Every semester, Seoul National University’s Gwanak campus buzzes with students flooding out onto the walkways, crowding the buildings, and filling every sunlit bench. But while the campus grows livelier by the day, so too does a quiet, shared frustration—the struggle to find a space simply to be. In hallways, on-campus cafes, and empty classrooms, students quietly search for somewhere to study between lectures, take a break from campus life, or rehearse with their club. Group practices spill out onto outdoor spaces; naps are taken on benches; meetings are held in corridors. It’s not about poor planning on their part. Despite spanning over 4 million square meters and housing more than 200 buildings, SNU’s Gwanak campus holds a hidden problem: spatial imbalance. Issues arise because the university’s poor planning, mismanagement, and uneven resource allocation render much of the space unusable or inaccessible. But in a campus this big, no student should ever feel like there’s nowhere to go. The Paradox of PlentyAt first glance, SNU appears to have it all—majestic lecture halls, tree-lined walkways, and a campus so expansive it includes a pond and a lawn. The everyday student experience, however, tells a different, far less idyllic story. Many study lounges on campus are perpetually overcrowded. During exam season, finding an open seminar room or department-specific lounge can feel like winning the lottery. Students often hover waiting for someone to vacate their seat, and some end up studying on hallway floors or outdoor benches, regardless of the weather. Why is this the case?For one, the uneven availability of study rooms across departments is an issue. While well-funded colleges like Engineering have numerous dedicated lounges, certain colleges—namely the Social Sciences and Humanities—lack even the most basic facilities. In certain departments, students have no access to any quiet spaces aside from hallways. This falls short of meeting students’ needs, especially when they must remain on campus for extended periods between classes. One might ask, “Can’t students just go to the library to study?” They can, but it’s not always that simple. The Kwanjeong Library enforces strict silence, as even the slightest noise, like turning pages or coughing, can disturb and irritate others. While some prefer the silence, others find it stressful and unproductive for studying. The concept of nunchi (눈치)—the Korean term for the ability to read social cues—exacerbates this issue. In the library, any noise or breach of unspoken etiquette feels like a violation of nunchi. Another unofficial rule discourages sitting next to others, so as to ensure everyone has enough space to arrange their materials. As a result, many avoid available seats in order not to intrude, making the library feel full even when it’s only half occupied. Ultimately, students are left without flexible, multi-use spaces that accommodate diverse study needs. At SNU, department common rooms are also intended to be spaces where students can study, rest, or connect with peers between classes. In some fortunate departments, such as those in the College of Engineering or the newly founded School of Transdisciplinary Innovations, these lounges are well-equipped with sofas, microwaves, and communal tables, creating a welcoming environment. However, this isn’t the norm across campus. In older buildings, such as Building 58 of Business Administration or Building 16 of the Social Sciences, common rooms are often cramped, poorly lit, or missing entirely. Combined with poor management, space shortages are especially severe in departments with large student populations. Often, a single common room is expected to serve hundreds, resulting in overcrowding or limited access. Thus, students end up scattered across hallways or packed into cafes, blurring the line between rest and rush.  In the College of Business Administration, over 500 students share just one common room. While each class is allotted a small table and a sofa, the space accommodates only about a dozen students—far from adequate. A sophomore by the name of Son expressed frustration, explaining that he often leaves campus between classes because there is simply nowhere comfortable to stay. The lack of adequate common areas leaves many students without a sense of belonging or a place to pause during the day.  This shortage extends into the extracurricular sphere. SNU is home to hundreds of student clubs—from dance crews and theater troupes to sports teams and volunteer groups—but space for these organizations is also critically limited. The student union building operates at full capacity, forcing clubs to take turns using a small number of multipurpose rooms or claim whatever corner they can find. Department-registered clubs compete for remaining rooms, often receiving deteriorated spaces or nothing at all. Newer or unrecognized clubs face even greater challenges. Without designated rooms, students carry equipment in backpacks, rent expensive off-campus spaces, or meet in cafes. This inequality discourages emerging clubs and reinforces a hierarchy favoring established organizations over new, student-led initiatives. Overall, these structural and cultural constraints reveal a deep misalignment between campus infrastructure and the diverse needs of the student body. Without more inclusive and flexible spaces, many students are left navigating a campus that wasn’t fully designed with them in mind. Uneven Quality, Uneven AccessBeyond scarcity, there is also the matter of quality. While some spaces on campus have been renovated in recent years, others appear forgotten by time. Some club rooms have stained walls, faulty air conditioning, or broken furniture. Restrooms near older lounges often suffer from poor maintenance. And the lack of essential accessibility features in certain buildings renders them inaccessible to students with mobility challenges. This inconsistency in facilities and the need for renovation also applies to rest spaces. While a portion of colleges provide nap rooms or casual lounges, others leave students with no choice but to lie across desks or rows of chairs in empty classrooms. The disparity in comfort and cleanliness between buildings can be stark—and students notice. Moreover, many lecture rooms sit unused for hours, yet access is heavily restricted—often requiring prior approval or being reserved by departments regardless of actual need. Meanwhile, students are left studying onfloors or practicing outside. Adding to the frustration is a fragmented booking system. Some departments use outdated portals or paper sign-up sheets, while others have no system at all. This forces students to rely on personal connections or luck. Certain engineering students even use auto-booking macros to secure rooms instantly, creating an unfair advantage. In contrast to other universities’ live maps and smart systems, SNU’s approach feels outdated and unfair. For a school that champions leadership and innovation, this spatial imbalance creates a daily contradiction between what students are told they can do and what the campus actually allows them to do. Hidden Spaces, Untapped PotentialDespite these daily frustrations, solutions may already exist within the campus itself—if only administrators were to look more carefully. Beyond the lecture halls and seminar rooms, SNU contains overlooked, underutilized, or simply unknown places that could become vibrant student spaces with minimal investment. Located near the SHA gate and the College of Business Administration, the SNU Museum and the SNU Gallery offer spacious, climate-controlled interiors that are often underutilized. While these buildings are open to the public, they are rarely integrated into student life. These aesthetically inspiring spaces already contain quiet areas where students can rest while enjoying the arts. The venues can also be repurposed as places for student-led exhibitions and workshops hosted by clubs. By integrating these cultural spaces into student life, SNU can alleviate the demand for study and creative spaces, especially for students in the arts and humanities. Located next to the tennis courts and Daelim International House (Building 137-2), the Power Plant is another one of SNU’s most overlooked buildings. Once a utility facility, it now offers a large, open interior with high ceilings—ideal for club rehearsals, music practices, or performance art. With modest renovations, it has already hosted exhibitions and even a roller-skating rink. Further repurposing could ease demand for overcrowded practice spaces like the student union and transform this underused corner of campus into a vibrant hub of student creativity. Last but not least, the SNU Observatory and SNU Bungalow (Buildings 107-1 through 107-3), located on the outskirts of Gwanak campus, are little known to most students. These secluded locations could be designated for mindful relaxation, quiet reading, or nature-based wellness programs. SNU should take advantage of its natural habitat. With basic signage, maintenance, and awareness campaigns, the university could better integrate these natural settings into student life—something especially important in a high-pressure academic environment. A Campus Meant for Belonging From overcrowded lounges and locked seminar rooms to outdated infrastructure and opaque booking systems, students compete daily for essential spaces to study, rest, or create. The issue is deeper than mere logistics—it creates a culture where students feel like outsiders on their own campus. Inequitable space allocation, inadequate support for clubs and enforced silence in libraries further discourage collaboration and community. Without action, the heart of student life—connection, creativity, and comfort—continues to be pushed to the margins. SNU is not lacking in square meters—it lacks vision. Across the campus lie overlooked gems. If reimagined and made accessible, these spaces could dramatically transform the student experience from one of scarcity to one of possibility.  The truth is simple: SNU has the space—it simply needs commitment.  With modest investment, student input, and a dedication to equity, the university can unlock the potential already embedded in its architecture and landscape. It is time for SNU to view its space not merely as property, but as community: something to be shared, nurtured, and made truly livable. There is room to improve. More importantly, there is room to begin—right now.

