Korean Language Education in Brunei

It was August 2005 when I started teachingKorean Language as a part of the Korean Languageprogram in Universiti Brunei Darussalam. The“Korean wave,”often referred to as Hallyu, was asignificant reason as to why I was hired as alanguage lecturer. Many Bruneians were enthusiasticabout Korean drama and had watched the firstgeneration of Hallyu drama such as Winter Sonata(Gyeoul Yeonga) and Jewel in the Palace (Dae JangGeum). Increased interest in Korea had expanded toother aspects, especially to its language. The formerVice Chancellor of UBD, Dato Ismail, made arequest to the then Korean Ambassador to helpprovide Korean language courses in UBD. With theinitiative of the university and support of the KoreaFoundation, I was able to start Korean classes.

Demand for the classes were very high and I hadto accommodate as many students as I could do inone semester. Korean quickly became one of themost popular foreign language courses in UBD. Ialso offered Korean Language evening courses inFebruary 2006 in response to such a high demand.

The difficulties that I faced were that sufficienttime was not allocated for language training, and thataccess to Korean language as well as culture wasvery limited. To overcome such difficulties, Igathered students who wanted to learn more throughextra-curricular classes and started culture clubactivities. I helped five students attend the youth

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Korean Language Education in Brunei

Editor’s note: Dr. KIM Jiyeon is a Korean Language Lecturer at Universiti Brunei Darussalam and she wrote this article.

Dr. Kim (front) and students pose in Sookmyung University

camp program organized by the Korean Governmentin July 2006. Those who attended the camp becamethe first committee members of Korean Culture Club(KCC). Since October 2006, we have held eventssuch as Korean Language and Culture Weeks. TheKCC and UBD volunteered to help with variousevents that were organized by the Language Centre,the university and the Korean Embassy. Also, thealumni of KCC contribute largely to the spreading ofKorean culture in Brunei. They launched Koreanculture clubs at other schools after their graduations,and volunteered to teach Korean language coursesfor beginners.

I also tried to expand relations between UBD anduniversities in Korea. In the beginning, UBD onlyhad one Korean university as a partner because itwas not recognized among Korean universities andhad no means of reaching out to other universities inKorea. I served as a channel to help UBD find itspartners in Korea when the university was preparingfor a program called “GenNEXT.”14 students and I

visited Sookmyung University for the InternationalSummer School Program in 2010. This was the firstgroup of exchange students from UBD to Korea.Currently, UBD has signed MOUs with 13 Koreanuniversities and institutions. I am proud to say thatKorea is the first country of choice among UBDstudents for their Discovery Year and their furtherstudies.

Successful development of the Korean programin UBD resulted in a higher demand from thestudents. The Language Center could notaccommodate all the students that wished to attendthe courses. Thus, I suggested that UBD shouldapply for another visiting professorship of the KoreaFoundation. Along with the support of the KoreanEmbassy in Brunei, the Language Center upgradedthe Korean language program to a minor sinceAugust 2011. The sponsorship equipped us toincrease the student quota for Korean courses. UBDrecruited another Korean lecturer, which enabled usto provide the courses in a steadier manner.

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30 Years of Partnership 1984-2014

Hallyu, the Korean Wave, is no longer just aKorean Pop Culture but is now a wider globalculture that is enjoyed by everyone around the world.Hallyu has helped to develop a general interest notonly in the Korean culture, but the Korean languageas well. From Vietnam to the Philippines, and toBrunei, Hallyu continues to expand its fan base,going beyond Asia to capture the hearts of people allover the world.

Korean Culture Club (KCC) is an extra-curricularclub established in 2006 in Universiti BruneiDarussalam (UBD). It was managed by a group ofstudents from UBD who were selected to join the 1st

Korean Youth Camp under the recommendationfrom Dr. KIM Jiyeon. In 2010, KCC adopted aKorean saying - “뿌리 깊은 나무는 바람에 흔들리지않는다,”which translates to “Trees with deep rootsdoes not fall when swayed by the wind”. The mainreason KCC adopted this motto is to remind andmotivate the club committees and members that nomatter how hard or challenging the situation is at thatmoment, we can still overcome the obstacle andsucceed.

