(Pyongyang, DPRK)

When people think of North Korea, they often think of security issues or humanitarian issues. While those are important issues, people often forget that the people of North Korea are at the end of the day also human beings, like us, with similar concerns about love, career and life. I am interested in understanding how these concerns are experienced and expressed within the environment of Pyongyang. Thus, I am looking forward to the opportunity I have to study Korean in North Korea. It will be exciting understanding the culture and society of the Korea that the world has almost forgotten.

The person arranging this pointed out the advantage of studying Korean in Pyongyang versus studying it in Seoul: In Seoul, you get a Korean that’s just a “mix of English, Chinese and Japanese” but in Pyongyang, you get real Korean. When I recounted this to my ex-classmate from South Korea, she just rolled her eyes and said “Yeah! Of course we just speak bastardized Korean.”

(Seoul, ROK)

So, in order to help anyone making a decision on where to study Korean, I have drawn up a pros and cons list below:

North Korea (aka the DPRK)
Kim Il Sung University – Most prestigious communist university…100% proletariat
Situated in Pyongyang – Breezy City of Willows
Propaganda: free of charge
Classmates – Russian, Chinese and Vietnamese
Internet and Phone Calls: Overpriced
$5000 for two semesters (housing and meals inclusive)
Lots of Soju but in only one flavor (original)

South Korea (aka the ROK)
Sogang University – Founded by Christian Missionaries
Situated in Seoul – The “Soul” of Asia (I know it’s a lousy wordplay)
Pop culture: pay to play
Classmates: Americans, Chinese and Japanese
Internet and Phone Calls: Free wifi
$2700 for two semesters (tuition only)
Lots of Soju - in Original, Kiwi, Lemon and Yoghurt flavors