In recent years, Seoul National University has intensified its push toward globalization. From outbound exchange partnerships to short-term summer programs, SNU has focused its efforts on expanding into a more global university that attracts scholars from all around the world. Today, approximately 2,000 international students are enrolled, nearly 60% of them being full-time degree students—an indication that the university’s efforts are promising. However, as SNU looks outward, it must also assess how well it actually supports the international students already on campus. Although these students contribute to campus diversity, it appears that many feel disconnected from SNU’s global messaging in their everyday realities: welcomed but undersupported, trying to find their place in a community that is still figuring out how to include them. Globalization vs. Everyday Reality The feeling of disconnect begins from the moment international students browse and register for courses. Among the limited number offered in English, a majority fall under the general education category, and many of those focus on promoting Korean society and culture. For the most part, major classes are still conducted in Korean. Even in the Department of English Language and Literature, only about one-third of undergraduate courses over the last two years have been taught in English. The situation is more dire in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, where only around two to four courses each semester, across both undergraduate and graduate levels, are offered in English. The challenge is not just in terms of the number of English-taught courses but also their inconsistent availability: what is offered, when it’s scheduled, and how frequently it’s taught in English. Even in departments such as Business Administration and STEM, which offer more courses in English, many international students have reported struggling.  One 2023 graduate from the College of Business Administration reflected that the courses conducted in English tended to be spread across diverse areas of study. As a result, without sufficient Korean proficiency, he could not delve deep into a singular subject. Moreover, many courses he wanted to take were either unavailable that year or taught in Korean, preventing him from creating a clear academic plan. Over time, this inconsistent offering leads to frustration and even a sense of inferiority as students struggle to keep up with classes and feel that they aren’t learning as much as they hope to.  The lack of English-taught courses is also a source of emotional fatigue. Even for international students with solid Korean proficiency, learning in another language poses a challenge. Mastering everyday conversational skills doesn’t translate to understanding complex academic terminology. When Korean terms don’t align with their English equivalents, students must undertake additional translation work before learning their course materials. The constant need to translate while keeping up with one’s studies is draining, making it more difficult to engage deeply with the academic content. Over time, this additional workload inevitably leads to mental exhaustion or burnout. Overall, the lack of English-taught courses and their inconsistent distribution reflect a gap in SNU’s globalization efforts. Currently, it seems that the university’s reality doesn’t match up with the promoted inclusivity. Limited courses offered in English essentially limit students’ ability to fully engage with their studies, while the inconsistencies hinder them from taking part in a concrete academic track. For a university that aims to attract more international students, it’s ironic to see how students are invited, only to be left to navigate on their own. Information Shortfalls and Ineffective Support SystemsPart of the reason why international students are surprised by the limited number of English-taught courses is the lack of transparency during the admission process. In the most recent International Admissions guideline, for example, applicants need only provide proof of competency in either English or Korean. Furthermore, the minimum level of Korean proficiency required by the application process is TOPIK 3, which is not enough for students to follow lectures or participate in Korean classes. As a result, many students enter SNU believing fluency in English is enough, only to later find themselves severely underprepared. While SNU does mention that students may need to take courses in Korean to fulfill graduation requirements, this information also appears only as a general advisory note in the FAQ. The expectation that students must be fluent in Korean to navigate academic life is never stated outright, causing incoming students to underestimate the language demands. SNU has created various support systems in response to some of these challenges. Though well-intentioned, they still fall short in resolving the day-to-day struggles that international students encounter. The School-Life Mentoring Program (SMP), for instance, is a semester-long initiative that is meant to help international freshmen adjust to SNU and Korean culture. The program matches students with mentors based on their majors and interests, aiming to foster a sense of belonging. However, SMP fails to address the practical challenges that international students face, such as navigating administrative processes or figuring out how to access campus services. While activities like group studies, watching baseball, or having picnics can help students feel welcomed, they focus largely on socialization rather than offering tangible assistance.  More importantly, the effectiveness of the program largely depends on the level of engagement by mentors. Those who found the program helpful often reported having mentors who were invested, communicative, and active in reaching out to their mentees. For others, however, the experience was discouraging. Some mentors were too busy and treated the program as a formality. Others had good intentions but were unsure how to help. Existing language barriers also often contribute to miscommunication and awkward interactions. In my case, for instance, my mentor’s limited fluency in English combined with my own limited Korean made it difficult for me to express my concerns, and I was unsure how or what to ask for help.  SNU also provides academic support. Programs like the Academic Writing Program for international students, offered by the College of Humanities, aim to help students improve their Korean writing skills. The program offers both foundational lectures and practical classes where the instructor provides students with direct feedback on their work. These classes are primarily aimed at graduate students who are expected to write their theses in Korean. While it is well-intentioned, the program consists of only ten meetings total—five for each class type. Regardless of a student’s Korean proficiency, this limited timeframe is not enough to prepare one for the demands of graduate-level writing, leaving little opportunity for real improvement. Invited, but UndersupportedWhile navigating academic life may be difficult, the toughest challenge for many international students is adapting to the social and cultural environment. On paper, they are treated the same as domestic students, sharing classes and having access to major-based events. In practice, however, there aren’t any adequate programs designed to support their adjustment. Events like MTs, for example, are a common opportunity to build close relationships with fellow students early on. While they are technically open to everyone, the language barriers and cultural differences create an invisible wall that discourages participation. As a result, many miss out on the very experiences that could help them feel they truly belong. In response, international students often take matters into their own hands. They actively join clubs and build meaningful bonds with both Korean and international peers over shared interests. They create their own sense of belonging, making the most out of their experiences. While these strategies are effective, they also highlight that the responsibility of integration is mostly placed on the students themselves. The support they receive from the university remains only superficial and poorly structured. A Glimpse of Hope, but Work RemainsAmid these struggles, it would be unfair to frame the whole experience as negative. Many international students have managed to build a community and find comfort within SNU. Some speak of supportive friendships and kind, attentive professors, while others feel connected through small moments—like sharing frustration over difficult courses with fellow students. Moments like these, though subtle, offer much emotional relief.  There are also signs that things are improving. In recent years, organizations like the SNU International Student Association (SISA) or the International Student Organization (ISO), based in Gwanak Residence Hall, have begun hosting more events aimed at international students. Beyond traditional welcome parties or exam-season care packages, SISA now offers more opportunities for networking and cultural exchange. Their weekly coffee breaks or language exchange program creates spaces where students can meet and connect. That said, these are still early steps. The core issues of institutional indifference and the everyday struggles of international students still need to be properly addressed. Toward a More Inclusive SNUCreating an internationalized campus is not an easy task, especially as Korea is a homogeneous country, and efforts to welcome and attract foreigners are a fairly recent development of the last twenty years. However, globalization is not merely about offering some English-taught courses and providing a few support programs. If SNU wants to be recognized as a truly global institution, it should put its message into practice through transparency in the admissions process and consistent academic and social support. What international students need is not just symbolic gestures, but real responses from the university to their everyday challenges.

There’s a hill you have to climb to reach Seoul National University—and I don’t just mean that figuratively. When I first told people I’d be studying at SNU, the responses came quickly and almost always in the same rhythm. “SNU? That’s Korea’s top university. You’ll be surrounded by the brightest students. ” I didn’t quiteknow what to make of these responses. Where I come from, academic prestige exists, but it rarely shapes casual conversation. Names of universities don’t echo with quite the same resonance. When I arrived at SNU, something about these reactions began to make sense. I quickly realized that SNU isn’t just a university; it’s a culture. And the climb to campus, literally and figuratively, sums up much of what it means to be part of this institution. Walking Into SNU’s University CultureEvery morning, students pour out of SNU Station and move toward the incline ahead. The climb up Gwanaksan is steep—one of those slopes that wakes up your legs and doubles the weight of your backpack. Around me, students walked with purpose: headphones on, coffee in hand. No one rushed, but no one paused either. You didn’t need to see a sweatshirt with “SNU” printed on the back to know who belonged. You just had to watch how they paced themselves on the hill—and how they never stopped to catch their breath. As an exchange student, I tried to match their rhythm: quick, steady steps with my breath held back just enough to keep from sounding out of place. I wasn’t sure if their rhythm came from habit, pride, or something unspoken, like a rule that says you don’t show struggle on the way up. The pace seemed natural to them, but to a new student, it felt almost punishing. It takes time before you start to recognize the shortcuts. The stairs behind the SNU Museum of Art. The narrow hill up to the dorms. The little paths that some students swear cut five minutes off. The hill never got easier, but it started to feel familiar. I’ve come to rely on those shortcuts: not just to get to class faster, but to navigate a culture that still feels steep and unfamiliar. Small things like when to bow and how deep. At first, I wasn’t sure how to speak up in class, often second-guessing whether to raise my hand or just listen. Cafeteria etiquette, the expected silence in the library, even how students dressed—it all reminded me that I wasn’t from here. I was adjusting not just to the altitude, but to an unspoken system of codes and expectations, just like the hidden stairs behind the Museum of Art; I had to learn where to look to move with greater ease. When Effort Becomes Who You Are: The Deeper Meaning of NoryeokSNU is a place that attracts top students and carries with it the reputation of academic excellence. However, when you speak with students here, the reality of daily life isn’t always about honors or big achievements. Instead, it’s about the grind, the small, often unnoticed moments that shape the student experience. The idea of noryeok, or hard work. Noryeok (노력) directly translates to “effort,” but speaking to some students, I’ve come to realize that the concept is a little more nuanced than that. A graduate student preparing for a PhD, whom I met in class, told me that for her, it means improving yourself by being patient and addressing your weaknesses to overcome your struggles. Another student said that while the process can be exhausting, “noryeok won’t betray you. ” Even if she’s not at the top of the class now, she believes that steady effort is what built her foundation and taught her discipline, and “that’s what will carry [her] forward. ” On that note, noryeok doesn’t seem to be just about ambition or output. It’s also not simply about working hard, but about pushing yourself to the edge—without expecting recognition in return. In Germany, a country where academic pressure doesn’t carry quite the same cultural weight, there’s less honoring of commitment. People value balance more, or at least pretend to. So when I first came to SNU, it felt different. There was an expectation to stay on top of everything—academics, appearance, emotions—without showing that you’re overwhelmed. Often, I see students’ heads fall onto their desks during the 15-minute break in a 3-hour class, to squeeze in a fast, efficient nap before class resumes. I even met someone taking eleven courses at once; she didn’t even sleep in her dorm because she stayed out studying most nights. In all instances, however, no one complained. No one said it was too much. In fact, there seemed to be pride in managing it all quietly. Back home, you’re allowed to admit you’re tired. You’re encouraged to talk about the burnout. But here, the silence around the struggle felt like part of the struggle itself. So, back to when I first started walking up the hill to SNU, I thought it was just that: a hill. A steep, annoying stretch of pavement between me and my classes. But after a few weeks, I started seeing it a bit differently. After a while, the hill felt less like an obstacle and more like an introduction to how things work here. The expectation to try harder, to push more, to manage yourself neatly is almost built into the fabric of Gwanaksan. Even before you reach the big SNU gate or see the view over the stadium, you’ve already proved something just by walking uphill. Some mornings, I find it oddly motivating. “Honestly, it feels good when you get to the top,” a student once told me. It’s like doing something that counts, even if no one sees it. Other days, I wonder how everyone else keeps going without pausing. Or is it just me who feels like stopping halfway?The feeling of being overwhelmed eased once I realized that many SNU students shared the same struggle. No one ever really said, “I’m struggling” out loud, but in those ten-minute conversations—in the eye-rolls, the sighs, the agreement that it’s a lot—it was understood. Like during breaks mid-lecture, when we would always end up at the same cafe near the building, grabbing coffee and talking about how buried we were in readings or how confusing the first half of the lecture had been. Thus, effort, or noryeok, is both an obstacle and a source of pride at SNU. The constant push to keep going, to never stop, isn’t just a personal burden. It’s felt by everyone here, and in that shared struggle, there’s a sense of solidarity that makes it feel a little less isolating, a little less heavy. Like we were all dealing with the same weight, just without saying it.  