A Study on the Factors that Determine the Decision to Study Abroad and the University Life Experiences of International Students Majoring in Beauty

The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative study to find out the factors that led international students to choose beauty majors in Korea and their experiences in college life. The results showed that the major factors that led international students to choose beauty majors in Korea were the global status of the Korean beauty industry, the influence of the K-beauty trend, the practice-oriented education system, the spread of information through SNS, and the beauty of the Korean language. In particular, curiosity and admiration for Korean beauty culture through K-pop and K-dramas played an important role in strengthening the motivation to study abroad. The Korean language study path before studying abroad was You-Tube, online Korean language classes, Korean language schools and acquaintances, and Korean language schools. Although there were more parents who opposed studying abroad than those who supported it, students came to study abroad due to persuasion and will. Meanwhile, the college life experiences of international students were mixed with positive and negative aspects. While the satisfaction level for practice-oriented major classes was high, there were also cases of difficulties such as lack of understanding of theoretical subjects due to the language barrier, loneliness due to differences in communication methods among students, and cultural differences. The conclusion showed that development will be necessary in various areas, including the development of a glossary of beauty major terms for international students, language support programs to improve Korean language skills, a mentoring system, networking, expanded internship opportunities, and career guidance.