This blog post introduces the structure and direction of a sincerely completed academic plan that incorporates my personal experiences and career goals.
Writing About Academic Experience and Reflections
Tourism and Convention Major: Mastering the Fundamentals of Trade
Born and raised in Busan, the hub of tourism and maritime trade, I grew up naturally experiencing the city’s cultural and industrial appeal firsthand. My pride in Busan was exceptional from childhood, and that affection became even clearer as I approached high school enrollment. Driven by a desire to contribute to regional development, I enrolled at Busan Tourism High School and decided to major in Tourism and Convention. Among the various departments, I was particularly drawn to the convention field. My aspiration to develop professional capabilities in planning and operating international conferences and various events guided me.
In the Tourism and Convention Department, I completed a diverse curriculum focused on practical skills, including event planning, customer service, and on-site operations, with a strong emphasis on foreign language proficiency. I didn’t start with a clear goal of entering the trade field. Rather, I wanted to work in the tourism industry itself, believing that directly serving tourists in hotels, travel agencies, or public institutions would suit me best. However, as I systematically completed the curriculum, I realized how closely tourism and trade are interconnected, and within that, I was able to establish my own career direction.
In particular, subjects like tourism market research and analysis techniques, service provision strategies, and case studies of domestic and international tourism marketing provided me with a deep understanding of the structure and trends within the tourism industry. This process gave me the perspective that tourism isn’t just a single industry, but can be a crucial starting point for trade activities. This became a turning point that expanded my career path into the field of trade. Indeed, through diverse case studies, I learned how tourism product planning and marketing strategies connect to the global market, deepening my interest in the field of trade.
After firmly setting my career direction, I focused more intensely on foreign language classes and also valued practical field experience. Participating in experiential activities at local hotels and tourism-related public institutions, I actively engaged in operating programs for foreign tourists. Interviewing professionals in interpretation and researching their daily routines made me keenly aware of the importance of global communication skills. Furthermore, to build a foundation linking tourism and trade, I systematically acquired relevant competencies by broadly studying foundational knowledge in business and trade, including hotel information systems, accounting, marketing, human resource management, and advertising and sales promotion theory.
Through these experiences and studies, I gained the ability to independently research and contemplate what value can be created at the intersection of the tourism and trade industries. I recognized that tourism is not merely about the movement of people, but a complex industry where services, goods, and information are exchanged together, making it closely intertwined with trade. This realization solidified my resolve to grow into a professional who bridges these two fields.
Moving forward, I plan to continue studying and broadening my experience to grow into a professional who can serve as a bridge connecting tourism and trade. My career journey, which began in the city of Busan, is now expanding towards connections with a wider world. Leveraging the characteristics of the region and the strengths of my major, I aim to steadily advance step by step to become a talent capable of communicating and coordinating flexibly in the global market.
Major Campus Activities and Reflections
Six Months of Preparation for the Youth Trade Fair
Around my sophomore year of high school, I began considering extracurricular activities to prepare more concretely for a career in trade. During this time, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with an alumnus who had set their career path in the same major and graduated. It was from this alumnus that I first heard about the ‘Youth Trade Fair’. Naturally, as someone deeply interested in trade, I became curious about this event. I then began researching it myself to learn more details. The expo was a youth-focused event held at the Busan Convention Center and surrounding trade exhibition halls. I judged it would be a highly meaningful experience simply because it was a large-scale event based in Busan but involving students from all over the country.
Learning that some participants would take on the practical role of ‘booth operation’ rather than just attending as visitors, I naturally decided to aim beyond simple participation and focus on actually running a booth. From the moment I made that decision, serious preparation began. Above all, given the nature of booths being operated in teams, securing fellow team members was the most urgent task. I shared promotional materials about the expo with friends around me, encouraging their participation. After some persuasion and guidance, about ten friends agreed to join us. That’s how we became a team and embarked on six months of long-term preparation to run our booth.
The first thing we focused on was ‘setting our team’s goals’. We felt that for students with diverse thoughts and lifestyles to complete a single project together over a long period, a clear shared goal was essential. I proposed aiming beyond simply participating in the fair: we should strive to win an award at the event’s closing ceremony. I explained that having an actual award would positively impact each member’s career plans and college admissions preparation. The team members all agreed, uniting around this single goal.
The next step was to concretize the event planning and detailed operational direction for our booth. We held regular meetings for brainstorming sessions, striving to respect each team member’s opinions while developing creative proposals. After discussion, we selected the theme ‘Product Development Using Organically Grown Agricultural Products from the Busan Region’. This stemmed from our interest in local agriculture and the environment, leading to practical product planning that could connect to trade. We decided to go beyond mere promotion and actually create marketable products, gaining experience introducing them directly to consumers.
After finalizing the product concept, we needed to find a partner company. Our team collaborated to research information online and sought connections with local eco-friendly agricultural product manufacturers. We eventually found a suitable partner company. Through discussions with them, we received feedback confirming the feasibility of developing products using various eco-friendly agricultural products like kabocha squash, blueberries, and broccoli. Subsequently, team members visited the company directly to assess the on-site conditions and began detailed product planning. The resulting products included steamed sweet pumpkin buns, agave syrup, blueberry jam, and multicolored rice cakes. Particularly noteworthy was the multicolored rice cake, a healthy product achieved using only natural ingredients like broccoli, beetroot, chili peppers, sweet pumpkin, and pesticide-free rice to create its vibrant hues.
After finalizing the products, we personally planned and executed the entire process, from packaging design and in-booth sales strategies to promotional activities. To attract visitors’ attention, we specifically designed sales events incorporating recreational elements, which also generated significant revenue. The results of our efforts exceeded expectations, and at the closing ceremony of the expo, our team was honored with an award. The sense of pride and accomplishment felt at that moment remains an invaluable experience I still cherish today.
This activity transcended a simple extracurricular endeavor; it was a tangible achievement of preparing and completing a long-term project. Throughout the entire process—from conceptualizing ideas, forming a team, communicating with partner companies, to creating the product—I personally experienced how diverse a range of competencies the field of trade requires. This experience had a decisive influence on my career choice in the trade sector. Moving forward, I intend to build upon the practical skills and collaborative abilities I learned during this time to forge my own path on a broader stage.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and Reflections
Traditional Culture Inheritance Activities for Passing Down Busan Nongak
At our high school, activities to learn and practice ‘Busan Nongak’ have been consistently carried out under the principle of cherishing and inheriting the region’s unique traditional culture. Busan Nongak is an intangible cultural heritage with a long history and tradition, representing the region’s cultural identity as a precious asset. Recognizing this value, the school required all students to complete at least one Nongak-related class. Students who excelled during these classes were selected for additional opportunities to receive more specialized instruction. The instruments used in nongak included five types: the sangsoe (small gong), jing (large gong), daebuk (large drum), janggu (hourglass drum), and beokku (small gong). I showed particular talent in playing the daebuk. Thanks to this, I became familiar with the rhythms relatively quickly. My skill was recognized, and I was selected for the school’s nongak team, participating in full-fledged activities.
Working together with several friends in a team, we began to learn the deep functions and meaning of Busan Nongak, going beyond simple performance. Receiving direct instruction from the Intangible Cultural Heritage holders who regularly visited our school was an invaluable experience. Five experts participated in guiding us, each specializing in a different instrument. We received specialized training according to our respective roles, gradually improving our instrumental skills. Building on individual practice for each instrument, the process of synchronizing our breathing through regular ensemble rehearsals was also crucial. After over ten months of systematic practice, our team was invited to perform Busan Nongak at local cultural events and festivals. On stage, we felt a deep sense of pride in personally conveying the beauty and spirit of our local traditional culture.
Even after participating in cultural events, skill practice continued. Initially, each member focused on their assigned instrument, but over time, they developed an interest in other instruments and participated in various nongak training to broaden their repertoire. For instance, training encompassed learning the fundamental rhythms of pungmul, footwork drills, connecting melodic variations, spinning the sangmo (spinning top), practicing basic movements for gutgeori (shamanistic ritual music), performing nongsa-puri (farmers’ dance), performing pungnyeong-gut (ritual for a bountiful harvest), individual performances, and comprehensive rehearsals. Through this process, we internalized nongak not merely as instrumental performance but as a cultural entity, naturally learning the importance of teamwork and collaboration. During practice, it was crucial to consider and coordinate each member’s role and sequence. Friends with greater skill naturally helped others practice, fostering an atmosphere of learning and sharing. This process of sweating together and synchronizing our efforts held meaning beyond mere artistic activity. It made us realize that inheriting traditional culture is not just about ‘preservation,’ but about ‘co-creating a living culture of the present.’
Through this Busan Nongak experience, I gained firsthand knowledge of our region’s precious traditional culture by learning and practicing it physically. Through rehearsals and performances, I naturally absorbed the values of community communication, cooperation, and responsibility. Above all, it was a time when I truly felt that tradition is not something stuck in the past, but a ‘living culture’ that we collectively carry forward in the present moment. Moving forward, I want to build on this experience to deepen my affection for local culture and strive to share its value with those around me.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans
Dreaming of becoming a trade expert promoting the unique characteristics of Korea and Busan
Born and raised in Busan, I spent my childhood in the heart of the fish market. My parents ran a sashimi restaurant for many years, diligently tending to their workplace for over two decades, rising before dawn to attend the fish market. On weekends, my father would personally head out to sea on a fishing boat to procure fresh sashimi. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the use of fishing vessel equipment and aquaculture gear in this process. I often joined him on these fishing trips to help out, naturally deepening my understanding of the sea and the fishing industry.
From a young age, I frequently visited the fish market helping out at my parents’ shop, which also provided many opportunities to interact with foreign tourists. Talking with people who spoke unfamiliar languages, introducing products, and explaining seafood sparked my interest in the field of trade. Participating in events like the ‘Youth Trade Fair’ and the ‘Busan International Fisheries Trade Expo,’ where diverse buyers and stakeholders from home and abroad gathered, provided me with firsthand exposure to the realities of the trade floor. It also offered a broad opportunity to understand various industries related to fisheries trade—such as seafood products, fishing equipment, marine biotechnology, and the fishing industry.
These experiences naturally laid the foundation for establishing my career direction, and I now have a firm goal of working in the international trade field based in my hometown of Busan. Specifically, I developed a desire to contribute to building a global network based on regional characteristics, such as understanding fishery resources and equipment, and the competitiveness of locally specialized products linked to tourism. To realize this, I judged that acquiring both a systematic academic foundation and practical capabilities is paramount. In this process, I confirmed that the curriculum of the Department of Trade at Gangneung-Wonju University aligns very well with the learning direction I pursue.
Gangneung-Wonju University provides an environment well-suited for dedicated academic pursuit. In particular, its student dormitory management, considerate of students traveling from afar, and its active operation of diverse scholarship programs will provide a solid foundation allowing me to focus solely on my studies. If admitted, I plan to meticulously manage my academic performance to actively utilize the scholarship system and treasure every moment of my time as a university student. Simultaneously, I aim to obtain certifications such as Trade English or International Trade Specialist, and gain hands-on experience by participating in international events through programs like the Trade Academy or the Trade Manager qualification exam.
Furthermore, I intend to actively participate in practice-oriented programs like the Young Trade Master Internship Program, striving to grow into a talent who masters not just theory but also the practical sense of the field. As a university student who never loses proactivity and initiative, I will continue to strive relentlessly to achieve my dream of becoming a trade expert who widely promotes Korea’s excellent aquatic resources and equipment to the global market.