Still, not everyone romanticizes it. There’s a tension here between the pride in surviving the climb and the danger of letting struggle become routine. When you normalize exhaustion, you stop questioning it. You keep going, not realizing how tired you are until you crash. That’s what makes it dangerous: when effort becomes identity, burnout can slip in unnoticed. The constant pressure to do more, be more, and endure more becomes ingrained in everyday life. Admitting that you can’t keep up is not an option. At SNU, that weight is the same. The university’s prestige doesn’t just open doors but also raises the bar. Once you’re here, you’re expected to live up to it. “Even after getting in, it’s not like it’s all over,” an engineering undergraduate friend told me over lunch. “It’s a never-ending climb. There’s always more to do. Grades, graduation, internships, jobs. There’s no real top. ” I asked her if she ever felt like she couldn’t stop, as if resting might mean falling behind. She replied, “I feel like I don’t deserve to take a break. ” For the first two years, she struggled with impostor syndrome, convinced she wasn’t good enough for this kind of education. “I had to push myself just to be an average student here. ”There are outlets: “I think they either drink or go karaoke,” one of my peers in class said when I asked him what students do when it gets too much. Temporary escapes that help blow off steam, but ultimately lead to nobody actually addressing the underlying issue. If anything, those coping mechanisms only seem like a way to momentarily reset before being able to start climbing again. But the climb doesn’t get less steep. And the silence around struggle doesn’t make it go away—it just makes it harder to name. How We Keep Going and Why We Don’t Always Have ToI never planned on turning a walk to class into a metaphor. And yet, here we are. Maybe for some students, SNU’s hills are just part of the campus landscape. Maybe for others, it holds a bit more meaning. Gwanaksan is not the official symbol of SNU. But for me, it has gained this sort of meaning. It’s a reminder that here, ambition and exhaustion often travel together. Some days, pushing through feels empowering. Other days, it feels like you’re climbing just to keep up. And that’s the tension. The hill doesn’t just take strength; it quiets the struggle and makes the effort feel expected. You walk it because everyone else does. And yes, the view from the top—that sense of pride, of arrival—can feel like it’s worth it. But maybe what matters just as much is knowing that the climb doesn’t define you. That it’s okay to pause, to question the pace, and to remember that reaching the top isn’t the only way to belong.

Seoul National University students welcomed their 64th student council president in December 2024. On November 4th, 2024, the Seoul National University Election Committee hosted a debate between the two competing candidates for the honorable position. The debate handled multiple issues relevant to the daily and academic life of SNU students, including the increase of tuition fees, student welfare, and improvement of the academic system. It was an opportunity to compare and contrast the visions of the two candidates, Haru and Signal.  Haru sees the student council’s role as a “center for problem-solving,” viewing continuous communication and reflecting voices from the students as the core role of the student council.  Signal aims to create a sustainable student council structure that can last beyond their time in office through cooperation with SNU colleges. My personal thoughts as I was watching the debate: “Whoever wins the election, the SNU student council seriously needs to grow a backbone. ” Why? Both candidates seem to fear controversy more than the actual problems that plague SNU students’ school life. In response to one of the debate questions about how they would conduct when a conflict of interest between the school administration and the students arises, Haru flat out stated that they would compromise because the administration controls the funds for essential campus welfare and cultural events.  Signal also expressed reluctance to take a strong stance against the administration, although they did vaguely mention that they would take action if the administration refuses to listen to the students. Some might say Haru and Signal are being pragmatic, but sometimes, “pragmatic” is an euphemism for “meek. ” Signal went on to win the election, but their victory did not diminish the concerns raised by their debate performance.  Another important issue was the protection of minority rights.  Haru argued that direct communication and preemptive problem-solving through opinion gathering are crucial in protecting minority rights.  Signal proposed that the council serve as a platform for protecting minority rights, suggesting activities like human rights card news production and barrier-free procedures. While both candidates did not make any explicitly offensive statements, their choice not to mention any other minority groups other than the disabled and vegans was just as bad. Were they really naive enough to believe that the two are the only minority groups on campus? Or were they wary of the backlash they might receive if they advocated for “controversial” rights of women and queer students? The candidates’ hesitance to challenge the administration and their reluctance to support minority rights explicitly stem from the same root: a fear of controversy that undermines the council’s principal purpose. A student council’s core mission is to represent and protect the diverse interests of all students, which inherently requires taking principled stands. However, a student council that cannot stand up to administration pressure is unlikely to champion controversial minority rights issues. Conversely, a council that shies away from protecting minority students signals to the administration that it will likely back down on other contentious issues as well.  The Lost Spirit of Student AdvocacyIn the 1960s, Seoul National University’s student council stood as a beacon of democracy during South Korea’s darkest hours. The student council orchestrated demonstrations that would become pivotal moments in Korea’s fight for democracy, proving that student leadership could shape a nation. This legacy makes the current state of SNU’s student council all the more painful to witness. Where fierce advocates of justice once stood, we now find an organization that prides itself on being “apolitical. ” The previous council, Noon’s declaration of maintaining an apolitical stance on any issue charged with the dispute isn’t just a departure from tradition; it’s an abdication of responsibility. This transformation from fearless advocate to cautious administrator represents more than just a change in leadership style. It reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the council’s role. The student council wasn’t established to be a junior partner to the school administration but to be the organized voice of student power and rights. The irony is that this “safe” approach ultimately makes the council less effective even in its chosen role as administrator. Without demonstrating a willingness to actively defend student rights and challenge unfair policies, the council loses the moral authority needed to effectively represent students’ interests. Each compromise, each silent assent, further erodes the council’s legitimacy and influence. A student council is not meant to be an extension of the university administration but rather a counterbalance to it, representing student interests even when—especially when—they conflict with administrative priorities. The council has adopted what it calls a “pragmatic approach,” which in practice means avoiding friction at all costs. This creates a dangerous precedent where the administration knows it can count on council compliance rather than a challenge. This presents a false choice between cooperation and confrontation. Looking at successful student councils globally, we see that effective advocacy often involves both. The most successful councils maintain professional relationships with the administration while unafraid to take strong stands when necessary. They understand that constructive tension is not only acceptable but often necessary for meaningful change.  The Elephant in the Room: Minority RightsThe current student council’s approach to minority rights reveals a troubling pattern of strategic silence. While they readily engage with general student concerns like cafeteria prices or library hours, they consistently sidestep issues affecting minority students—issues that, though affecting fewer students numerically, often have more profound impacts on their well-being. LGBTQ+ students continue to face significant challenges on campus, from the absence of anti-discrimination policies to the lack of safe spaces where their identities can be acknowledged. Similarly, students with disabilities face persistent accessibility issues. Basic accommodations like ramp access and elevator maintenance remain inadequate in several buildings.  The University Principle of SNU currently does not specify the right not to be discriminated against on gender, nationality, race, disability, region, age, and religion because the University-wide Student Representative Council failed time and again to reach an agreement. There were various concerns regarding the implementation of such a right, including one raised by Haru’s candidate, Lee Kang-Jun. His concern was that there was not enough discussion about the change in the student council system as a whole to make the amendment. It is disappointing to see that Haru has merely reiterated the importance of “ample discussion” regarding the subject while failing even to mention it in their policy brochure.  The council’s reluctance stems from a misguided political calculus: the fear that addressing “controversial” issues might alienate the majority or antagonize the administration. This is a legitimate fear shared not only among council members but also among some students. However, this approach fundamentally misunderstands the council’s mandate. A student council’s legitimacy comes not from representing the majority’s comfort but from protecting the rights of all students, especially those most vulnerable to marginalization. More importantly, we cannot let fear dictate the life we experience as SNU students.  The council must embrace the understanding that true leadership often requires taking unpopular stands and facing administration pushback. By implementing these measures while maintaining professionalism, the council can transform into an effective advocate for all students while preserving necessary working relationships with the administration. Success will require courage, persistence, and support from the broader student body. The council must communicate clearly that these changes are essential for creating a more equitable and responsive university environment. By taking these steps, SNU’s student council can begin to rebuild its reputation as a fearless advocate for student rights and interests. The SNU student council stands at a critical crossroads. The choice it faces is not merely about succession or administrative efficiency. It’s about the integral purpose of student representation in university governance. The current pattern of diplomatic silence and administrative focus has created a council that excels at organizing events but falters in its core mission of student advocacy. The recent debate between the Haru and Signal campaigns highlighted the tension between administrative efficiency and advocacy. While both campaigns emphasized communication and systematic approaches, neither fully addressed the council’s retreat from its historical role as a bold defender of student rights.  Signal’s subsequent election victory makes it all the more crucial that these concerns be addressed as they take office. To current and future council members, the message is clear: your role extends beyond managing student services. You are the voice of students who often cannot speak for themselves, the defender of rights that might otherwise be forgotten, and the conscience of an institution that sometimes forgets its educational mission in pursuit of other goals. The question facing the council is not whether it can survive another election cycle, but whether it can reclaim its role as a fearless advocate for student rights and interests. The answer to this question will determine not just the council’s future but also the character of student life at SNU for years to come.