The main objective of KCC is to teach andpromote Korean culture to the students and thesociety as a whole. KCC also offers the members anenvironment to be actively engaged in Koreanculture and experience it first hand. KCC educatesand exposes its members to both modern andtraditional Korean culture by all kinds of means suchas language, foods, music, films and arts.

KCC organizes various activities throughout eachsemester. Some of the activities include teachingsome simple but useful Korean phrases along withthe history or importance of certain events such asSeollal (설날) and Korean Lunar New Year. On thesespecial occasions, the members are taught the correctway to perform a deep traditional bow known asSebae (세배). Sebae is a deep formal bow performedby the younger generation of the family to payrespects to their elders. Famous cultural dances likethe Talchum (탈춤 Mask dance) and Buchaechum(부채춤 Fan dance) as well as traditional songs suchas Arirang (아리랑) were also taught to the members.

Since Korean food has gained a lot of interest andcuriosity among Bruneians, ‘ CookingDemonstration’and ‘Cooking Competition’becametwo of the highly anticipated activities that memberslook forward to each semester. In CookingDemonstration, the recipe of simple Korean dishessuch as Kalguksu (칼국수) is given to the membersand they are able to prepare the food personally.Meanwhile, when festive foods such as Songpyeon(송편) are on the menu, members get the chance notonly to cook and but to learn Korean beliefs. Forexample, a well-made Songpyeon indicates that onewill have beautiful daughters in the future.

KCC also organizes an activity that is in line withone of the most popular Korean variety shows‘Running Man’. It remains as one of the mostawaited activities in the whole semester alongsideour ‘Mini Concert’. KCC holds the ‘Mini Concert’

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UBD Korean Culture Club

By UBD Korean Culture Club

once every two semesters, and this is whereparticipating students can showcase their hiddentalents on stage. This event is also open to studentsfrom other schools and institutes hence making it allthe more memorable each time it is held.

With the rising popularity of Korean culture, ithas attracted the interest of not only the students inUBD but also the general public. Over the years, thenumber of students joining KCC has progressivelyincreased. After joining KCC, the members are nowmore educated about the Korean culture as a wholeand have begun to see the culture in a new light.They are now capable of speaking basic Koreanphrases and are also able to make simple Koreandishes.

The current club president of KCC, Kim Ahram,hopes to wholly educate the members about Korean

culture through its traditional and modern roots. Theclub would like to be seen as a bridge formed bypassionate individuals in hopes of merging thecultures of Brunei and Korea.

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(UBD KCC Mini Concert, 12 March, 2014)

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Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is the Korean Government Scholarship program aimed to provideinternational students with the opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions inKorea. Under the program, the Korean Government supports three categories of academic programs, inaddition to a year of preliminary Korean Language course.

- Bachelor degree course (4 years)- Master degree course (2 years)- Ph.D. course (3 years)

The Korean Government sponsors around 800 grantees with tuition, monthly stipends, travel fare and otherbenefits.

For further information, please visit www.studyinkorea.go.kr

Korean Government Scholarship

GKS Grantees

Since the first batch of Bruneian GKS Grantees has been sent to Korea in 2008, 14 Bruneians have studiedin Korea thus far. With a better understanding on both Korea and Brunei, they will certainly serve as a bridgeconnecting our two countries.

Name Year Major University

Nurfauzanna Abu Bakar 2008 Master(Politics/Diplomacy) Dong-a Univ.

Mohammad Aliff Awang Hj Medial 2008 Bachelor(Architecture) Cho-sun Univ.

Siti Rawini AWG Sulaiman 2009 Bachelor(Fine Arts) Kyung-pook Univ.

