Seoul SPARKS: Pre-College Academy for Research in Korean Studies

I was worried initially when I first joined the program as it was new and my first time studying abroad. However, when I got to Korea and met Sarah and the other participants, my worries melted away! Not only is the program fully accommodating to various things (diets, disabilities, etc), the activities are also catered towards you and your interests! Sarah is also absolutely amazing, super attentive, and knowledgeable on Korean and study abroad programs. I recommend SPARKs to anyone interested in learning Korean :)

The SPARKS program had a very interesting premise that I didn't see in other programs, such as the emphasis on history and Korean identity. I felt like the immersion in a period of history each week allowed us to actually understand how Korea developed into the Hallyu.

There was also so much interaction with real experiences, such as when I was able to communicate with others with translation help from Sarah and the other mentors.

In addition, experiencing the activities we did such as going to palaces, Namsan tower, and even the DMZ became easier with the accommodations provided. For example, I have a physical disability yet found the staff incredibly helpful to provide me with not only the posterior walker I normally use, but a wheelchair in case I felt too tired to walk.

Overall, SPARKS definitely made me realize I enjoy study abroad immensely, and I hope to come back to Korea (with improved Korean)!

One kind of problem that SPARKS staff helped me solve was getting around without the use of a Korean phone number. Since in Korea, your phone number is essentially a form of identification, a lot of thing require phone numbers that aren't the temporary ones we received. For example, some of the other students and I wanted to go to a gym but we needed phone numbers for it and luckily, Sarah helped us coordinate and talk with the gym manager making the process much easier. Furthermore, the data and temporary phone numbers that we received initially were such a lifesaver and having someone to help us with any tech problems made my stay so much better.

On another note, I especially liked the individual activities, and I truly appreciated Sarah's efforts to find good matches to what we requested (ranging from sign language classes to fashion and much more).

I liked how I could experience Korea in ways that I would've never if I was just an average tourist, such as going all the way to Gwangju in a bus, doing a scavenger hunt across Yongsan, and meeting so many great people that just happened to be Sarah's friends.

I also liked movie nights with the fried chicken (it was so yummy), as I felt that I learned so much about history through such an exciting way while also getting introduced to these movies I wouldn't usually watched but have now become some of my favorites.

Lastly, I really liked the program staff, especially Sarah and the mentors. I think they were some of the nicest people I've ever met and Sarah is really funny with a lot of great stories. I liked how when Sarah was a teenager, she also had a very similar experience with travelling to Korea alone, meaning that she knows all the ups and downs and is very understanding.

When I was looking for a study abroad program for this past summer, I couldn’t find one that looked reliable and also had the focus on language and culture that I wanted. Then I found SPARKS! I loved that it was created by someone who had prior experience working with study abroad programs, and I was also interested in the schedule which had an even balance of studying Korean, learning about history, taking trips, and time for fun.

Many other programs involved a host family stay, and as someone coming to Korea for the first time, that was something I was a bit nervous about. SPARKS stood out to me because of its apartment-style living arrangement, which was something I really enjoyed while on program.

Throughout the summer, SPARKS staff were able to answer any questions I had, and helped me acclimate to life in another country, whether in the form of tech assistance, directions, or language help. I think that future applicants and parents should know that while SPARKS has a structured schedule, the free time we have gives us an amazing opportunity to explore the city and what it has to offer, and there will never be a dull moment during the program. Outside of our classes and activities, I saw an impromptu opera performance by a vocal group, sat next to a celebrity on the subway, went to many cafes and museums, and took more photo booth pictures than I can count.

Choosing SPARKS was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and it’s helped me to grow so much as a person and solidified my decision to study abroad again and continue learning Korean throughout college. The people I met, the places I went, and the memories I made during this program are all things that I will never forget and will always cherish.

This summer with Seoul Sparks was one of my favorite summers ever! It was the perfect balance of classroom studying and outside activities. The mentors were such sweethearts and really a key part in bringing us all together.

My personalized activity was also perfectly picked out and was a perfect setting for me to practice Korean with people who didn't speak English. My grandparents, my mom and my Korean teacher at home all commented on how much my Korean had improved over such a short period of time!!

The SPARKS program truly takes things to the next level, facilitating cultural immersion and academically rigorous programming while offering participants a taste of everyday life in Seoul. As someone who came in as an appreciator of Korean history, though not very familiar with anything beyond the basics, I left with a much deeper understanding of relationships within the Korean peninsula, as well as between it and the rest of the world, significantly enhanced by the private lectures and tours that formed part of the historically-themed programming. Though I had previous experience speaking Korean, I also left with a much richer vocabulary, thanks to the access through SPARKS to Korean language programs at the top universities in Korea. In six weeks, I watched some students go from speaking no Korean at all to being able to order in their favorite cafes!

