Essay Contest Result
Application of Understanding Korea Materials
Before starting to major in the Korean language at my university, I did not know about Korea because I had not had many opportunities to learn about the country. But my interest in Korean culture, history, literature, and society increased when I came upon and studied Korean. I tried to read books written about Korea in Russian or Korean, but the tens of books I had read fell short of providing sufficient information. Last year, I came to know about the 'Understanding Korea Materials' series published by the Center for International Affairs (CEFIA) of the Academy of Korean Studies on the website of the Irkutsk Consulate General. It promoted an essay contest titled "I'm the Forerunner in Publicizing Korea Properly." The 'Understanding Korea Materials' series was better than other books because it not only was logically organized, but also had many contents that were difficult to find elsewhere. So I have been using the Understanding Korea Materials ever since I learned about it. Now I would like to talk about what I felt while using it and make suggestions for improvement.
The textbooks and books about Korea which were written in English or Russian and which I read focused on the basic history of Korea. Therefore, people like us who were interested in Korea had difficulty finding materials on Korean society, education, religion, and cooking which are related to Korean life and which may be more important than history. I had a chance to visit Korea as an exchange student twice, and I was surprised many times because Korea was different from what I had encountered in books and the Internet. As in the expression "a frog in a well," I looked at Korea only through the media with which I had been familiar. I therefore had not known how much Korean life and mindset were different from ours before I went to Korea and experienced Korean society personally. I had difficulty adapting to life in Korea because I went to Korea without understanding the society well. When I talked with Korean friends, I didn't understand them in many cases because of different backgrounds. I also was not familiar with the backgrounds of Korean culture, and I wondered why there were such differences between Korea and my country. Afterward, reading the Understanding Korea Materials, I could understand the backgrounds of Korean culture and felt a little closer to Korea. It was regrettable that I had not read these materials in detail before coming to Korea, and I do not fail to recommend them to my juniors majoring in Korean at my university and who plan to go to Korea as exchange students.
The biggest advantage I saw of the 'Understanding Korea Materials' was public credibility. Among the media to which I had access, it was almost impossible to find one that is as well organized and has as proper contents about Korea. This was why I had a lot of difficulties as student. For example, students should pay attention to and be cautious with the sources when working on assignments and papers. It is not easy to find credible materials on Korea in other countries. Since it was difficult to find information other than history in books, the Internet was the best medium I could access. You can have access to various materials on the Internet, but there are too many materials out there, and it is difficult to know which ones are trustworthy. Since I did not understand Korea's Internet system well, I always had doubts about materials I got from the Internet. Understanding Korea Materials is advantageous in that it solves this problem to some extent. It had public credibility because it was published by a public institution (the Academy of Korean Studies) run by the Korean government, and I trusted it and used it as reference for my studies. Understanding Korea Materials can be used as a good material for foreign students who study Korea.
Understanding Korea Materials is very helpful for students, including myself, who study Korea, but there were difficulties as well. I understand that Understanding Korea Materials is distributed so that it can be used in writing textbooks and running classes. On the website of the Academy of Korean Studies, Understanding Korea Materials is provided in different documents. This system makes it inconvenient to search the same content in different documents. It would be easier to use the materials if a search system is established to find information through a keyword search. It would also be more helpful in searching for materials if a step-by-step system like the 'KIPRIS' search method of the Korean Intellectual Property Office is established. 'KIPRIS' goes through three steps before finding information. It is easy to change the search conditions through the keyword search equation. It facilitates information search by allowing users to choose large or sub-classification for the contents retrieved by keywords.
▶ 'KIPRIS' URL: http://beginner.kipris.or.kr/beginner/search/firstSearch.jsp
Understanding Korea Materials provides explanations that readers can understand easily, but there are cases in which more than stationary writings and photos are needed. Insertion of QR codes that provide various online materials besides photos and attachments could help readers understand the materials and use them in classes. QR codes should be provided because materials can be printed and distributed in paper. Now that online accessibility has increased, online materials can help understand Korea in various ways.
First, VR materials and online exhibition halls at the National Museum of Korea of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be able to help foreigners understand Korean cultural properties. Besides the National Museum of Korea, several other museums provide online materials. COVID-19 is a global problem, and countries wary of the pandemic shut down borders to prevent the spread of the virus. Tourists who want to see cultural heritage cannot visit not only Korea but also other countries. Addition of QR codes to the Understanding Korea Materials can open the way for online tourism and draw attention to Korea.
Second, attachment of videos of cooking and tasting to introduce Korean food will help people who have never experienced Korean dishes get familiar with them.
In addition, "Naver Street View" or "Google Street View" will be able to allow people to indirectly experience Korean topography and buildings. Attaching online music contents like traditional music and K-POP will also help users listen to music in the Understanding Korea Materials and get familiar with them. Also, parallel use of online media will allow users to have proactive experience of Korean culture. For example, providing drawings on traditional Korean entertainment for "Korean Traditional Recreation" will help students' proactive participation.
