Korea Study Trip 2012: Day 2; Chung-ang University!

A Chung-Ang University student sharing about K-pop (Photo by Elyss Tai)

Chung-Ang University (CAU) – home to over 30,000 students and 5,000 lecturers – was our first destination of the day. Our eyes were glued to the modern architecture of the various schools nestled within the University compound. These included the Graduate School of Social Development, and of course - the School of Mass Communication.

Name tags for both FMS and Chung-Ang students to facilitate introduction (Photo by Elyss Tai)

FMS and Chung-Ang students hitting it off extremely well (Photo by Elyss Tai)

The School of Mass Communication in this leading university is ranked number one in Korea. The school is most well known in the working industry, for producing brilliant writers and journalists as they come in first and third place respectively for the occupational ranking of CAU’s graduates.

We were given the chance to speak to the students of the University. It was a rare opportunity as we were given a glimpse of a student’s life in this part of the world. Our new friend is Hwang Won Youb, is a 25-year-old student pursuing a degree in Urban Engineering.

Living in a dormitory within walking distance from his campus, Won Youb walks to school daily and also takes up a part-time job during the weekends. He, like many others, is into sports and also has a Facebook account.

A parting gift given by a FMS student's new found korean friend. (Photo by Tiffany Chow)

(Left to right): Our Year 2 FMS students with their Korean Counterpart. Kelly Choo, Felicia Tan, Lee Ha Eun & Lim Lyn Feng (Photo by Tiffany Chow)

FMS and Chung-Ang students exchanging contacts via Facebook. (Photo by Tiffany Chow)

A friendly selca taken with the korean counterparts. (Photo by Tiffany Chow)

One thing to note about CAU is that it offers a cradle of education – from Kindergarten to University. Convenient Medical care is also provided by the CAU hospital – in which the students in their Medical School are able to have hands-on experience. It has over 600 courses in English and is home to many K-pop stars including members of Girls’ Generation – Yuri and Sooyoung.

Students are all smiles, warmly welcomed to Chung-Ang University. (Photo by Tiffany Chow)

Speaking of Girl’s Generation, a brief history of the Korean Wave was shared with us. It all started with movies, dramas (such as Jewel in the Palace) and first generation idols - H.O.T. It was also proudly announced that Pieta, a Korean film, has recently clinched the Venice Golden Lion.

The visit was rounded up with a short tour around the campus. This prestigious school is a perfect location for students to wish to excel in all that they do. Student-friendly amenities like cafés and small eateries are within earshot. Chung-Ang University, without a doubt, will be one of the universities to be considered for further studies.