What it’s really like to study abroad in South Korea

Leon had traveled before. But traveling and actually living somewhere are two very different things. So when the chance came to study abroad in South Korea, he wanted to do it properly.

He found Asia Exchange, secured a place at Hanyang University in Seoul, and 16 hours after sitting his final exam in Germany, he was there.

Why South Korea, and why now?

It started with a trip to Japan a few years earlier. Leon came home with something he hadn’t quite expected: a deep impression of how people there treated each other. The consideration, the warmth, the way strangers interacted. It stayed with him.

“During a previous trip to Japan, I was deeply impressed by the polite and considerate way people interact with one another. After some research, I realized this respectful culture is very common across East Asia, which made me want to experience it long-term.”— Leon

He weighed up China and South Korea. Then he looked at Hanyang University in Seoul: the right courses, credits that would transfer cleanly back to his university in Germany, and a city he was genuinely curious about.

Landing in Seoul

The first day was a strange one. Leon had sat his final exam in Germany just 16 hours before touching down in Seoul. The transition was about as abrupt as it gets.

“Just 16 hours earlier, I had taken my final exam in Germany, and suddenly I was standing on the other side of the planet.”— Leon

What hit him first wasn’t the city or the jet lag. It was how genuinely warm people were from the very first moment. The passenger next to him on the plane wished him a great trip. His taxi driver wished him success with his studies. Then, outside his dorm, a stranger he’d never met stopped to help him check in.

Small gestures, maybe. But when you’ve just landed somewhere completely new on your own, that kind of warmth from complete strangers means more than you’d expect.

Student life in Seoul: what it actually looks like

Leon’s days are full, and he’s built them that way on purpose. Classes, Korean lessons, internship applications, a few business ideas he’s quietly testing on the side. He works hard Monday to Friday so the weekends stay free for exploring and friends.

“I work hard during the week so I can keep my weekends free to explore the area and spend time with friends.”— Leon

The thing that surprised him most

Leon expected to enjoy Seoul. He didn’t quite expect it to change the way he works.

Being surrounded by students who are genuinely driven, who take their goals seriously and show up for them every day, does something to you. The energy becomes contagious. Leon found himself more focused than he’d ever been at home, not because he forced it, but because the environment made it feel natural.

“For the first time in my life, I feel like I can completely focus. In Korea, you are surrounded by ambitious people who are driven to get ahead. Being in that kind of atmosphere makes working hard and studying so much more fun and rewarding.”— Leon

Making friends as an international student in Seoul

Leon is naturally outgoing, so meeting people was never going to be the hard part. But even he was surprised by how quickly a social life came together.

“Because the environment here is so welcoming and the people are so nice, it has been surprisingly easy to build a social circle.”— Leon

When everyone around you is new to a place and open to connection, friendships tend to form faster than they would back home.

A base in the middle of East Asia

One thing Leon hadn’t fully appreciated before leaving was just how central Seoul is. He has friends living across East Asia, people he hadn’t managed to see in years. From Germany, visiting them was a real undertaking. From Seoul, it’s a short flight.

“I have a few friends living in other parts of East Asia, and since I am based in Korea now, it’s much easier for us to meet up. A flight to Japan or China is just a short trip away!”— Leon

What he’d say to anyone thinking about it

Leon doesn’t overthink his answer on this one.

“Just do it. If you are curious about what life abroad feels like and you are in the privileged position of being a university student, take the leap. If you don’t try it now, you might never get the chance to experience something like this.”— Leon

His favourite memory so far

For someone who grew up in a small town in Germany, standing on top of one of the world’s great cities and knowing you actually live there is a hard feeling to describe. Leon’s favourite photo captures exactly that moment: Seoul spreading out in every direction below him from Namsan Tower.

“Coming from a small town in Germany, looking out over a massive, bustling metropolis like Seoul is an incredible feeling. It really puts into perspective how far I’ve come and exactly where I am right now.”— Leon

That’s what studying abroad in South Korea can look like. Not just a semester away, but a life that feels genuinely different.

Want to write your own Seoul story? Leon found his path through Asia Exchange.

Explore South Korea programmes

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