Seoul SPARKS (Summer Pre-College Academy for Research in Korean Studies)

Name: Seoul SPARKS (Summer Pre-College Academy for Research in Korean Studies)
Brand: Skudy
SKU: 344735
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

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Location

South Korea
- Seoul

Length

4 - 12 weeks

Program Categories

Cultural Immersion Language Immersion Study Abroad

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Program Details

Timeframe

Summer

Housing

Dormitory

Language

Korean

Age Min.

Age Max

Pricing

Starting Price

8875

Price Details

SPARKS offers the following discounts from our base price:
1) Early Bird Discount - $500 off for those who apply before February 25, 2024.
2) Pair Discount - $1,000 off in total ($500 each) for applicants who apply as a pair.
3) Referral and Group Discount - To apply as a group of three or more OR refer two or more students to SPARKS, please contact us. Discounts range from $500 to the full cost of the program.

What's included:
1) Airport Pickup & Dropoff
2) Korean classes (120 hrs)
3) Accommodations
4) Breakfast & Dinner
5) Thematic Weekly Field Trips
6) Weekly Cultural Activities
7) Undergraduate Korean mentor
8) Speaker Series
8) SIM Card with Unlimited Data
9) 24/7 Support from the SPARKS Team

... and more!

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Wifi

What's Included (Extra)

Individualized Activities - Students can tell us what kind of cultural activity they are interested in, and we will find something for them.

What's Not Included

Airfare Domestic Airfare Visa

Last Updated: Sep 03, 2024

Last Reviewed: Sep 05, 2024

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About Program

SPARKS is a 6-week summer program designed for high school students aged 14-18 eager to explore Korean language, culture, and history in depth.

Unlike other programs in Korea, SPARKS helps students learn about Korean history and culture by following a carefully-crafted sequence of activities that engage all five senses and immerse students in Korean history. At SPARKS, students will attend world-class Korean language classes at Seoul National University, the top-ranked university in Korea.

The program handles accommodation, transportation, SIM cards, field trips, extracurricular activities, and other logistics, allowing students to concentrate fully on their experience in Seoul.

SPARKS' unique balance between fun, rigor, structure, and independence makes it an unparalleled opportunity for ambitious high school students who aspire to understand not only the Korean language but also its culture and global significance.

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Video and Photos

SPARKS Students pose by the gates of Seoul National University

SPARKS Students with Director Sarah Mack at the Residence Hall

SPARKS Student looks at photo book at the end of the program

SPARKS Students chat on a limo bus on the way to the closing ceremony

SPARKS Student pose for a photo in front of the concert venue they attended during the closing ceremony

SPARKS Director Sarah Mack gets students' attention at the Yongsan History Museum during the first day of orientation

SPARKS students and their Korean Undergraduate Mentors pose for a photo by the Han River on the second day of orientation

SPARKS Students enjoy a picnic on the Han River as the Sun Sets on the Namsan Tower Skyline

SPARKS Student signs a photo book at the end of the program

SPARKS Student explores a palace in a pink hanbok

SPARKS students pose for a photo with their new friends while wearing hanbok at a palace

SPARKS students explore a 1970s Korean Village on their overnight trip to Jeolla Province in week 4

SPARKS Students pose in front of Namsan Tower near their residence hall in Seoul

SPARKS Students on the first day of classes at Seoul National University

SPARKS Students admire the view of Namsan Tower from a palace

SPARKS Student learns traditional calligraphy from her individualized activity instructor

SPARKS Student looks over the border into North Korea

SPARKS Students enjoy a meal of Korean Barbecue

SPARKS Students having fun at Olympic Park

SPARKS Students and their Korean mentors at the DMZ

SPARKS Students pose in front of the restaurant they went to on the first day of orientation

SPARKS students snap a selfie at the top of Mt. Namsan

SPARKS students pose for a photo by the ocean during their overnight trip in Week 4

SPARKS students have fun at their graduation party

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Program Highlights

Korean Language Classes at Seoul National University
Immersion in Korean History & Culture Through Thematic Curriculum
Network with Experts, Academics, and K-Pop Industry Professionals
24/7 Support from Multilingual All-Star Staff
Make Your Own 100% Individualized Activity

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

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Housing 5
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Where do I even start? This program was sooo much fun! Honestly, I didn’t know much about Korea before I got there (not even the alphabet) but now I can speak and write in Korean!! I even wrote an essay about my family!