As a Seoulite of 10 years, I have noticed a novel addition to the city: electric bikes and scooters. They’re everywhere—streets, apartment complexes, private property—and they’ve made their way inside our campus. Dozens, if not hundreds of electric bikes and scooters are parked inside Seoul National University’s campus at any given time. Some places attract more vehicles than others: very popular areas such as the Business School building and the Multimedia Lecture Halls often see great stashes of e-scooters and bikes pile up. It seems safe to say that these devices have gained immense popularity among students as a way of getting around SNU. However, following the recent student council election, we may be on the brink of a significant change. On November 15th, the 64th student council election officially came to an end.  Signal secured the council with 5,445 effective votes over Haru’s 2,814 votes, marking a victory in the student council’s first valid presidential election in two years. While both sides offered pages upon pages of election pledges, one pledge from Signal’s side caught the eyes of e-scooter and bike enthusiasts. As part of their transportation pledge, Signal announced that they’d “implement ‘Personal Mobility Parking Areas’ around the campus and limit vehicle parking to these areas. ” These measures were proposed in order to ‘promote safety, and to make the campus environment look nicer and more orderly. ’ But why do they suggest implementing parking areas for personal mobility? What problems does this measure solve? How effectively can they solve said problems? Before we answer those questions, let’s look into why we have come to ask these questions in the first place. Personal mobility, or formally personal mobility devices (PMDs), refer to an assortment of small, electric-powered vehicles that transport individuals at low speeds (usually not exceeding 25 km/h). By definition, PMDs include a diverse array of vehicles, such as electric skateboards or self-balancing unicycles. However, Signal’s pledge on PMDs focuses more on e-scooters and bikes. These two vehicles constitute the vast majority of PMDs in SNU. PMDs have gained massive popularity on the campus since 2019. The first publicized electric scooter service in Korea was launched by Kickgoing in 2018, and people on campuses were one of the first to adapt to this new addition. During this period, ownership of campus PMDs has also changed. Prior to 2019, any existing PMDs on campus were privately operated. Nowadays, they are mostly publicly shared, owned by private companies but used by thousands of people who freely rent, ride, and return the vehicles. Their massive commercial success is largely due to South Korea’s well-structured transportation system. PMDs are often used as last-mile transportation, meaning that they aren’t the main method of getting from one place to another. Instead, public transportation takes that spot. PMDs are slow and aren’t suitable for traveling long distances, so they serve as a secondary means of transport, moving passengers between the transit stops and their final destinations. Now we can understand why PMDs have come to be especially beloved in South Korea’s largest campus. SNU’s main gate is 1. 8km away from Seoul National University station with an upward elevation of 65m en route. With lecture buildings often even further away, students are forced to rely on bus transportation for movement in and out of the school. Although shuttle buses and public bus routes frequent the campus roadways to meet transportation needs, they operate only on the ring road that encircles the school, leaving students with no other option but to walk from the bus stop into the interior parts of the campus where the majority of the buildings are located. It is an ideal environment for PMDs to prosper. However, PMDs on campus were not warmly welcomed from all sides. Many critics have pointed out that the vehicles sprawled across the pavement obstruct the paths of pedestrians. Others find them simply displeasing to look at, and some others believe they pose a safety hazard. “They’re convenient, but I’m also slightly concerned (of their safety); I’ve nearly run into them a few times while walking on campus. ”, said a student from the school of business. Opinions clash as advocates of shared PMDs emphasize the convenience and efficiency the devices provide, while opposers wish them regulated or even banned altogether. Yet, Signal believes they have a plan to satisfy both PMD advocates and opposers alike. Signal’s proposed initiative is composed of two main parts. The first is designating parking areas for PMDs, and the second is working with PM operators to limit PMD parking outside of these areas. This article will analyze both segments of the pledge in detail and assess them for their feasibility and effectiveness. The proposed parking areas, called hubs or PM hubs, are marked places where PM riders can return their vehicles after they’re used. For others looking for a vehicle to use, hubs are a place where they can conveniently find an available device. In this sense, hubs are to PM what bus stops are to buses; they establish order in picking up and dropping off passengers who use the mode of transportation. Hubs come at a cost. The most obvious and prominent drawback is that a set drop-off and pick-up location for PMDs detracts from their main appeal: they’re supposed to be highly personalized modes of transportation that take passengers directly to their destination. Users would now have to walk from the hub to their destination. Despite the cons of PM hubs, Signal figures that the benefits hubs provide make up for the sacrifice in user convenience. As mentioned, three main issues surround PMDs. These were (1) obstruction of pedestrian walkways, (2) aesthetic displeasure, and (3) safety concerns. It seems obvious that designated parking spaces can mitigate the first two problems here. Users would park their vehicles in hubs instead of leaving them on the pavement, reducing the number of free-floating PMDs. Fewer vehicles on the streets mean less sidewalk blockage and fewer machines to look at. PM hubs are undoubtedly a very effective solution to these two problems. But Signal’s main rationale for implementing PM hubs was safety, the third problem. And for safety, the effectiveness of hubs is not as clear. Signal hadn’t disclosed details about how hubs would create a safer environment, so questions remain over how exactly Signal intends to connect the dots between hubs and safety. There is currently not much credible evidence that confirms whether hubs create a safer environment for pedestrians or riders. However, some studies do suggest that the locations of PM hubs influence the routes users take, and thus it may be possible to argue that strategically placed PM hubs can nudge users to drive on safer routes. A more robust explanation from Signal seems to be necessary here. The second part of Signal’s proposal involves working with PM operators to enforce established hubs by allowing PMDs to only be parked on hubs. This is done through a technique called geofencing. Geofencing is a GPS-based system that designates specific areas as ‘no parking zones’. A geofenced area is denoted by a shaded color on PM applications. Users cannot park in these areas, or they risk paying towing expenses. Therefore, geofencing effectively manages free-floating PMDs as it directly deters users from parking in undesirable locations. According to the pledge, Signal seeks to enter into talks with operators and require them to designate all non-hub campus areas as ‘no parking zones. ’Understanding the dynamics between PM operators in SNU is important to negotiate geofencing effectively.  TMAP and Swing are the two major PM operators serving the Gwanak campus. Both operators compete aggressively to dominate the campus PM market, a lucrative money-making machine. They hesitate to geofence campus areas, which could lessen user convenience and cause them to lose customers. This has resulted in TMAP only geofencing two small areas inside the whole campus and Swing geofencing one. Ensuring that geofencing requirements apply universally to all PM operators can encourage operators to follow the guidelines faithfully. Therefore, it is necessary that Signal’s negotiations are backed by the school’s administrative powers. Operators are unlikely to willingly comply with the proposed rules, as such measures likely predict a decline in on-campus revenue. SNU’s administration must step up and empower the newly elected school council by authorizing them to represent the school’s new policy regarding PM. The administration should also offer support by establishing clear and enforced penalties for operators who do not comply with the regulations. The convenience PMDs offer was warmly welcomed in SNU’s campus environment where buildings are distantly placed and movement is often time-consuming. The popularization of PMDs immediately changed how students travel; it fragmented former subway-to-bus-to-foot campus transportation practices by introducing an additional last-mile option to the mix.  Signal’s pledge is the first attempt to harmoniously incorporate these vehicles into SNU. The pledge already provides a reasonably functional model for PMD management. The framework for said pledge, involving PM hubs and geofencing, is promising and has good potential to alleviate common problems caused by PMDs. However, it is clear that more planning still has to be carried out and more questions need to be answered in order to provide an optimal solution to the PM problems. What if hubs overflow with vehicles? How about implementing speed limits to PMDs inside the campus? Open-ended discussions among the council, school administration, and students will have to continue to introduce needed additions and revisions to the proposal.

