Last April some eighty foreign students living in Korea and Korean college students gathered at a lecture hall of the National Museum of Korea to listen to the success story of their mentor Chinese native and TV personality Sun Yao.

Organized by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and operated by GKL Fund, Korean culture expedition “Outlookie” for foreign students is composed of 61 students from 11 countries. Aside from attending the inauguration event, the international students, joined by Korean college students, got hands-on experience of calligraphy and played Hangeul games at the National Museum of Korea. The first event of the expedition themed on adapting to Korea and learning Korean ended in a success.

Sun Yao started her lecture with her dramatic experiences as an international student in Korea. She first came to Korea in 2002 and started learning Korean at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and transferred to Kyung Hee University to study trade. While studying there she joined KBS program “Global Talk Show” (“Misuda”) and instantly received the spotlight, but remained committed to her studies at the same time. While juggling TV appearances and Chinese language lectures, she was invited as a professor at Keimyung College University. An active figure in Korean society, Sun Yao was invited as the first mentor for the international students.

“When I see young, passionate students, it’s like looking at myself when I first came to Korea. They are at the age when they are the most beautiful and healthy. They are spending the most important time of their lives in Korea. It makes me both happy and envious that there is this great program for international students organized by KOFICE and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. As a mentor, I hope that the students grow and learn through Outlookie,” Sun Yao said.

“I was happy to be able to meet people from other countries,” said Uzbek student Kalimulin Iskander (Sungkyunkwan Univ. freshman). “It was fun to listen to the mentor’s experiences of her student years in Korea.” Meiying (Hanyang Univ. third year) from China commented, “I made great memories attending the lecture, experiencing Korean calligraphy, and doing Hangeul games at the National Museum of Korea. I am so thankful to the mentor and the group members.”
 
As part of the mentor-mentee cultural program, Outlookie members will continue to learn more about Korean culture, such as K-food, e-communication, taekwondo, and South-North relations, under the guide of famous foreign figures who are active in the Korean society. They will also participate in the Learn&Run Korea summer camp and the Global Friendship Festival to experience Korean culture and interact more closely with fellow Korean students, thereby learning to adapt better the Korean society.

“An increasing number of international students are coming to Korea, but the growth is stalling. More and more of them are quitting along the way,” said Chairman Lee Pal-sung of Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange. “Korea is actively inviting international students to study in Korea, but there is a lack of systematic and consistent management of these students. That is why both government and civil groups have joined hands to organize the Outlookie program. We will give our full support so that the international students can become one through culture and grow into global leaders through participation in the Korean society.”

Outlookie for international students was selected as a creative social contribution project by GKL Fund in 2015. The program operates on a yearly term and plans to expand to more regions and members in the future.