I learned a LOT about Korean history from the movies, trips, and all the activities. Sarah (the director) and the staff were awesome and always so helpful, especially since I eat halal and needed help finding food. There were a few times I needed medicine, and they got it for me right away. When students felt sick, Sarah would immediately take them to the doctor. I know my mom was worried about this but there were no issues!

The building we stayed in was AMAZING, literally brand new across from Hybe (BTS headquarters :D) and it was in such a cool spot right in the middle of Seoul. I learned how to take the subway and bus on my own (I was so nervous about this but it’s really not hard! thank you Sarah!), and I explored places like Hongdae and Seongsu with other students and by myself.

Before the program started, we all got welcome packages with snacks and gifts from Korea, and our acceptance letters had a link to a video where we learned how to get into the Kakao group chat so we could do online orientation… it honestly felt like getting a letter from Hogwarts!! There was even a letter and a gift for my mom and dad (I think Korean tea?) which they liked a lot.

My mentor picked me up at the airport and even had a cute handmade sign! I was so nervous because it was my first time flying alone but it was easy to find them because they had the SPARKS t shirt and the sign, and also because my SIM card worked right away when I landed so I could tell them where I was and vice versa.

The scavenger hunt we did with the Korean mentors during orientation was absolutely insane but so much fun. I thought it might be awkward since we had all just met, but it ended up being awesome.

Basically, Sarah put us in groups with the mentors and each group got a treasure map with hints written on it in a poem that took us to the next destination… at each place (there were six, one for each of the six historical periods we learned about) there was someone waiting for us with a new clue like an old magazine or a bus schedule that had a hint taking us to the next destination on it… at one of them (I think an electronics market?) Sarah was waiting there herself and pretended to work there and “sold” us a vintage PS2 game as part of the hint for the early 2000s. But when we looked closer we realized that THE GAME COVER WAS AN ANIME DRAWING OF ALL OF US… Sarah designed the game herself just for us! I’ll attach a photo if you want to see what I mean... I was so shocked. The day ended with a picnic next to a light show on the Han River! I was so tired but it was perfect!!

On the last day, it seriously felt like a movie. All the students got K-pop makeovers, and we even went to a live concert. It was magical :)

The completion certificates we got have our names in handwritten calligraphy, and we got these amazing photo books… I know it sounds crazy to say but i want to show mine to my kids someday.

There were so many little details that made this summer really special. Sarah especially was born to do this (she used to be a high school exchange student in Korea too when she was my age) and you can just tell she cares about the students so much. I can’t believe it was only the first year… they really did so much for us.

I miss Korea and my new friends so much. This was easily the best summer of my life!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Definitely learn Hangul (the Korean alphabet) and study as much as you can before you get here. The classes are really challenging, but honestly that makes sense because it’s a college class at SNU.

Learn about Korean food before you arrive, especially if you have dietary restrictions. Sarah and the staff will help you (she made a little card for some students explaining things they can’t eat) but when you’re out on your own it can be a little challenging! Also… don’t eat too much convenience store food. It’s cheap and tastes very good but too much of it can make you feel kind of sick!

Pros

Program structure: I loved that we learned about Korean history in chronological order. So much happened in Korea so quickly that it can be hard to keep track, but hearing the story the way it happened helped me remember things way better!
Individual activities: I basically got to create my own activity (fashion design). I got to learn from a real Korean fashion designer, find my own materials at fabric markets, and make a bunch of clothes that I took home and wear all the time!
The staff: Sarah and the other staff and mentors were SO nice and they always made sure I had what I needed. The mentors program was absolutely amazing, we got to hang out with college students and ask them questions about Korea but also do fun stuff!

Cons

Hot weather: Omg the heat… I thought I could handle it, but it’s so hot!!
Classes are hard. Idk if this is a con or a pro, but the program is definitely intense. Classes can be difficult, especially if you’ve never learned Korean before. Still, I learned a lot in just 6 weeks and the teachers were super helpful!
I honestly can't think of #3. Overall it was really fun and I want to come back!