South Korea Internship with Meiji Internships

My internship in South Korea was wonderful! I was interning in an international kindergarten with young kids, there were so cute! The parents were happy to see me there to teach English to their children, so they were really kind to me. I was there to help the teachers organizing some events, finding new original ideas to teach kids and, of course, to participate in the classes. I think my presence helped the kids to stay attentive and it was kind of satisfying!
On my last day, they organized a secret party for me that I wasn't expecting and it made my day!! I was even sadder to leave them after that. What a fruitful experience!

I'm so happy with this internship!! Tomorrow is (already) my last day, I wish I could stay a little longer. In 3 months, I got quite used to my life here, and I will probably cry on the airplane because I don't want to leave haha! I made a lot of good experiences, memories, and friends here. Doing an internship was the best thing I could do, I think it will be a great advantage on my resume, and I feel confident about my future now. It is a nice way to slowly get into the adult world~! I was interning in Seoul, so I had access to pretty everything, that was great! On my first day there, I thought I traveled to the future haha, everything is so i-tech and big... But I fell in love with this city!

I am passionate about photography, but I wanted to experience what it is like to actually work in the photography industry, and not just taking photos for fun. I also love Korean fashion, so I choose to intern in Korea. I was a bit worried that, as an intern, I might just sit and listen... Well, I wasn't disappointed! Meiji did a really good job and it was a perfect match with the first company I had the interview with. It was a startup in Seoul, exactly what I asked for.
The office was welcoming, with a nice studio, and I was comfortable from the first day there. I had the opportunity to use professional stuff, prepare the lights and setting for the shootings, doing photo editing, manipulate very expensive cameras...!! This internship was particularly exciting because everyone put trust in me so that I improved so quickly! At some point, during the first week, I was a bit stressed out about doing mistakes, but I think they understood that and were having fun remembering all the mistakes they did in the past. I think they were trying to help me relax about this. What wonderful people in this company!!
I will never forget this experience and all the knowledge I got from it. Now I am confident about photography and that I want to work in this industry!

My internship with Meiji Internships was not only a valuable experience for my future career but also an eye-opening opportunity to live life in a different corner of the world. I worked for a fantastic company in Seoul, which allowed me to gain work experience in the industry I care about. I conducted research, wrote reports, translated documents and assisted my colleagues in day to day duties. While the tasks I did were amazing, the best part of my internship was the people. I made so many awesome friends from all around the world with whom I share one thing in common: our love for traveling, living abroad and sense of adventure. I had so many eye-opening conversations with these people and talked about things I never thought about back at home. just wow! I can highly recommend this experience. Go ahead, intern abroad!

Advice:
- When packing bring a towel and tissues with you, so you have some for when you arrive
- Don’t overpack. Shopping is amazing here! Also, don’t bother bringing much makeup. It probably is way better in Korea anyways.
- Honestly, I did not cook much because it is super affordable to eat out in Korea.
- Learn basic korean and learn to read it! It will help you tremendously!
- Bring deodorant! Korea has very limited supply of deodorant, particularly stick deodorant (hard to find and expensive, so stock up before going!)
- Have lots of fun! I envy you and wish I could do it all over again! *-*

My time in Korea is something I will treasure forever. I came to Seoul on the Standard package and had chosen Consulting as my industry. My host company was a Korean manufacturing business and I worked in their HR department.
The projects I was assigned encompassed presentations, personnel selection, field trips and assisting the HR team to identify issues and working out a plan for improvement.
The part I found most exciting was seeing how job interviews are conducted in Korea as it is very different from France.

Even though I had meetings, one on ones with my supervisor and my normal working hours, there was still plenty of free time. I loved exploring Seoul, trying new food and going for hikes. There are also a lot of cute cafes worth exploring!
Aside from the internship, Meiji organised weekend activities, dinners, industry visits, and so much more! They took care of all sorts of administrative papers and were present when needed.

My internship not only gave me valuable experience in a different work environment, but also intercultural experiences I would not have had back in Europe. Returning home, I feel like a better professional who has hands-on skills and is not only fully aware of cultural differences but also knows how to navigate them.

