as a miracle incubator. Love as such apparently sheds light on why NGOs in general are so well received wherever they find themselves.

Jun Woong-tae: Leading Korea in the Modern Pentathlon

South Korea has been participating in the modern pentathlon in the Olympics since 1964, but it was only 57 years later, at the Tokyo Olympics, that Korea finally won a medal. Jun Woong-tae, who is originally from Seoul but represents Gwangju as a member of the City Hall club, earned a bronze medal for Korea, making it the first-ever medal for the country, and finished the competition with 1,470 points. To Jun, his bronze medal is as valuable as winning gold. However, he aims to have the Taegukki (태극기, Korea’s national flag) fly even higher in future Olympic Games. Aside from the bronze, Jun has also won four gold medals at UIPM World Championships and another gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

The Han in “Hanguk” : The Naming of South Korea

This month’s article discusses the “han” in the Korean name of South Korea: Hanguk. Is “han” a Chinese loanword? Is it unique to Korean? Why was it selected for the name of South Korea? Why do Koreans put so much meaning into this han? Answers to these questions can be found in the following article.

COVID-19 Confusion: The Public Mis-understanding of Science

“Amidst the current pandemic and huge global vaccination drive, discrediting science and scientists thrives, and social media very often facilitates the spreading of false or misleading information.”

Nuribi Mascot

Meet Nuribi, the Universiade’s official mascot!