We live with these people, but they’re not alive. Their footsteps are right here, but we can’t hear the thudding sound. Still, we see them every day – they’re spotted here and there on the school campus. I’m not talking about ghosts in Hogwarts, but the actual people who used to have connections to SNU. Actual, dead people. Their legacies are commemorated by the statues and monuments on the campus, which we often stumble upon in our day-to-day lives. You may have absent-mindedly overlooked their presence in the form of statues or memorial stones, but they would have spotted you.   Once you start to observe more carefully, you’ll realize there are a lot of them looking at you and smiling. The campus is not only a place blooming with lively workers and youthful students but also the dead. What of their legacies were so great that they are permanently “residing” on the campus? In what ways do they shape our lives here in SNU? If we take a look at some of them living in our school, we’ll be able to figure out how they’ve built our identity and even come up with a way to live with them on our campus. Introspection and creative expression with Shin WiOne of the most desired assets of the SNU students is the inquiring mind. Driven to question and ponder upon the things around us, we try to appreciate the essence of humanity and nature and then express it. And there is no better place than Jahayeon to reflect upon your thoughts and ideas. At the heart of the College of Humanities lies Jahayeon, a pond that has provided a serene solace for the students in the midst of their hectic school days. This pond is not only home to rich vegetation, koi fish, and magpies, but it’s also where Shin Wi, a prominent poet and public official in the Joseon dynasty, stands. You would have seen him gracefully watching the trees and the fountain harmonizing in Jahayeon, which is named after his pseudonym – Jaha. Why is he nestled in the middle of the College of Humanities, with this pond named after him? A brief dive into his life and legacy would let us know why. Having spent his childhood somewhere around the now-Gwanak campus, he showed early brilliance in writing and lived the life of a national official. His miniature sculpture by Jahayeon stands on the stone engraved with his poetry; “A long bamboo rose above the clouds, exuding blue light. The dragon wraps it around and the peacock leans on its branch (translated from Korean). ” Deemed to have mastered poetry, calligraphy, and painting all to perfection, he was acknowledged as the best writer and poet in the late Joseon dynasty. So much so that the previous name of the SNU’s Gwanak campus was “Jahatgol,” which is a tribute to Shin Wi’s legacy. Consequently, around 1975, the pond was named “Jahayeon” after Jahatgol, partly to celebrate Shin Wi. It is profoundly meaningful to have Shin Wi celebrated at the heart of the College of Humanities. His presence embodies the timeless pursuit of understanding and expressing the human condition and nature — which SNU students work ceaselessly on. A freshman from the Department of Korean Language and Literature shared in an interview, “The beauty of his poem makes the landscape stand out more. ” His poems, vibrant and vivid, not only celebrate the natural world but also evoke emotions and insights that resonate across generations. Reflecting on the impact Shin Wi has on her life at the university, she added, “His work inspires me to freely express my inner thoughts; I hope to create my own novel or poem someday. ”Likewise, his mastery of calligraphy and painting reflects the interconnectedness of introspection, appreciation, and creativity. His legacy inspires students to put their thoughts, dreams, and imaginations into new forms of creativity, weaving humanity's rich collective tapestry. Just as Jahayeon nurtures the creatures within and around it, Shin Wi’s presence nurtures the intellectual and emotional growth of students, inviting them to step into his footsteps as explorers of their own inner worlds. Learning how to coexist with ShinyangWhile Shin Wi’s works foster our connection to ourselves, there are other people that teach us to reach out to those around us. The most frequently seen among these figures would be Jung Seok-gyu. Never heard of him? Take this scenario: you have assignments or studying to do but are in between classes and looking for places to sit that are close to the lecture buildings. Where should you go? You would likely head to one of the Shinyang Halls, the perfect place to study in the vicinity of the lecture rooms. There are a total of three Shinyang Halls in SNU: one in the College of Engineering, another in the College of Social Sciences, and the other in the College of Humanities. Upon entering any Shinyang Hall, you might notice a man molded out of bronze – the late Jung Seok Gyu, whose pen name is Shinyang  – smiling at you as you hurry your way to study. An Engineering alumni of the SNU class of 1952 and a technology manager for 50 years, he founded the Shinyang Foundation to help students with their studies. His personal motto goes, “Money is like fertilizer; it stinks when it’s piled up, but it nourishes countless lives when it’s scattered around,” which is well manifested in one of the Shinyang Halls. He acted upon his motto for his whole life; we can feel his dedication as we comfortably study in the study spaces that he provided. From a brief interview with a Department of Political Science and International Studies student, I could take a peek at the students’ thoughts on the Shinyang Halls and Mr. Jung. “Shinyang spaces in the College of Social Sciences are great places to study between classes, and I found it convenient that it was accessible even until late at night and early in the morning,” she said. Although she said that she hadn’t heard about Mr. Jung’s real name, she has always thanked Shinyang for donating to the building students could study in. “I’m very grateful that there are people out there who care about our daily convenience and future. It made me think that I’d also like to be the one who could reach out to others when I grow up. ”His donations deeply resonate with us not only because they provided us with the study spaces we need during our day-to-day lives, but because they made us realize that none of us is an island in this society. His dedication inspires us to recognize that we thrive not as isolated individuals but as part of a greater, interconnected community. We should look after each other, for the countless hands of our SNU community nurtured us. His life and generosity illuminate the value of mutual support, or solidarity — showing us that by supporting each other, we can create a stronger and more compassionate SNU society. Standing up against injustice with Park Jong-ChulThere is a curious bust of a young, bespectacled figure and a gravestone right beside the road that connects the library and the College of Humanities. The bust displays a smiling man standing peacefully upright, as if he’s enjoying the sight of the students passing by. On the other hand, the gravestone portrays a drowning man with his face upside down. An interesting point: these two monuments commemorate the same person. The letters on the gravestone, though not highly recognizable, read: "One day in June 1986, [. .. ] you appeared, and then disappeared forever. [. .. ] Yes; those who move forward block the time, feel history, and engrave death in their hearts in advance. That's how we think of the age of hope rather than hope. That's how we join the moments of hope, those instant moments. This is, it indeed is, your image. Park Jong-chul, here we stand with the tears that have been solidifying for 10 years. June 1997. (translated from Korean)"This tribute is paid to Park Jong-chul, whose bust is right next to the gravestone. Starting his SNU life as a student of Linguistics in the 80s, he engaged in student protests to criticize the dictatorship and enhance workers’ lives. Unfortunately, he was then apprehended for his “subversive behavior” and tortured to death as he resisted giving away other associates’ names, and he was asphyxiated via water and electric torture. It was a nation-led murder claiming its power over an innocent and harmless college student.  Shocked at the incomprehensibly horrible incident, students and citizens united to rally against the tyranny and managed to seize back democracy. As a student majoring in German Language and Literature puts it, “his death possesses the characteristic of duality, for his tragic death shows the absurdity and the cruelty of the regime, but also sparked the movement for democracy among the people. ” Park’s sacrifice indeed transcends its tragedy; his activism is a great asset to the Korean citizens as well as the SNU students, for his sacrifice practically rehabilitated democracy in Korea. A student from the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations observed, “The protest for democracy has brought about countless changes to SNU as well as other parts of the nation. Article 22 of the Constitution has freed the academia, and countless changes were made. ”His passion for truth and justice continues to inspire SNU students to reflect on their own responsibilities to act upon them. On December 5th, the General Student Assembly was held to condemn the misconduct of the president for exploiting martial law, which has severely damaged the integrity of Korean democracy. Over two thousand students assembled in the outdoor staircase of Acropolis despite the cold night air. The SNU students did not and would not stop standing up against injustice, protecting the hard-won values Park fought for. This courageous act of selflessness that the students showed as democratic citizens would continue to pave the way for democracy. These are the dead living with us, carved into rock and embodied with metal. They breathe within the campus, their spirit unwavering and their eyes knowing. Together, they impart timeless wisdom, compassion, and courage that guide us toward becoming our better selves and communities. Shin Wi’s artistry ignites the creative spark in us, encouraging us to express ourselves freely. Sinyang nurtures the bonds that hold the SNU community together, reminding us of the strength found in kindness and connection. Park Jong-Chul’s unyielding pursuit of truth and freedom teaches us our responsibility as citizens – to secure democracy and never settle for less than justice. Each figure complements the others, building a legacy that shapes who we are today. It is upon their collective shoulders that we thrive. We live normal lives, laugh and chat with friends, and pursue the fields of interest we love – all because these unearthly campus mates have been quietly rooting for us, their influence echoing in every corner of our lives. So next time you bump into these figures casually enjoying the early sunlight or tasting the sprinkling rain, take a moment to smile and remind yourself of what they’ve done for you. I’m sure it will make their day.  

