Paulina Temborius – Colour Design

Julia Volz is studying in the field of expertise Colour Design   and spent a semester abroad at the Seoul National University in Southkorea

During my stay abroad in Korea, I had the opportunity to learn about new design approaches and broaden my creative horizons through an international perspective. I was particularly interested in Korean design culture, which differs in many ways from European approaches and opened up new perspectives and techniques for me. At the same time, I saw this as a chance to consciously step outside my comfort zone and immerse myself in a new culture. My interest in Korean culture also motivated me to engage more deeply with everyday life there. This stay offered me a unique opportunity to get to know a country outside of Europe not just superficially, but truly in depth, and to grow both personally and creatively.

I lived in a double room in Student Dormitory Building 915. I shared the room with another exchange student. The monthly cost was 160 euros. The dormitory is the newest one and therefore very popular, but it’s also modern and well-equipped. To apply, you need proof of a measles vaccination and a chest X-ray to show that you don’t have tuberculosis.

The SNU campus is very large and truly beautiful. There are great workshops, and the course offerings were very diverse and interesting. However, there were only a few English-language courses in the Department of Design (just two during my stay). Since you have to take about five to seven courses to earn the required credits, this posed a challenge. I therefore recommend contacting the professors early on or coordinating closely in advance with the relevant contact person at HAWK to clarify whether an exception can be made to the rule that half of the credits must be earned in one’s own department. In my case, I ultimately took four courses in Korean and two in English. My courses were: “Understanding Popular Art,” “Hanji (Paper Making),” “Drawing,” “Illustration,” “Bio-Design,” and “Introduction to Design.” Registering for courses is also very time-consuming. You have to be very quick when course registration opens, otherwise many courses will be filled immediately (remember the time difference!). It’s also important to note that some courses are restricted to specific departments. For example, I couldn’t take any metalworking courses because they belong to the Department of Craft. So think carefully about which department you’re applying to. But with good organization, anything is possible!

During my time abroad, I was able to gain many new experiences and grow both professionally and personally. I tried out exciting courses and visited numerous exhibitions. At the same time, I was able to improve my Korean language skills. Overall, I’ve become more open-minded and outgoing. I met many wonderful people, made friends, and traveled a lot. In the process, I learned to be very independent and to navigate everyday life in a foreign country. Korea is an incredibly fascinating country, I would have loved to never have to leave.

One of the highlights has been the friendships I've made this semester and the amazing trips we've taken together, which I've enjoyed so much.

One challenge was that there were very few English-language courses, and some professors did not speak English, so we couldn’t always count on them to accommodate us. In addition, organizing the semester abroad was very time-consuming overall, with application and registration processes that were sometimes complicated. For example, for the dormitory or course selection. The different semester schedules (spring and fall) also didn’t align perfectly with our academic calendar.

Get organized and be open to new experiences and people. I highly recommend that everyone spend a semester abroad at Seoul National University and participate in the buddy program there. It was an unforgettable experience for me, and I’m so glad I decided to do it.