Yii Yuh Chyn (Brenda) 2009 Bachelor(Int’l Relations) Sun-moon Univ.

Mohammad Redzuan Hj Rusli 2009 Bachelor(Fine Arts) Chon-nam National Univ.

Izzat Mohamed Mohamed 2010Bachelor(Measuring

and Control Technology)Kyung-Sang Univ.

Siti Nurhana Hj Budin 2010 Master (Fine Arts) Kyung-hee Univ.

Nur Diyana Muhammad Hasrin 2011 Bachelor(Chemistry/Biology) Kun-kook Univ.

Fung Li Sai 2011 Master(Energy Resources) Dong-a Univ.

Mohd Azim Seruji Mohd Ruzymaselysan 2012 Master(Int’l Development) Korean Univ. of Foreign Studies

Siti Nurnabilah Hj Abdul Rahman 2012 Master(Politics/Diplomacy) Kyung-hee Univ.

Muhammad Ashyiq Masri 2013 Bachelor(Int’l Relations) Korea Univ.

Siti Nazifah Hj Superi 2013 Master(Economy)) Kyung-hee Univ.

Lim Shi Mei 2014 Bachelor(Physical Therapy) Korea Univ.

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My Time in Korea

Before I started my studies in Korea, I wasworried about the language and cultural differences. Iknew nothing about the country except for Kimchi.Fortunately, Koreans were very friendly and theUniversity was very helpful. What was unfortunatewas that there was a language barrier. Body languagebecame my primary method of communication inmany situations.

I met many interesting people and professors.The program had students from all over the worldand my exposure to different cultures made my timein Korea even more meaningful. My scholarshipprogram provided me with invaluable experiences.For that I am grateful to the Korean Government.

The Republic of Korea has grown to become oneof the most technologically advanced countries in theworld, with well-known firms such as Samsung andLG. I was surprised by how much technology was

essential to the Korean lifestyle. Internet and smartphones appeared to be a vital part of their lives. Forinstance, online shopping is well developed and youcan order almost anything, including groceries. Oneof the many reasons why I enjoyed staying in Koreawas that it was convenient.

The classes were intriguing and it provided mewith the opportunity to look at things from an EastAsian perspective. I also learned about North Korea.I attended a lecture entitled ‘North Korean Studies’which helped me better understand Koreans and thesituation in North Korea. I recommend this class toBruneian students who plan to study in Korea. Notonly did I earn a degree in Korea, I gainedexperiences that went beyond my expectations.

Editor’s note: Brenda Yii studied in Korea for 5 years under the Korean Government Scholarship Program from 2009 to 2014. She

graduated from Sun-moon University with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations.

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First of all, I wouldlike to thank the KoreanGovernment for givingme an opportunity tohave a once-in-a-lifetime experience as astudent in Korea. I aman alumnus ofChonnam NationalUniversity (CNU)

under the Korean Government Scholarship Program.I started my studies in 2009 and graduated withflying colours from the College of Fine Arts inFebruary 2014.

Without prior knowledge of Korea and only withan invitation from the scholarship institution,everything was a huge mystery. The language barrierwas the hardest thing that I had to overcome.Without the continuous help from the lecturers andfriends while I was enrolled in the university, I wouldnot have been able to master the Korean language.

I learned a lot not only from my art major but alsofrom the society. It gave me the opportunity to lookinto myself and improve my artwork as well as mylanguage. During my 5 years stay in Gwangju, Ijoined local and international art communities suchas Gwangju Artist Collective, Jeonju Art Coalition,and International Artist Community. These groupshelped me join many art showcases and exhibitions.

They also helped me get connected with other artists,which would come as very useful in the future.

I based my artwork on the values of freedom andrespect. I believe that people are free to do what theywant to do, think what they want to think, believewhat they want to believe and thus are free toexpress their thoughts and values.