On the night of December 5th, the students of Seoul National University gathered in the fields of Acropolis to demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol: a protest against Yoon’s abrupt declaration of emergency martial law on the night of the 3rd. “This is the first instance of an imposition of martial law since the establishment of the latest constitution in 1987: an evident threat to democracy,” stated the Student Council President Kim Min-gyu. “The President of our country has an obligation to protect the basic rights of citizens and the democratic process, yet his decision endangered such values. Under martial law, the freedom of press, protest, and speech are limited, threatening the university’s academic freedom and democratic values,” he continued.  In response to the— now lifted —martial law imposition, the Student Council called for a General Student Assembly on the resignation of President Yoon at Acropolis field, near the central library. The student body voted on the following statement from the Student Council to President Yoon to resign from his presidential position: “Based on the decision to be made by the student body, we intend to draft a statement including the following points and demand the resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol. Condemn Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law and hold him accountable for failing his presidential obligation to defend constitutional values. Oppose any actions that disrupt constitutional order, and strive to restore democracy by advocating Yoon’s resignation. Declare our commitment to protect students as Seoul National University’s Student Council.  All members of Seoul National University must unite in defense of academic freedom and democratic principles. Through the adoption of this statement, we sincerely hope our university will play a meaningful role in restoring our nation’s democracy. ” (Student Council Statement Pamphlet, Translated by Quill)The General Student Assembly is the highest decision-making body of SNU’s student population. Requiring 10% of the total student body to participate for any decisions to be validated, an astonishing 2,707 students (17. 8%) stood in the fields of Acropolis. Out of the total 2,556 votes, 2,516 voted for the resignation requisition, 4 voted against, and 36 abstained, showing an overwhelming support.  A representative from each College Department voiced their support for the resignation request. A student from the College of Education urged others to “remember the spirit of 1987,” stating: “The actions of our predecessors in Acropolis have led to a triumph of liberal democracy, a gift that remains on our campus. Though we may have taken this freedom for granted, we are back here united to demand the resignation of President Yoon… Human life ends with the last beat of the heart, but the life of our nation continues by the martyrs of history; one that will perish the moment we lose the spirit of democracy. ” A student from the College of Social Sciences expressed how Yoon “declared war against his own people,” hence, “He is not my president, nor is a country that legitimizes his presidency. ” Another student added, “Though we are here to condemn Yoon’s behavior, it is not in support of either political party,” sending a message to the press, “do not distort our political beliefs. ” A student from the College of Natural Science not only condemned Yoon’s actions on the 3rd, but also criticized policies imposed during his presidency, specifically the reduction of R&D funding.  “For the Resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol” Photograph by Shin Hye-wonGeneral Student Assemblies have been called during significant affairs to collect student opinions or discuss collective measures. The first assembly was held in February 1980 to discuss the future of the Student National Defense Corps and fight for academic democratization, adopting a resolution titled, “Our Commitment to Academic Democratization. ” Later that year in May, another assembly brought 12,000 students to Acropolis in response to emergency martial law to debate the government’s revision of the constitution. While General Student Assemblies in the 1900s reflected the period’s political instability and students’ efforts to protect democracy, the assemblies of the 2000s shifted towards pragmatic, internal affairs. This includes the protests against rise of tuition rates in 2005, opposition to the corporatization of SNU in 2011, and the discussion of the Siheung campus implementation agreement in 2016. During the former President Park Geun-hye scandal, instead of a student assembly, students opted for a class boycott and protest at the Grass Square. University students have been, historically, at the forefront of Korean democracy: from its establishment to its continuation. The General Assembly of December 5th marks a rare yet uniting moment among students, echoing the activism of previous generations. In the fields of Acropolis, the voices of over two thousand students cried with a clear demand: “Yoon Suk-Yeol, resign!” This article was co-written by Hyun Joo-young (Editor-in-Chief) and Kim Ji-woo (SNUS Editor)

What’s your current fixation of interest? Maybe it’s the intricate perfume-making, or an impulse to go learn scuba diving; perhaps even bird-watching. Either way, SNU probably has a space for your interest to thrive: in the form of a ‘dong-bang. ’ A dong-bang is an abbreviation for ‘dongari-bang,’ which directly translates to “club room,” where club members can hang out, pull all-nighters, have meetings and store all supplies necessary for club activities. Clubs are a fascinating space to explore your hobbies as well as socialize with those who share common interests. University clubs are the epitome of campus life for everyone, especially for freshmen on campus.  A popular university platform “Everytime,” an app that introduces all clubs in SNU called “All-cul” (올클) and school-held offline events such as the “Club Introducing Event” are all ways to familiarize yourself with some clubs that may spark your interest. The SNU community offers a variety of clubs to satisfy even the most niche hobbies and explore activities that they have never experienced before. Let us invite you to the world of niche and specialized Central Campus Clubs that are open for the whole university to join and are often larger in scale. There is undoubtedly space for everyone. This selection is only a small sample, yet there are ones that are unique in their purposes. SNU’s clubs are categorized into Academic, Athletic, Hobbies, Service, and others. The provided list will focus on the Hobbies and Athletic clubs as they cater to more creative clubs that you likely may have never heard of!Pium - Room 412Did you know that there are gardens on campus? Pium, which translates to “the blooming of a flower,” is a club that aims to take care of the gardens in buildings 220 and 200. One member of Pium was passionate enough to describe her views about the club. According to the member, SNU’s gardening club Pium has two divisions. "Teumbat-bu" takes care of growing crops and "Jeongwon-bu" takes care of organizing the garden (usually flowering plants). In the weekly meet-ups as well as various special events, a wide range of activities can be experienced. She also shared her personal feelings. “[She] got to be a part of many activities that made [her] feel very fulfilled such as taking care of the in-school garden. [She] grew cabbage and radish to make kimchi with it, grew strawberries and cherry tomatoes only to enjoy the fruits, and planted colorful flowers that brightened up the campus. As for the special activities, [she] visited places related to gardening, planted “pet plants,” created flower arrangements, and did other unique activities related to plants. ” Towards prospective members of Pium, she wants to say that “even if you lack knowledge about plants, the joy of aiding the growth of life with your own two hands along with the other members seems small but is so definite. You can take a breath of air amidst your busy daily life and find some rest for your tired self. ” How would you like a club where you can heal your inner soul by gardening and surrounding yourself with nature on campus?Birdle - Room 606Birdle is a wild bird research society that strives to observe and research wild birds. Anyone interested in birds is qualified to become a member. As there are endless species of birds aside from sparrows and doves, this is a chance to get to know more of them. Since it is hard to find unique birds on campus, there are explorations you can partake in where you get to visit mountains and parks with club members to observe birds and capture majestic pictures of them. This club also works in close relation to different universities with this shared interest, thus you can readily meet people from other schools. With them, you will be able to go on these explorations together with other members, observe birds together, learn new knowledge about birds from one another, and ultimately bond. If you need some time to get away from the busy city life and instead take in some fresh air while encapsulating yourself around the chirping of birds, this may be a club that may allure you. Minutia - Room 441A club concerned with scents sure is one unique club. A variety of cultural and artistic activities relating to scents and perfumes are offered. Perfume-making classes are typically provided every week. The first few weeks of these classes include exploring a variety of basic scents and finding which one is your favorite. The next couple of weeks dive into deeper scents and building personal perfumes. The club also hosts perfume exhibitions every vacation prepared during the academic semester. According to a member of Minutia, “Minutia allows you to familiarize yourself with various scents and even create your scent to be used for your own perfume or scented ornaments. There are also frequent small group meetings to do activities related to perfuming such as cherry blossom scent making and carnation scent making. ” As for the membership fee, she stated “Although the membership fee does feel a bit expensive, I think that money is all worth it since you can experience various scents for yourself as well as create your scent. Furthermore, there are sometimes 회식 (after parties) after group activities, so I had many chances to get close to different people. ” What she wanted to say ultimately about this club was this: “If you have an interest in perfumes or other scented products and want to learn more in-depth about it, I highly recommend joining this club!”HurimA cocktail club in a university undoubtedly does sound foreign. Or perhaps it appeals to many’s hidden obsession. “Hurim” provides cocktail seminars that educate you about a variety of cocktails. You can even recreate your cocktail and get to taste it. Touring bars and pubs to find cocktails that suit your palate is also a possibility in this club. Aside from cocktails, there are events where members can bring in a variety of different drinks such as wines, beers, and even Korean traditional alcoholic beverages, and share them with the whole club. They also emphasize that they are completely free from the forced drinking culture, and everyone drinks to their limit and satisfaction. Hurim appeals to those interested in various types of alcohol while also advocating safe practices of drinking, putting emphasis on the enjoyment of tasting alcohol. Snurfer - Room 612As winter approaches, one may take an interest in specializing in a winter sport. Another uncommon sporting club is Snurfer: a club for those who are interested in snowboarding. They are a part of the Korea University Snowboarding Federation (KUSBF) along with snowboarding clubs of other universities. They host large-scale events such as snowboarding competitions where you can compete as teams or individuals where you can