I am currently a sophomore student at Stanford University and embarked on my internship in Asia this last Summer. My time in Busan was amazing. My placement was in a marketing and advertisement company focusing on inbound tourism for Western tourists and I was involved in customizing, organizing and supporting local events held in Busan and its surrounding areas. We did a lot of field workshops with international exchange students and also participated in a local town festival where I had the chance to learn more about the food culture in Korea. Due to Busan's ideal location I was able to go on a weekend trip to Fukuoka (Japan) and Seoul (Korea's capital). Both cities being less than an hour away and also affordable for a low budget traveller as me it was really great! Warning: Shopping heaven!! Make sure to bring enough cash as it is really difficult to resist to Korea's colorful fashion and art scene!

In a word: Seoul was a blast!
I never expected that I will learn so much and have so much fun within a month and a half in Korea. My internship was in a human resources company where I was entrusted a full project of researching new corporate clients for international candidates looking for STEM-skill oriented jobs in Korea. Most of my colleagues were not able to speak English fluently, but it did not really influence my work flow, communication and tasks I was appointed to. The opposite was the case, many colleagues made a lot of effort addressing my questions afterwards in written form and my boss was following up on some of the queries I had. It seems quite common that many companies in Korea lack a certain level of English, but it is very important to be patient and also try to learn some basic Korean phrases as it can help a lot as an ice-breaker. I also had the chance to attend some client meetings and was also taken on company dinners with my colleagues. Just make sure to learn basic Korean dinning manners. Definitely more complicated than back in the States. lol
Meiji Kamsamhamnida and will be back next year for another follow up internship in Korea. Maybe in Seoul or Busan!

After chatting with some Meiji alumni last year I decided to take part in Meiji Internships South Korea program. Not only did my internship exceed my expectations, but the other students who joined the program had such similar mindsets to my own that we hit it off right away. The Meiji Internships Team did an exceptional job at helping us improve our job applications (resume, cover letter, interview prepping…) and also did a fantastic job matching us with our ideal company in our desired field to allow personal and professional growth. There was a great balance of support and freedom throughout my time in Korea. I wouldn’t have like to pay a fixed price for activities that I cannot join anyways or have no interest in, so having the opportunity to choose where I wanted to go/what activity I wanted to join was a good solution for me. I feel like Meiji honestly believes in the interns they accept into their program and thoroughly want them to succeed. The people who join their program are not your typical sponsored fancy university grad students, but normal people who genuinely care about Asia and their future careers. I feel like Meiji understands this and does an amazing job supporting us (for instance by offering a placement package or providing discounts on certain activities).

I had the best time in Korea! Finding work or an internship abroad can be a pain, but Meiji made it a smooth voyage! I went on my internship with reasonable exportations and they were all pretty much exceeded. My apartment was nice, quiet and had AC. My company was an international Pr&Marketing company, exactly what I was looking for. My duties covered a wide array of departments and tasks and I was never bored. Even though I am someone who tends to lose interest pretty quickly hahaha. All the activities that Meiji arranged for us were great fun. We went out visiting the historical Dongdaemon area and for some BBQ in the evening. I also went with the others interns out for hiking around Seoul's great mountains. I met many chill people through the activites and other parties across Seoul during my time. I can definitely recommend this program to others!

I feel like Jinhae is an underrated city - and so it South Korea as an internship destination. But it is so beautiful! Full of history, fascinating hidden corners and the most amazing cherry blossom festivals! Don’t miss it! There was no other city in Asia that I felt as comfortable and inspired as I did in Jinhae. It is the perfect city to intern abroad because it is not too big and not too small. My internship in itself is surely something I will never forget. Keeping in touch with Meiji, I felt perfectly well prepared for what to expect once I landed in Korea. They did not spam me with useless information, but everything they communicated was continuously informative and helped me a lot. Meiji gives you the freedom to do your own thing, but also supports you if needed. They do their job right!

