Here are students gathered to connect with the greater world beyond the scope of the Republic of Korea. We spoke to Lim Chan-oh (Sophomore, Department of Philosophy) of "Hanyang Global Lions" which is working to spread the culture and spirit of Korea and helping people of different nationalities become friends with each other.

What is Hanyang Global Lions (HGL)?

Hanyang Global Lions is affiliated with the Office of International Affairs, and we are made of board members and supporters. We recruit board members at the beginning of each semester and assign them on-campus jobs during the semester. We recruit supporters a month before the actual international summer and winter schools through applications and in-person interviews.

Board members are in charge of reviewing the applications of supporters for international summer and winter school, responding to emails and phone calls, and others. In addition, board members conduct a meeting with staff in charge of HGL every once in two weeks to plan programs and promotion materials for international summer and winter school.

About 30 of the supporters start really working when international and summer school begins. They play a very important role in every program at international summer and winter school. They will also take part in the opening ceremony, graduation ceremony, check-in and check-out for the dormitory, and the Ski-Trip that will be open for this international winter school. These are friendly students whom international students can easily go up and talk to, and they exchange Korean culture with enthusiasm.

What programs did you plan this year? What was the most memorable one?

For each semester, we plan a new summer tour and winter tour. This time, we planned a winter tour for this year's international winter school. The winter tour we planned includes One Million Dance Studio, attending a Professional Basketball match, laser tags, a visit to Lotte World Ice Links, and others.

I would say the most memorable program was the "cooking class." We did grocery together and cooked together in a shared kitchen in a party room near Konkuk University. It's a very new activity that previous members have never tried, so I believe that it will be a memorable experience for foreign visiting students.

What is unique about HGL?

Hanyang Global Lions are traditionally particularly extroverted. I feel like that's especially the case for supporters. (laugh) These are people who applied to the program to actively connect with international students so they are very active in forming relationships.

With international students with whom we got close, we learn and share each other's culture through various activities. It would be great if you could also speak good English, but I think the spirit is far more important. You will get better with English as you hang out. We are open to anyone who wants to try something new and actively exchange with international students!

The photos from your official social media accounts seem to be full of youthful vibrance. What does HGL usually feel like?

Our official Instagram (@hanyanggloballions) accounts have many photos and reels. Like photos, we work and communicate with international students in bright and open atmospheres. Because of this, I think we get close to them really fast.

There are six board members and with supporters, it will add more vibrant and lively spirits. This semester, we are making many reels. We have the promotion reels for international winter school, university, tour around the campus, vlog at Hanyang, shortcuts, dormitory introductions, so please stay tuned!

As an international exchange organization, what do you want to achieve?

Hanyang International Summer and Winter School is Korea's first international summer and winter school, and with a long history, it is attracting hundreds of students each semester. It's all made possible because of the dedication of staff at the Office of International Affairs and Hanyang Global Lions.

The HGL is the international exchange organization that represents Hanyang University, and we will continuously strive to create fuller programs with visions. The vision that we are pursuing as a student organization is to lead international exchange between students and promote cultural understanding between Korea and different countries. Through this, we want to act as a lesion that promotes global partnership with foreign universities and connects cultural differences.

Why did you decide to apply to HGL?

After completing my first semester as a freshman, I came across the international summer school while exploring summer courses. Having lived abroad before, I found it fascinating to attend classes with international friends again through the international summer school. However, due to the nature of the courses, which lacked team projects, there weren't many interactions with international students.

Then, I discovered Hanyang Global Lions while browsing Instagram posts about international students' Korean cultural experiences. The idea of helping international friends experience Korean culture and make cherished memories seemed incredibly appealing to me.

What is the career path you are interested in?

I have a completely different career in mind. Although I am majoring in philosophy, I have been studying programming for some time and am currently taking classes in the School of Computer Science to pursue my dreams. My ultimate goal is to become an AI developer or researcher. While it is unrelated to my career path, I believe the teamwork, sense of responsibility, communication skills, and brainstorming skills I have gained through Hanyang Global Lions will serve as a solid foundation.

Do you have any interesting stories from your activities with Hanyang Global Lions?

There are so many fun moments in Hanyang Global Lions. Among them, graduation day was the most rewarding and emotional event for me. I first became a board member during the last semester and organized the international summer school. The graduation ceremony of the last semester was a meaningful day that concluded my six months of activity with Hanyang Global Lions.

Saying goodbye and taking pictures while wishing it would last a bit longer; it felt like the past few months had flashed by. Although we only had a brief time together, it was a day that I experienced bittersweet emotions for a long time as students showcased the grand performances they had prepared over the month and concluded everything with farewell remarks.

Do the board members have distinct personalities? Can you describe what each member is like?

Absolutely. Not a single member lacks individuality. When working together, Myeong-cheol (Senior, Department of Chinese Language & Literature) is soft-spoken yet a mood maker, Da-bin (Senior, Department of Bioengineering) often comes up with brilliant ideas, You-jin (Sophomore, Department of Chinese Language & Literature) serves as a guide to correct the course when things seem off track, and Jackie (Junior, Department of Media and Communication) has an innate artistic sense, overseeing direction and planning. Se-yeong (Sophomore, Department of Automotive Engineering) is a shy but dependable lead actor in Hanyang Global Lions' reels. Their unique personalities are well expressed in the opinions they suggest during each meeting, and we are making many great ideas by discussing ideas together.

Any final words you'd like to share?

Hanyang Global Lions is the biggest part of my college life. It’s the only place on campus where you can build relationships and exchange experiences with international students. It’s also a great place to meet friends from various departments, especially for students returning from military service who might be looking for opportunities to make new friends.

If you hesitated and missed the chance to apply for the 14th member, I strongly recommend applying for the next one. Let’s make the best winter ever!