Fourth, I think it would be good to make books on classics and contemporary literature to raise interest in Korean literature. Literature is a mirror of culture and society, so it would be good to publish a book on the literature-related contents of the materials. It would be possible, depending on the content to be introduced, to cooperate with projects like Koreana or Korean Literature Now (KLN).
In my view, projects based on the Understanding Korea Materials series can be of great help to foreign professors and students, and it can introduce Korea's unique and indigenous culture to foreign countries.
The textbooks and books about Korea which were written in English or Russian and which I read focused on the basic history of Korea. Therefore, people like us who were interested in Korea had difficulty finding materials on Korean society, education, religion, and cooking which are related to Korean life and which may be more important than history. I had a chance to visit Korea as an exchange student twice, and I was surprised many times because Korea was different from what I had encountered in books and the Internet. As in the expression "a frog in a well," I looked at Korea only through the media with which I had been familiar. I therefore had not known how much Korean life and mindset were different from ours before I went to Korea and experienced Korean society personally. I had difficulty adapting to life in Korea because I went to Korea without understanding the society well. When I talked with Korean friends, I didn't understand them in many cases because of different backgrounds. I also was not familiar with the backgrounds of Korean culture, and I wondered why there were such differences between Korea and my country. Afterward, reading the Understanding Korea Materials, I could understand the backgrounds of Korean culture and felt a little closer to Korea. It was regrettable that I had not read these materials in detail before coming to Korea, and I do not fail to recommend them to my juniors majoring in Korean at my university and who plan to go to Korea as exchange students.
The biggest advantage I saw of the 'Understanding Korea Materials' was public credibility. Among the media to which I had access, it was almost impossible to find one that is as well organized and has as proper contents about Korea. This was why I had a lot of difficulties as student. For example, students should pay attention to and be cautious with the sources when working on assignments and papers. It is not easy to find credible materials on Korea in other countries. Since it was difficult to find information other than history in books, the Internet was the best medium I could access. You can have access to various materials on the Internet, but there are too many materials out there, and it is difficult to know which ones are trustworthy. Since I did not understand Korea's Internet system well, I always had doubts about materials I got from the Internet. Understanding Korea Materials is advantageous in that it solves this problem to some extent. It had public credibility because it was published by a public institution (the Academy of Korean Studies) run by the Korean government, and I trusted it and used it as reference for my studies. Understanding Korea Materials can be used as a good material for foreign students who study Korea.
Understanding Korea Materials is very helpful for students, including myself, who study Korea, but there were difficulties as well. I understand that Understanding Korea Materials is distributed so that it can be used in writing textbooks and running classes. On the website of the Academy of Korean Studies, Understanding Korea Materials is provided in different documents. This system makes it inconvenient to search the same content in different documents. It would be easier to use the materials if a search system is established to find information through a keyword search. It would also be more helpful in searching for materials if a step-by-step system like the 'KIPRIS' search method of the Korean Intellectual Property Office is established. 'KIPRIS' goes through three steps before finding information. It is easy to change the search conditions through the keyword search equation. It facilitates information search by allowing users to choose large or sub-classification for the contents retrieved by keywords.
▶ 'KIPRIS' URL: http://beginner.kipris.or.kr/beginner/search/firstSearch.jsp
Understanding Korea Materials provides explanations that readers can understand easily, but there are cases in which more than stationary writings and photos are needed. Insertion of QR codes that provide various online materials besides photos and attachments could help readers understand the materials and use them in classes. QR codes should be provided because materials can be printed and distributed in paper. Now that online accessibility has increased, online materials can help understand Korea in various ways.
First, VR materials and online exhibition halls at the National Museum of Korea of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be able to help foreigners understand Korean cultural properties. Besides the National Museum of Korea, several other museums provide online materials. COVID-19 is a global problem, and countries wary of the pandemic shut down borders to prevent the spread of the virus. Tourists who want to see cultural heritage cannot visit not only Korea but also other countries. Addition of QR codes to the Understanding Korea Materials can open the way for online tourism and draw attention to Korea.
Second, attachment of videos of cooking and tasting to introduce Korean food will help people who have never experienced Korean dishes get familiar with them.
In addition, "Naver Street View" or "Google Street View" will be able to allow people to indirectly experience Korean topography and buildings. Attaching online music contents like traditional music and K-POP will also help users listen to music in the Understanding Korea Materials and get familiar with them. Also, parallel use of online media will allow users to have proactive experience of Korean culture. For example, providing drawings on traditional Korean entertainment for "Korean Traditional Recreation" will help students' proactive participation.
Fourth, I think it would be good to make books on classics and contemporary literature to raise interest in Korean literature. Literature is a mirror of culture and society, so it would be good to publish a book on the literature-related contents of the materials. It would be possible, depending on the content to be introduced, to cooperate with projects like Koreana or Korean Literature Now (KLN).
In my view, projects based on the Understanding Korea Materials series can be of great help to foreign professors and students, and it can introduce Korea's unique and indigenous culture to foreign countries.
[Excellence Prize]
Koval Aleksandra
(Country of Activity : Russia)
Koval Aleksandra
(Country of Activity : Russia)