aim for a prize. They also have parties where members can attend. Information on those can be seen on their Instagram page. Although snowboarding is a winter sport, the club still hosts activities during the spring semester so that students can get closer to other members of the club. For example, there are board exercises that can be done on land, even without snow. Since snowboarding requires physical strength and balance, exercising these skills beforehand will enhance your snowboarding skills. Snow is thus not necessary for practicing these skills. If you are worried about not having the experience beforehand, there is no need to fret. This club has more new members who have never snowboarded before than those who are experienced. Keep in mind that “Snurfer” is a very popular club, thus the applications fill out rapidly and may close earlier than the deadline. Looking for a club to learn snowboarding as a group while meeting new people with that shared interest? This club is for you. SNU ScubaScuba diving sure is not a day-to-day opportunity one would obtain, especially in Seoul. This scuba diving club has been active in SNU for 47 years. Even beginners can join the club as lessons start from the very basics, though one prerequisite is that you must be able to swim breaststroke. You will be able to earn an SDI (Scuba Diving International) license which allows you to scuba dive anywhere in the world. This club does not meet weekly; they have a short training period and expedition during the summer and winter breaks. In the winter of 2023, they went to Namae in the Gangwon Province. They also traveled abroad to the Mactan island of the Philippines. Going on these expeditions will surely significantly enhance your scuba diving skills. If you are invested in activities and clubs that you can participate in during the lengthy summer and winter breaks, why not join SNU Scuba?Most clubs open their applications at the start of every semester, and some are open at all times. Ensure to check up on the details directly announced by the club you are interested in to not miss any deadlines! After you become an official member, visit their dong-bang most likely located in the Student Center (Building #63). The listed clubs that have dong-bangs have their room number stated right beside their name. When you visit, you will be able to enjoy socializing with club members in a space catered just for your club! Everyone in SNU has a space where they can be themselves and explore their identities: clubs are just one sensational way. This space is not only physical, as provided by the dong-bang, but also communal, provided by the members of the club and their interactions. There is always space in different clubs and communities, big or small, waiting for you to be a part. Do not ponder any longer and simply explore. These spaces are waiting for you to benefit.  

Vanessa Lim is a professor at the English Department of Seoul National University—a part of the school’s growing international faculty. As she shares her journey that has taken her across the globe from the United Kingdom to Korea, she offers personal insights on cultural adjustments, perspectives on academia in a new space, and valuable advice for students and faculty navigating similar paths. Culture & Academia1. Can you describe your background in academia and how it is similar/different to your current position at our university?I came to literary studies in a very roundabout way—I was first a student of political philosophy as an undergraduate and then as a master student I studied intellectual history and the history of political ideas and it was through that that I came to my main field of studies which is Classical and Renaissance and through that Shakespeare. So my background in academia has been varied—I am happy to be here in an English department. 2. How does the overall culture at our university compare to that of your previous institution(s)? (ex: academically, the environment and atmosphere etc. )My main academic experience and studies have been in the UK so I can only really speak to what's happening there. I was in the UK for about eight to nine years I think around nine. Initially, I enjoyed it very much. I thought it was very welcoming and had a good time, but in recent years, although this is not only limited to the UK, the higher education sector has been in considerable trouble over there. Compared to where I’ve just come from, SNU feels very stable and everyone has been absolutely lovely. 3. Could you elaborate a little further on the considerable trouble in the UK you’ve just mentioned?There's a lot of upheaval-strikes related to the pension funds in the UK. So comparatively, SNU feels like a very safe space to work in. That's not to say there aren't issues here in Korea which I'm not all that well educated on, but from my very limited bubble in the Humanities Department, I feel safe. Navigating in a New Space and Surrounding4. Have you encountered any challenges navigating the academic system in a different country, or its cultural aspects?Obviously the language barrier is a huge source of trouble. I'm studying Korean really hard, but it's not like I always have the time. As I'm sure you know, a lot of the paperwork and the bureaucracy at this university is done in Korean, so it's not something I would be able to get by without a lot of help. Culturally, there were lots of new things that I've experienced: things like hweshik (company dinners) or after-work gatherings, are very unique to Korean academic culture or Korean working life, generally. Of course in the UK you go to the pub with your colleagues, but it feels a little different. There’s no Second or Third Rounds, and it usually doesn’t go on for that long. So it's been quite a new cultural experience in this sense. 5. Were these aspects difficult for you to adjust to at first, were they merely shocking or surprising culturally?Culturally and somewhat linguistically Korea has lots of different levels of formality and hierarchy, which I'm not necessarily used to. I was born and raised in Singapore, then lived in the UK for a while, and then Europe for a bit, where although people do respect their elders and speak politely, it's a different level of consideration. People say I don’t need to turn away when I drink at hweshik but of course if every junior is doing it, then I would have to do it. 6. So it’s a different form of formality compared to what you are used to in Singapore or the UK. Yeah absolutely! When I first moved to the UK, when I first started my Ph. D. program I kept writing to my Ph. D. advisor addressing him as “professor,” and he wrote back to me saying “Vanessa, You must never call me that. I would strongly prefer you address me by my first name. ” Here, I have to address my colleagues as “OO teacher”. Students always call me professor, so I'm always very shocked by that. The first two years, I could not get used to being called professor. Students who would address me would say “Professor Lim,” so I was like (gasp) “I’m a professor now, okay!”7. The weight of the word itself is actually different in some countries. Yeah exactly, I would call my colleagues by their first name or students would call me by my first name. Some students in the UK will say “ma’am” because it's a part of how they address teachers in high school. But ma'am and professor are very (laugh) different. 8. Have you noticed any other cultural differences in the expectations of academic staff and students between your home country and here? Is there any particular anecdote you’d like to share?I do have an anecdote from my first week. When I came here—I think my second or third time riding the line 2 subway, which is very crowded, I experienced an ahjumeoni (middle-aged woman) physically moving me out of her way so she could get off the subway. I don't remember ever in my life even in Singapore being physically moved by an ahjumeoni. So, personal space is something I've had to navigate especially when it comes to people behaving like that in the subway. 9. Is there a difference in value on personal space that you experience in different cultures?Yes, I think if we talk about space, not just in terms of physical space, but in terms of the boundaries between more metaphorical things. For example, what I've discovered here is that a lot of work conversations sometimes tend to happen through KakaoTalk, and people text each other all the time about work. That's new to me, because I would previously only email my colleagues rather than text them. So the boundaries between work and time-off are sometimes blurred. Also, what comes into mind is the appearance-oriented comments. I can see how someone moving to Korea for the first time with a different background from me, say, if they lived in the UK or Europe all their life, it would be very different. Since I was born in Singapore—I was raised in Singapore in a Chinese speaking household, I think I share a lot of, you know, how people sometimes say “oh, you look tired” when they greet you—I hear that a lot, I used to hear that a lot (laugh). But it's not something you could say in the UK. I think in the UK, if you say you look tired, people might get really offended, or things like “you lost weight”—you don't do that there. I think my upbringing in Singapore has been a bit helpful in terms of assimilating into Korea. Teaching in this Space — SNU10. Can you discuss any notable differences in personal teaching methods or student engagement in your lectures that you've observed here compared to your previous teaching experiences?I had a list of things for this. Firstly, the format of how classes are held here is slightly different from what I'm used to. In the British system for larger undergraduate classes, what you usually have is a lecture and a seminar. The lecture talks for about an hour and gives background information, and then you have a seminar in which you break into smaller groups and have a really intense discussion about the things you've read. But here, as you know (the interviewer is currently taking Prof. Lim’s course), there's no kind of lecture-seminar distinction. I've had to adapt my teaching and kind of combined the two. So in class I make you talk a lot because I think that's really helpful for people to discuss things together in terms of how students behave. I think, and this is not particular to my experiences, that our students are maybe worried about getting answers wrong when they say things to the class, especially if it's a bigger group. Sometimes in class I ask the question then it’s silent and quiet, and I tell you I can wait, and I really can wait. What I want to say is that we're all here to learn and the classroom is a safe space so you should feel free to speak up. Yeah, I think a part of that comes from how not a lot of the courses here are discussion based but rather the professor lecturing for one to three hours and the students just listening to them the entire time. I think it's helpful for you to talk to your classmates so you know how they've read, especially when it comes to the kind of thing I teach, texts (like Machiavelli’s The Prince the interviewer is reading in Prof. Lim’s class) because everyone has different interpretations of the text, so it's always very interesting to see what people have observed or different things they've picked up from the text. So I tend to be discussion based. 