In this blog post, we’ll summarize academic experiences, school activities, examples of consideration and cooperation, career goals, and academic plans for college based on actual high school personal statements submitted to the Department of Tourism Management at Gongju National University.
Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences During High School
While attending a tourism-focused high school, I received specialized education in the Department of Foodservice Industry. Since my family runs a restaurant in a special tourism zone, I witnessed my parents’ efforts to develop new menus, which motivated me to enroll in this program to contribute to our household income. In the Department of Foodservice Industry, I received specialized training in tourism services and tourism management rather than specific menu development. I believed that, in the tourism and food service industry, marketing is more important than the menu itself, and since marketing is part of the management process, I placed great emphasis on overall management methods and strategies. Therefore, I made every effort to thoroughly study all required courses, including Business Information, specialized tourism subjects, and language courses. Subjects I learned at school—such as accounting systems, barista skills, and Chinese for Tourism—were immediately applicable to our family business, allowing me to practice them in real-world settings.
In the Business Information course, I not only studied accounting systems but also learned profit and loss calculations through practical finance training and worked with programs for the integrated management of corporate resources. These courses improved my computer skills, and I even tried developing programs tailored to our shop using web programming. In the specialized tourism courses, I studied liquor studies, pastry and baking, and barista skills, acquiring the foundational knowledge necessary for menu development. Since our shop is commercializing traditional snacks, beverages, and traditional liquor to sell to tourists, I conducted my practical training with this in mind. Additionally, I intensively studied Chinese and English in my language courses to practice explaining our offerings fluently to visiting tourists.
Campus Activities: Experience and Reflections on the Culinary Development Club
I joined the Culinary Development Club to contribute to the tourism and food service industry. This was because my family runs a food service business at a tourist destination, and I aimed to develop a business that incorporated my startup ideas. Since our existing shop offered a fixed Korean menu, I joined the club to develop dishes that could globalize Korean cuisine. The club provided an environment where we could handle all areas of cooking—including desserts, main courses, beverages, and pastries and bread—and develop and create them ourselves. However, our activities went beyond simply conceptualizing and creating menus. Before starting food development, we paired up to study and research ingredients and nutrition.
At first, I thought food just needed to taste good, but I realized that food that captures the public’s palate requires more than just strong, stimulating flavors. While foods high in MSG or seasonings can provide a strong flavor, they aren’t healthy and might not encourage repeat visits. So, we researched ingredients to develop healthy foods suited to the wellness era. My partner was also researching the globalization of Korean cuisine, so our goals and ideas aligned well. We conducted extensive research on traditional Korean ingredients and discussed the characteristics and potential uses of each one.
After our discussions, we selected vegetables such as pumpkin, eggplant, and spinach, and used them to create dishes like pumpkin cream soup and grilled beef with eggplant. At first, we followed existing recipes, but later refined them through taste testing to create a more diverse range of dishes. We also attempted to tailor the same dishes to different tastes—for example, adding spice for Chinese palates and incorporating seafood for Japanese ones. For desserts, we developed jujube mousse and tarts, and for beverages, we experimented with adding cinnamon or ginger to Americano or espresso to evoke the flavor of sujeonggwa. The menus we developed were gradually refined through peer reviews within the club, and we thoroughly enjoyed our activities.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, Cooperation, and Conflict Management
Our cooking club volunteered by hosting cooking classes for multicultural families. There were many multicultural families near our school, and there was high demand for cooking classes where mothers and children could participate together.
Since women from multicultural families—such as those from the Philippines and Vietnam—often struggled with preparing Korean food, we planned classes on recipes for Korean side dishes, making children’s lunchboxes, and creating colorful Korean dishes using the five traditional colors.
The classes were conducted through team teaching, with club members pairing up in groups of three to plan and run the program. On the day of the class, while one student led the session, the others assisted the participants up close, helping with any difficult parts. On the day I led the class, I was in charge of making children’s lunchboxes, so I selected the ingredients and proceeded after holding a meeting. We decided to use animal or character shapes that children would enjoy and to emphasize vibrant colors.
For example, for a menu featuring yellow curry, we shaped the rice into panda-shaped onigiri and used nori to create expressions, making it fun for the children to look at. We prepared purple dishes using blueberries and cabbage, and red dishes using carrots and tomatoes, then divided the class into groups based on color to conduct the lesson. Mothers and children from multicultural families participated together, referring to the recipes and explanatory materials we shared, and each group leader effectively guided their team, resulting in well-made lunchboxes. It was very rewarding to see the children enjoy the activity and eat the food with such enthusiasm.
Career Goals, Motivation for Support, and Academic Plans After College Admission
The tourism industry has become so important that it significantly impacts a nation’s economy. The number of foreign tourists visiting Korea is increasing, and their countries of origin are becoming more diverse. In line with this trend, new tourist destinations targeting tourists are being developed, and tourists have a strong desire to experience local cuisine during their travels. To meet this demand, I would like to start a restaurant business within a special tourism zone.
My family runs a restaurant in a tourist area of Seoul, and our main customers are Asian tourists, such as Chinese and Japanese visitors. Our menu has focused on traditional Korean dishes like bibimbap and bulgogi, but I want to take it a step further by developing creative dishes to launch a new restaurant business. My business concept is “the globalization of Korean cuisine,” and my goal is to use familiar Korean ingredients to create dishes that no one has ever tasted before. Since my target audience is primarily foreign visitors, I am planning to incorporate international elements into my concept.
I feel that studying in the Department of Tourism Management is essential to achieving this goal. While studying the foodservice industry in high school, I came to deeply appreciate the importance of tourism management; I believe that while menu development and an understanding of food are important, tourism marketing is even more critical. If I gain an understanding of tourists and tourist destinations, as well as the tourism industry as a whole, and develop the ability to manage these aspects, I will be able to address any gaps in my knowledge. After entering college, I hope to grow into a professional who combines knowledge and practical skills by taking courses in business, marketing, and tourism destination research and fieldwork. At the same time, I will continue my studies in cooking and the food service industry to further refine my business idea.