My internship in Seoul provided me with the opportunity to work for a well-established company that operates globally and let me catch a glimpse at its operations in South Korea. My tasks ranged from devising SNS and marketing strategies to translating internal documents. My fondest memory was working on presentations to promote my company to clients in the US as it allowed me to network on a large scale. Possessing both the American and Korean mindset will surely be an asset when working on future promotional projects. 

Working for my company was eye-opening because it allowed me to test my skills and knowledge on a professional scale. Today, I am highly culturally aware. Knowing how Korean business culture differs from that of the West has provided me with an ideal basis to pursue a career within a US company that has interests in the Korean market.

I got in touch with Meiji Internships this year to find an internship in South Korea. My girlfriend was accepted as an exchange student into SKKU this year and I decided to tag along. It had to be quick and it had to be easy, so I decided to go with Meiji Internships instead of taking the long and difficult road of finding an internship by myself. I went for the standard package which provided me with suitable accommodation, my internship placement and basically everything to help me settle down in Seoul.

My company was a vibrant tech start-up. I loved working for them because my tasks felt meaningful. I learnt some basic html and improved my communications skills tremendously. They were also happy with the job I did and wanted me to stay. TA Meiji for giving me this opportunity!

Through my time in South Korea with Meiji Internships, I was able to get a lot out of my time abroad! The incredibly dedicated and phenomenal staff helped me to find an internship that my university awarded credit for! While my classmates interned with companies in our uni city, I went on a fun adventure to South Korea! I really immersed myself in Korean culture. Outside of work, I usually hang out with other interns or international students who I met through Meiji’s activities or facebook groups. Meiji provides you with so many information and cultural excursions that you can go on, language assistance and the best career advice I have ever gotten. My apartment was very close to my job, putting me at the very heart of the city with loads of public transportation and shopping opportunities at my doorstep! I would highly recommend this program. Interning abroad really sets you apart from all your competitors in the job market.

I am writing this to thank Meiji Internships. They arranged my dream media internship in the city I really wanted to go to. I have learnt so much during my time in South Korea: the language, crucial business manners and how to live on my own in a foreign environment. And I FINALLY gained experience in the industry I want to work in in the future, even though I had very little professional experience! Meiji helped me a lot along the way. I could reach out to them with any question or query at any time and know that they would respond soon and in as much detail as needed. I am very grateful to have found an amazing internship, which I had long dreamed of. Those people who dream of going to South Korea to gain work experience, I advise you to turn to Meiji Internships. They are pure gold!

My six-week internship with Meiji Internships was one of the best decisions I made so far in my life. I will give you an outline of my experience:

-My IT internship
I can honestly say that the very best thing about my stay in South Korea was my internship. I loved my colleagues, the tasks I was given and the work environment. The company I was placed in was an IT start-up in Seoul, so my colleagues were young graduates who were motivated to succeed in the IT world - just like me! With their help, I learned a lot. Not only about IT, but also about the Korean business world as they frequently took me to business meetings. And I can finally call myself an expert in python and javascript!

-Meiji’s service
Right at the beginning, I had a consultation Skype interview with one of Meiji’s advisors. It is great that they offer this service! During my interview, I could talk about my skills and goals regarding the internship. My advisor really seemed to have an interest in profoundly understanding my ambitions. And it paid off! Meiji found me the perfect internship! I went through their Meiji Express program, so they did not have much time to find a suitable company, but they did an amazing job. As I mentioned earlier, I could not have imagined a better company!

- my accommodation
I stayed at a private apartment 20 minutes from my workplace. The apartment was clean, well maintained and had all the basic facilities that were listed on the website. It even had a balcony, which was a big plus. I don’t know whether the apartment price differs much from Airbnb, but I highly enjoyed the comfort of not having to rent an apartment by myself. This way I could easily get settled in at my fully furnished apartment after my 18h plane journey!

-Overall
If you are considering doing an internship abroad - DO IT! I acquired many skills, not only in IT, but also in intercultural communications. Plus, I now have friends from all around the world. I wouldn’t trade the experiences I had for the world!