From playing Korean folk games seen in “Squid Game” to trying traditional snacks, San José State students immersed themselves in Korean culture at the latest Global Connections meetup in the Student Union on Monday.
The event Global Connections: Discover Korea: K-dramas, K-Pop, Squid Games, and more aimed to foster cultural appreciation and student engagement, according to the Global Connections Events web page.
Students were first introduced to Korean culture through a presentation by Minji Yang, an intern training coordinator at Counseling & Psychological Services and Noman Jilani, a student assistant and event coordinator for the College of Professional and Global Education as each provided a wide overview of Korea’s rich cultural history.
Yang explained the country’s ancient origins dating back to 2300 B.C. and how historical events, such as the Japanese occupation and the division into North Korea and South Korea, have shaped the nation’s identity.
She also addressed the great impact of the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945. During this period, Japan implemented policies aimed at suppressing Korean culture, including the prohibition of the Korean language in educational institutions, according to an article from History. The occupation concluded following Japan’s surrender in World War II, leading to Korea’s liberation but also its subsequent division into North and South Korea, according to a July 7, 2023 article by the History Channel.
She emphasized the lasting emotional impact of Korea’s division, noting how many families remain separated to this day.
“They say (Han) was created during this time after colonization, that it describes the mixture of words of maybe sadness, resentment, frustration, kind of all in one… keeping it in your heart for being colonized,” Yang said.
Yang continued to discuss further Korea’s division post-World War II, when the peninsula was split along the 38th parallel into Soviet-backed North Korea and American-backed South Korea, leading to the Korean War in 1950, according to a Feb. 9, 2018 article by the History Channel.
Jilani, who has visited Korea multiple times for military deployment, offered additional insights into the country’s evolving cultural landscape.
He spoke about the influence of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, which has propelled Korean music, dramas, and fashion to international fame.
“The only thing I knew about Korea was kimchi before I went there. So I had no idea when this happened in Korea. When I came back to America, I saw this K-Pop boom, even with K-Dramas,” said Jilani.
As of December 2022, the number of Hallyu fans worldwide reached 225 million across 119 countries, a 24-fold increase from 9.26 billion in 2012, according to Korea.net.
This surge has significantly boosted South Korea’s economy, with Hallyu-related exports reaching approximately $14.16 billion in 2024, according to the University of Melbourne.
He also discussed the lasting legacy of King Sejong, who created Hangeul in the 15th century to make literacy more accessible to all Koreans.
“I think ancient China didn’t want a lot of people to be educated and King Sejong wanted their own language,” Jilani said. “That’s how Hangeul came to be. King Sejong believed a nation flourishes when its people are educated.”
Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great to improve literacy among commoners.
Unlike traditional logographic scripts, The Korea Times reveals that Hangeul is a phonetic writing system with 14 consonants and 10 vowels, designed to be single and accessible, and it remains to be the official script for both North and South Korea.
Students were educated about the Korean language by learning how to write their names in Hangeul.
Younha Lee, a third-year linguistics and sociology student, helped students write their names at the event.
“Once you learn the basic letters, reading in Korean becomes much easier,” Lee said.
Aamina Shabeer, a psychology intern at SJSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services and one of the event’s organizers, shared her thoughts on the importance of supporting international students.
She emphasized that the events that the Global Connections take on help international students feel less isolated and more integrated into campus life.
“As an international student myself, I understand the challenges they face, and it’s rewarding to be part of something that brings students together,” Shabeer said.
She also discussed the challenges of organizing events like Global Connections, including a low student turnout.
“You’ll notice it now and then at the end of the semester – so finals, midterms – it’s hard for people to really come here… or when people are feeling exhausted toward the end of the semester,” Shabeer said.
Despite these challenges, she highlighted how interactive activities like traditional games, food activities, and music stations naturally drew in students. Attendees gathered around the Korean game corner, trying hard at jegichagi, a game where players try to keep the “jegi” – a type of hackysack – in the air by hitting it with the side of their foot, while others bonded over K-pop artists and K-dramas.
“This is a fun topic compared to like stress management. Not a lot of people might come to that. So fun topics that will usually get people here to attend,” Shabeer said.
This event was a unique opportunity for some students to connect with their peers, learn about a different or resonating culture, and build friendships.
Tae Eun Kim, a fourth-year biology major and also a transfer student from South Korea, reflected on the significance of such cultural exchange.
“Talked about (their) favorite Korean food. (They) shared about what types of ingredients (they add in their dishes),” she said.
The event also had a Korean food station, where students shared their favorite dishes and cooking experiences as they flipped through photographs of traditional Korean dishes. Participants exchanged insights on traditional ingredients and recipes.
Kim shared that she cooked a lot back in South Korea, already knowledgeable in the food and the step-by-step processes and took the opportunity to share her tips with other participants.
Looking ahead, Global Connection: Ramadan Rituals strives to offer meaningful cultural exchange, with another event scheduled for the upcoming Monday, focusing on religious practices, spiritual gains, and social aspects of Ramadan.
As one of the organizers, Shabeer shared, “I know what the experiences are to be an international student and how much need there is in this population, especially immigration stress, Visa concerns, and they also just help make connections…it really helps. That’s why it’s nice to know the students on another level and really have fun and hang out with them.”