Having had the opportunity to study abroad in Seoul before, I left feeling incredibly lucky that my second experience had been with SPARKS. For anyone considering studying abroad for the first time, you could not ask for a better program to do it with. Not only is everyone incredibly warm and approachable, but the program staff went above and beyond to make sure that students had everything they could possibly want or need during the program. Spontaneous requests for bingsu (a Korean frozen dessert like shaved ice) were accepted with a laugh, and Sarah, the program director, was always willing to adjust the schedule based on what people looked like they were needing that day.

For anyone worried about dietary restrictions, I can also attest to the level of care that was put into honoring students' dietary needs. As a vegetarian, I know navigating Korean cuisine can seem a bit tricky, but during both the regular programming and on any excursions we took, the program staff made sure that I was eating well, and was able to try a variety of traditional dishes.

I encourage everyone considering the SPARKS program to go for it! While the language and the history you study might not last a lifetime, the connections and the memories you make most certainly will.

Seoul SPARKS will provide you with a world-class education at Seoul National University where you practice not only grammar, reading, and writing, but also real-life conversations via role-playing. I had 3 amazing teachers who always kept me interested in the lessons. I learned more Korean with Seoul SPARKS than I did my entire 3 years of self-studying. On top of this, you will also learn Korean history from the Joseon Dynasty to the modern day through guest lecturers, museum visits, movies, and field trips to locations all across Korea. In my year, we got to go to the Jeolla-do province and Nami Island! We even had an optional lecture from international college counselors for SPARKS students applying to college after the summer!

But don't worry, you will still have time to explore all Seoul has to offer; for example, I would always go to Hongdae and practice playing the drums at a studio, go to Seong-su to shop at pop-ups with my friends, and I always did late night walks along the Han-river because the dorm was just a few streets away. My friends also even got a gym membership with the help of our program leader, Sarah Mack. I have also felt extremely safe in the program with reliable adults to come to my aid if I needed it. We also had 3 Korean mentors who were college students; they helped with homework, came on field trips, hung out with us at cafes, had picnics with us at the Han River, and talked with us about life! I still keep in touch with my mentors and we always send each other funny Instagram reels!

You can also explore your interests within Korean culture such as Hanja (Chinese characters), K-pop dance, Korean sign language, fashion (my friends made their own clothing), photography, Pansori, and even an internship at a Korean skincare company (where you can get a lot of free skincare)! I did Hanja and while learning 5 Chinese characters –인, 의, 예, 지, 신– I learned so much about the values of Korean society. I also had such an amazing teacher who prior to meeting her, I thought would be a man in his 60s! She actually turned out to be a super cool young woman who we could always joke around with!

You will also never have to worry about dietary restrictions. As someone who couldn't consume pork, shellfish, or a lot of dairy at once, I still had access to amazing and healthy food, either at the school cafeteria or if that wasn't an option, the Sarah Mack would always order food for me to be delivered. Lunch and dinner were always provided for free but if we wanted to go out and eat lunch with our friends at a cafe or restaurant, we had the choice to do so!

In regards to roommates, I can say that I had THE BEST roommates of all time, we had a rotating cleaning schedule to keep everything tidy, but besides cleaning, they were just so kind and responsible. We always looked out for each other and had the funniest group chat where we would send each other memes. We would also help each other when studying for a quiz, and because 3 of my 4 roommates were in advanced Korean, we would help our roommate in beginner Korean whenever she had any questions. We also shared our favorite songs and one of my favorite artists became my roommate's most streamed artist on Spotify after I introduced her to him. We always had Korean RnB, rock, or pop playing! I miss and love my roommates so much!!!

All in all, if you are pondering whether to do Seoul SPARKS, please know that as someone who has done the program and would do it again a million times, you will have the experience of a lifetime.

My daughter had an amazing experience at Seoul Sparks. We spent a lot of time looking for the right program in Korea and finally landed on Sparks. It was the right balance of great academics (language classes at Seoul National University), age-appropriate supervision (reasonable curfew), and accommodations we felt comfortable with (dorm setting with other students).
Most importantly, Sparks is run by Sarah who is passionate about Korean culture and language. Sparks isn't just a job for Sarah, it is something she cares deeply about and that care is evident in everything that she does. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in having their child have an immersive Korean experience. I wish I could attend!!!