11. How does the support and resources available to you at our university compare to those at your previous institution(s)?Ah, I kind of want to go back to what I said earlier about the crisis of higher education in the UK. A big part of it has been a lot of funding cuts, people being asked to take voluntary severance so there's a huge lack of financial resources support. So I am very lucky to be here at SNU because new professors get research funds which they can use to support their research by buying books or going to conferences. In terms of my academic background, it's not something I would expect from my job. I feel very safe and supported at SNU in that sense. I've talked to colleagues from other Korean universities and I understand their institutions are not so generous so I feel extra taken care of here in SNU. 12. So it’s because you really know about what's happening in places like the UK that you can understand that you have a different kind of treatment here?When I first got the research funds, I was like “what?! I get money to buy books!” This is very new to me, because otherwise I would have to pay for books by myself or if I wanted to go to a conference in the US I would not be able to get it fully funded, I think, by an institution. But here, the department and the college is very good and the central administration is quite supportive of people doing things like that, so that's good. 13. Is there any advice you could give to other foreign students at SNU, to those that don’t feel at home here in Korea?I'm not sure if I’m fully qualified to give this advice because I'm not sure I entirely feel at home at this point. I think you should try as much as you can to learn Korean or the language. I like learning languages so even if I'm visiting a new place for a few days I would try to learn something simple, but I would say learning the language helps not just because it gives you a little bit more confidence but also you know communicating is important. I'm also a very stubborn person in that I don't like to ask for help even if I don't understand anything, but if you are a foreign student coming to Korea, don't be afraid to ask for help. That will help you feel more at home and get closer to people who help you. You will find people willing to help you. Everyone's experience varies but I feel generally Korea, Seoul National University, is a welcoming place. So if you reach out to people, there will be people who will help you feel at home. 14. Many local students are looking into exchange student programs as well as other foreign-country programs. Is there a comment you’d like to make on open-mindedness or international mindedness?That's a really good question. I think moving abroad—So I first moved abroad when I was seventeen and I haven't lived at home since, I haven't lived in Singapore since, so it's been a long time. I think the most important thing to know about moving abroad or living abroad is that it will be uncomfortable. You will discover new things and new inconveniences and things you didn't know. It's a very trivial example—when I moved to Switzerland, I had no idea the supermarket would not be open on Sunday or that it would close at 4 PM on a Saturday. This is before I moved to Seoul, I lived in Switzerland for six months. I remember walking somewhere to get protein bars from a gas station because I just could not buy any groceries. So I had to kind of adapt my schedule because I was so not used to it. So it's important not to let these inconvenient things get in the way of enjoying the experience of living somewhere new. My main suggestion would be to embrace the discomfort, acknowledge that you're not going to be able to do everything and that not 100 percent of your experience will be perfect, but there will be new things that you will learn that you will experience. Thank you for sharing your experience so generously with us! It was a pleasure to hear your experiences on cultural adjustments and academic life, offering valuable guidance and inspiration to students here at SNU. Thank you again.

Currently, around one-third of Gwanak Mountain, home to Seoul National University’s largest campus, is occupied by buildings for educational purposes. As Seoul National University continuously strives to accommodate more students of different fields, the school must build more buildings within the campus. Recently, the school has created a new department, the School of Transdisciplinary Innovations, which requires buildings separated from those of the College of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences. While it is true that these constructions provide improved educational settings, many are concerned that the ongoing construction of the new buildings within the campus may have negative impacts on the beautiful nature of Gwanak Mountain. On that note, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is exemplary for proceeding with eco-friendly buildings and promoting sustainable development within the campus. Established on January 25th, 1973 by merging the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the Graduate School of Public Administration and the Department of Landscape Architecture, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is the first institution that provides higher education to train professionals to cope with environmental issues raised due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization that South Korea underwent during the twentieth century. Hence, numerous alumni are playing important roles in the environmental sector within and outside of Korea. Not only does the school train its students to become advocates for eco-friendliness, but it also puts this philosophy into practice in its very own building, exemplifying its commitment to sustainability. Most notably, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies building was built with a Piloti structure, an architectural process where a building is constructed to be lifted above the ground. This minimizes the cutting and filling of the original land, maintaining the surrounding nature. In addition, to preserve the lawn square nearby, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies was built behind the lawn. This not only helped preserve the lawn square in front of the building but also provided a good view of the campus and plenty of sunlight in every room. This is because the open lawn leaves space between the buildings and ensures that the building is not shaded by nearby structures. In addition, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is committed to energy efficiency through the strategic use of louvers in its building, which meticulously control light penetration and enhance ventilation. A louver is an arrangement of parallel, horizontal blades, slats, laths, slips of glass, wood, or other materials. It is usually made as windows or doors to regulate the sunshine and is very efficient in terms of ventilation as it regulates the airflow. Within the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, louvers can be easily found. In regular lecture halls, the louvers are used as windows so that direct light does not come into the halls, reducing glare. In contrast, there are louvers on the ceilings of the lobby, which fill the building with a good amount of sunlight. Therefore, there is no need to turn the lights on during the day because the incoming sunlight is very strong. This natural lighting extends to the classrooms. Additionally, these louvers facilitate ventilation through natural air circulation. Specifically, in the lecture halls, the louvers create a cross-ventilation effect, where cool air enters from one side and warm air exits from the other side, which helps maintain fresh air and a chilling environment. The eco-friendly louvers do not sacrifice the aesthetics of the building. In the library, there is a vertical louver, which not only organizes the inflow of light but also spotlights the architectural aesthetics of the library, the mezzanine structure. The mezzanine is an intermediate floor, situated halfway (mezzo means ‘half’ in Italian) between the main floors. It is usually open to the floor below. Mezzanines are constructed to increase the floor area of the building without changing the building’s external dimensions. The vertical louver enables the interplay of light and shadow. Since the angle of the sun changes throughout the day, the interplay moves and highlights different details and edges of the mezzanine floor, which provides an interesting spectacle. The building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies also has its smart temperature sensor, which allows the efficient use of air-conditioning and the heating system. Specifically, the temperature sensor measures the temperature and controls the air-conditioning system accordingly. Thus, when the temperature reaches a certain level, the sensor automatically shuts down the air-conditioning and the heating system, allowing the building to maintain a high level of energy efficiency. These methods demonstrate how an alternative architectural and interior structure prevents the destruction of the natural environment around the Department. Such efforts were awarded by the Korean Institute of Architects and the Korean Award for Environmental and Culture on Interior Design. Other than that, the Graduate School of Environmental Studies is consciously making efforts to enhance environmental sustainability through various community-engaging activities. The Department has a roof garden called “Haneul Ma-dang” where over a hundred species of trees, shrubs, and herbs flourish. The “Rooftop Garden Cultivation” held at Haneul Ma-dang offers students the opportunity to submit a gardening plan in groups of two to six. They discuss how they are going to turn the impoverished roof of the building into an eco-friendly zone, what they are going to cultivate, and more. Since only seven teams are selected to become the official roof gardeners of the year, the program is very competitive. Furthermore, symposiums were held regarding the roof garden: during the opening, professor Jong-Sang Seong made an emphasis on the use of the roof as a place for greening practiced in daily life through the presentation “Green Dreams in the Air—the Poetics of the Roof Gardens” during “The Rediscovery of the City, Roof and the Garden” symposium. Following the practices of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, the concept of roof gardens has spread across the campus: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, and the Main Library. These gardens serve as an open space where students and faculty members can relax and interact. This expansion of green space on campus holds a deep connection to the “Declaration for a Sustainable” Seoul National University, declared on October 13th, 2008. This declaration is a commitment to cultivate member’s values and attitudes to correspond to sustainable development. To foster a green campus, the Seoul National University pledged to create an environment-friendly campus culture based on the active participation of the members of the university. One of the tangible outcomes of this declaration is the establishment of green spaces like the rooftop gardens across the campus. Additionally, Seoul National University has initiated more sustainable environmental practices like plastic reduction programs and the promotion of environmental clubs and green student community “Green-in-Us. ” These efforts show the university’s pursuit of sustainability, endlessly seeking ways to enhance eco-friendliness within the campus and encourage environmental responsibility among the students and faculty members. Amidst the ongoing campus constructions, the building of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies serves as an important reminder: while the construction may be necessary, there are still ways to protect the environment throughout the process. Not only can we apply architectural methods to build an eco-friendly building but also make conscious efforts to make the building itself eco-friendly by creating more green spaces within and on the building. Seoul National University is not only renowned for its prestigious rankings in terms of education but also for its beautiful scenery, as we coexist with the beautiful nature of Gwanak Mountain. Let us all strive to preserve the environmental beauty of our campus, ensuring that nature and academics can coexist in the future as well.