The Story behind My Artwork

Editor’s note: Redzuan Rusli studied in Korea for five years under the Korean Government Scholarship Program. He graduated from

Chonnam National University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.

If Only by Redzuan Rusli 2010

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My artwork portrays the shadows of my emotionsand mixtures of feelings that I have oftenexperienced. Most of the time, my work is my only‘private space’to express my inner thoughts.Painting allows me to express so much freelywithout fearing about being ‘disrespectful’or‘provocative’to others. It also allows me to conveymy thoughts and frustrations when no oneunderstands me. I struggle with a piece of canvas,which I think is better than arguing with others.

I do not believe in describing my artwork to theviewers because I personally think that art is notmeant to be explained, but rather to be appreciated. Iwould prefer my artwork to be mysterious withhidden stories that instill my views and imaginationsthus conveying a sense of tranquillity and privacy.

It is often up to the viewers’interpretations tocreate their own stories and tales. My purpose ofpainting is to give viewers the freedom to use theirimagination. I believe that doing so makes it moreinteresting.

For now my goal is to further develop myeducation to higher levels. I would like to encounternew challenges to expand my knowledge of arts andhone my Korean. I sincerely believe that my passionin life lies with the creative arts, namely the “finearts.”I greatly appreciate the chance to pursue mylifelong ambition. I would once again like to extendmy sincere gratitude to the Korean Government.

website: http://redzuanrusli.wix.com/juan

깨어라! (Awake), 2011

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Many people were curious why I wanted to cometo Brunei. To them, I said I wanted to experienceIslamic culture and have a better understanding ofIslam. For this reason, I decided to immerse myselfin a Muslim country where I could get hands-onexperience and firsthand knowledge.

I was touched by the kindness of the localstudents as they treated me with the same kindnessthat they had with their neighbours. The professorswere also very considerate. Thanks to their efforts, Inever felt excluded during the lectures despite thefact that I was the only foreign student without anybackground knowledge on Islam.

My studies in UBD provided me with theopportunity to study alongside experts on Islam at

the coalface. I studied why economies of Islamiccountries have been considered to be underdevelopedin the neoliberal era. In addition, I researched how toimprove their economic system and how Islam cancontribute to their social and economic development.

There is a great diversity of cultures in Brunei.What I found interesting was that the Chinese areinvited to celebrate Hari Raya and Muslims areinvited to celebrate the Lunar New Year. This showsthe respect for different religions and cultures inBrunei. Furthermore, I saw that Bruneians embraceforeigners at various local events which mean that allpeople regardless of nationality can come togetherand enjoy such events. From these experiences, I feltthat Bruneians understand the importance of culturalexchange and mutual respect.

Great Experiences in Brunei Darussalam

Editor’s note: JI Dagyum is a student of Sookmyung Women’s University and she studied at UBD in 2013 as an exchange student.

She wrote this article.

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The Korean Wave in Brunei was remarkable.Korean pop culture and Korean products are verypopular and heavily consumed amongst manyBruneians. For instance, Kia and Hyundai cars areseen frequently on the roads and Samsung mobilephones are a popular first choice for manyBruneians. I felt a sense of pride in seeing thetransfer of brand value and recognition of Koreanproducts across borders.

The Korean Culture Club (KCC) in UBD heldmany events on campus to commemorate Koreanholidays such as Seollal and Chuseok. I participatedin their events to introduce the tradition of Seollal.The event was successful as many people showed

interest and enjoyed Korean food and traditionalgames. I thought it crucial to recognize the diversespectrum of Korean culture as a whole since Koreanpop culture is only a fraction of Korean culture.

My time in Brunei was great. Throughout theyear, I was able to acquire a great deal of practicalknowledge about Brunei and Islam by participatingin many events. I would like to express my heartfeltgratitude to Brunei Darussalam and all the peoplewho helped me during my stay. I hope that I could bea specialist of Islam and contribute to furtherimproving the relationship between Korea andIslamic countries.

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Education has been a top priority and will remainso in Korea because Koreans know, through theirown experiences, that education is the key for theirrapid development.

On the other front, Korea has a strong edge inInformation and Communications Technology (ICT).Korean companies are currently leading the worldmarket and its government has been ranked first forseveral consecutive years in the UN e-GovernmentDevelopment Index and ICT Development Index.

The Cyber Classroom in Rimba II School is acase in point where education and ICT come in anexus. It was a cooperation project to further developand strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the fieldof e-Government and education by producingtangible results.

In October 2012, the Cyber Classroom projectwas successfully completed with state-of-the-art ICThardware and software equipment to better nurtureyoung students in the school.

The cost of the project was half a million USdollars and was fully sponsored by the KoreanGovernment.

Educational Cooperation:Cyber Classroom in Rimba II School

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Boo Young Corporation, a Korean ConstructionCompany with 30 years of history, donated 440pianos to primary and secondary schools in Brunei inan effort to strengthen educational cooperation andcultural exchanges. The estimated value of thecontribution is about 440,000 USD.

The Chairman, Mr. LEE Joongkeun, firmlybelieves that education is a key to betterment andthat educational tools are an invaluable investmentfor a brighter future.

With the firm belief of the Chairman, Boo YoungCorp. has been carrying out educational support bydonating educational tools such as pianos andblackboards to more than 17 countries around the

world. The Company has also contributed toconstructing more than 600 schools in Cambodia,Laos and Vietnam.

Melodic Contribution to Schools in Brunei

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In 2004, I attended the e-Government conferenceheld at Institut Perkhidmatan Awam (IPA) in BruneiDarussalam. The conference made me feel as if I wasdestined to come to Brunei. In 2006 when I cameback to Brunei, the tranquility of the country warmlywelcomed me.

I started working for Universiti BruneiDarussalm(UBD) and was on secondment toAuthority for Information and TelecommunicationIndustry (AITI) where my role was to initiate e-Government through introducing and applying theKorean e-Government to suit Brunei. I supportedgovernments of Korea and Brunei to sign relevant

MOUs in 2006 and 2010, as the MOUs could serveas a framework to facilitate the collaboration on ICTand e-Government.

However, the lack of expertise and specialists inthe country made it difficult for the BruneianGovernment to move forward with the e-Government initiatives. Recognizing the challenge, Ireturned to UBD and proposed a tertiary trainingcentre to train Government officials to be equippedwith relevant skills and knowledge to initiate e-Government. UBD signed a MOU with KoreaAdvanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST) in November 2010 for e-Governmenttraining and research.

e-Government Cooperation Between Brunei and Korea

Editor’s note: Dr. HWANGBO Yeoul is Director General of BEDB.

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As a result of the agreement, e-GovernmentInnovation Centre (eG. InC) was established in June2011 and has served as an e-Government think-tank.eG.InC continued to provide training for the civilservants, conduct research on emerging ICT issues,and organize forums for raising awareness on e-Government and ICT. Through close cooperationwith Korean experts, eG.InC was awarded the FutureGov 2012, which is as a prestigious recognition forexcellent agencies for innovating government andpublic sectors. It was a significant achievement.

UBD continued its collaboration and signedseveral MOUs with major universities as well asprestigious government research institutes in Korea.As a result of these collaborations, UBD students

have been given an opportunity to study in severalKorean Universities through exchange programmes.

Brunei and Korea have made great strides in ICTand e-Government during the 10 years ofpartnership. I believe that now is the time for us toidentify areas to prepare and collaborate with eachother for the next 10 years, with particular emphasison innovative areas.

Looking back at the past 10 years, I am gratefulto my Bruneian colleagues and friends, who alwaysencouraged me to be committed to fulfilling my task.Such friendship and bonds, along the lines of mydestiny, are what continue to connect me withBrunei.

Documents

Korean Language Education in Brunei