A reader - fifteen years old, by the looks of things! - writes in:

Hello! I just recently stubled upon your blog and just wanted to say I think it's fantastic. I'm currently committing myself to reading pretty much everything on the site, all the way back to '07....

I plan on moving to Korea one day, not to teach English, but to go to Seoul Institute of the Arts to train to be a game artist/designer(I looove online gaming, and apparently, so do Koreans! :D Says my internet research). It's been my dream for as long as I can remember, to go to South Korea, but I need a few things clarified first...(I'm only fifteen, by the way, if that holds any sway on things. I have some time before I need a concrete plan). First, I want to go to a South Korean college- not as an exchange student, but preferrably as a fully recognized student. I also want to live in Korea permanently (save for the holiday flights to visit the family). Does going to college in Korea require a Korean citizenship? I'm dilligently working on my Korean, and hope to be fluent by the time I graduate high school, but don't you have to have lived in Korea for five+ years in order to qualify for a citizenship? And, Can I apply for Seoul Inst. while I'm still in the US, and fly to Korea if I get accepted? Also, I know sexual identity is a debated issue in most countries; gay marriage is currently illegal where I live. I believe it's legal in Korea, but I'm transsexual(and not afraid to say it at all). If I move to Korea, will that affect my ability to get a job, rent an apartment, or get into school? [T.]

T.

You certainly have your head on straight! At 15 years old, I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. At 28 years old, I'm still working on that.

Regarding coming to Korea to study at a Korean university - I wrote about a website last year that promises to assist foreigners wishing to study in Korea. Check out studyinkorea.org - give yourself some time to really explore the site.

Does going to college in Korea require a Korean citizenship?

No - there's quite a few international students that maintain citizenship in their home country. While I don't know a lot about studying in Korea, I'll plug a fellow blogger. Check out Matt Strum's 'On My Way To Korea' blog for life as a student in Korea. If interested in Korean citizenship, it is possible after some years in Korea. Get here first, then ensure you actually want to aim for that. Unless you're only coming to study for a year (as an exchange student), you'll be considered a fully-enrolled student by the institution you attend.

Can I apply for Seoul Inst. while I'm still in the US, and fly to Korea if I get accepted?

#avg_ls_inline_popup { position:absolute; z-index:9999; padding: 0px 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 240px; overflow: hidden; word-wrap: break-word; color: black; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; line-height: 13px;}Yes. In fact, the aforementioned website seems to indicate that virtually everything related to the application / visa process can be done before arriving. There's no need to fly over if you don't get accepted.

Also, I know sexual identity is a debated issue in most countries; gay marriage is currently illegal where I live. I believe it's legal in Korea, but I'm transsexual(and not afraid to say it at all). If I move to Korea, will that affect my ability to get a job, rent an apartment, or get into school?

Fabulous! The good news is there is a small but vibrant GLBT community in Seoul, although it can be a bit harder to find it outside of the big city. The bad news is that gay marriage (to my knowledge) is illegal, and most take extreme means to stay in the closet. If they're found out, their families may disown them, their employers may fire them, and they may find it much harder to exist in everyday society. You'll have a place to associate with the community (Itaewon's Homo Hill being the most visible, although a scene also exists in downtown Seoul's Jongno area), but for the most part you'll be wise to keep your sexuality under your hat. We recently had a gay pride parade in downtown Seoul, and there were plenty of supportive organizations for people of all kinds.

You still have sometime before coming to Korea, but it sounds like you're doing everything right. Keep up the research, and good luck!

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© Chris Backe - 2010

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