Episode 97: College Part 2 (Education)
05/15/25 • 124 min
This week Jun and Daniel dive deeper into college education, comparing American and Korean university systems. Following their more personal discussion in part one, they examine the structural differences between college admissions, costs, and cultural impacts across both countries. From holistic application processes in the US versus test-score-focused admissions in Korea, to the emphasis on networking versus academics, our hosts explore how these educational approaches reflect broader societal values. They discuss the stark contrast in university costs, the role of public versus private institutions, and how the perception of college degrees impacts career trajectories in both countries. The conversation also touches on topics like diversity in student populations, the prevalence of medical school aspirations in Korea, and how sports culture shapes American university life.
If you're interested in how Korean universities are shifting from pure test scores to more holistic admissions, or why top-performing Korean students overwhelmingly choose medical school instead of other fields, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more!
LEAD how this story ends is up to usA TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!
Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862
Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast
Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]
This week Jun and Daniel dive deeper into college education, comparing American and Korean university systems. Following their more personal discussion in part one, they examine the structural differences between college admissions, costs, and cultural impacts across both countries. From holistic application processes in the US versus test-score-focused admissions in Korea, to the emphasis on networking versus academics, our hosts explore how these educational approaches reflect broader societal values. They discuss the stark contrast in university costs, the role of public versus private institutions, and how the perception of college degrees impacts career trajectories in both countries. The conversation also touches on topics like diversity in student populations, the prevalence of medical school aspirations in Korea, and how sports culture shapes American university life.
If you're interested in how Korean universities are shifting from pure test scores to more holistic admissions, or why top-performing Korean students overwhelmingly choose medical school instead of other fields, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more!
LEAD how this story ends is up to usA TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!
Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862
Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast
Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]
Previous Episode
Episode 96: College Part 1 (Education)
This week Jun and Daniel explore the social aspects of college life in Korea versus America during the mid-2000s. From orientation experiences and drinking culture to roommate dynamics and networking, our hosts walk down memory lane sharing their vastly different undergraduate experiences. What is "OT" in Korea and how does it differ from American college orientation? How do Korean freshmen interact with upperclassmen? Why is drinking culture so different between the two countries? What political influences existed on Korean campuses in the early 2000s? How do student clubs, dorm life, and major-based communities compare?
If you're interested in learning about college admissions processes, the infamous "enrollment wars" for Korean class registration, department rivalries, online gaming obsessions, or the impact of military service on Korean college timelines, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This episode also features stories about Daniel's online poker side hustle, Jun's experiences with politically charged university culture, and the striking differences in how students form social bonds in each country. The hosts reveal their regrets and lessons learned, including Daniel's decision to graduate early and Jun's reflections on focusing too much on academics.
LEAD how this story ends is up to usA TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!
Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862
Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast
Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/korean-american-podcast-600583/episode-97-college-part-2-education-91306992"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to episode 97: college part 2 (education) on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy