Ethnography on International College Students’ Study Experience at the Department of Applied Music in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to examine the learning experiences of foreign students enrolled in applied music departments at domestic universities. In order to implement a suitable research method, ethnography for the purpose, eight foreign students who agreed to the survey and interview at the three universities where the researcher teaches were selected as research participants and conducted in-depth interviews according to the method of John W. Creswell (2017). As a result, it was found that research participants from Asian countries naturally decided to study abroad to South Korea due to the influence of the Korean Wave, easy entrance exam process, and support from their families, but they felt difficulties adjusting to life in Korea due to problems with accommodation and relationship formation. There were difficulties in school due to insufficient language skills, and some students had to engage in additional self-study or felt frustrated. However, as they soon adapted to the class environment and felt a sense of accomplishment as well as they felt they were growing as musicians through new activities. Also it was able to report that they will to continue their musical activities in Korea or upon returning to their home countries. This study is significant in the sense that it helped understanding of the academic experiences of foreign students attending the Department of Applied Music, with the increasing number of international students in Korea. Also, it is expected this study to be used as data to improve their learning environment.