Three weeks into my internship, I can confidently say I’m finally settling into the rhythm both in and out of the office. One personal highlight is that I’ve joined a gym near my apartment, and I’ve made a habit of going every day after work. It’s become a really important part of my daily routine – both physically and mentally – and gives me time to decompress after long hours in the office. I’ve also been doing my best to cook most of my meals instead of eating out all the time. While Korea has some of the best food I’ve ever had, eating out every day can get heavy fast, so it’s been a good way to stay balanced.

This past weekend, my friend Daniel (who’s interning in Seoul as well, from Princeton) and I explored Gangnam, like the famous song haha! It was my first time there, and I was completely blown away by how massive and upscale the area is. We visited one of the biggest malls I’ve ever seen and walked through the famous Starfield Library, which is one of the most visually stunning places I’ve been in Korea. It felt like walking through a movie set. On top of that, as someone who DJs in my free time, I was really excited to find a studio nearby where I could rent equipment and practice. Being able to still enjoy a personal hobby like that has made this experience feel much more well-rounded and personally fulfilling.

Looking at work, things have continued to challenge me in new ways – especially when it comes to navigating unclear instructions and working through uncertainty. A lot of the time, I’m simply handed tasks without much context, and it’s on me to figure out what’s expected. While that can be stressful, it’s also forced me to grow. Everyone in the office is constantly busy, so asking questions isn’t always easy – it has to be timed right, or else it feels like an interruption. Because of this, I’ve learned to rely heavily on my own problem-solving skills and resourcefulness. I often use our shared file system (DTK NAS) to look at examples from past employees and cross-reference my own work to make sure I’m meeting the standard.

One thing I really appreciate about my workplace is the culture of constructive criticism. Every file or deliverable we work on gets sent to our Kakao group chat, where our CEO reviews it. This is expected and performed by not just for interns, but for the whole team. He usually provides direct feedback, often in the form of notes or quick chats, which helps align expectations and refine our work. This type of constant feedback loop has actually made it easier to improve quickly and understand exactly what’s expected, even if it’s not always clear upfront.

For instance, just today, my boss pulled me into his office and asked me to switch from the project I had been working on for over a week to something new. At first, I was confused, especially since I’d put a lot of time into the previous task. However, after a short conversation, he explained that the new project was a more efficient way to meet the government requirement of completing 20 virtual meetings for the larger project at hand. His goal was to “kill two birds with one stone” by streamlining our efforts. After hearing his reasoning, I understood the pivot, and we were able to clarify the next steps together. This moment reminded me how important it is to stay flexible and open-minded when plans shift unexpectedly.

Another ongoing challenge is that many of the tasks I’ve been assigned fall outside of my academic comfort zone. As a finance and econ major, I’m used to numbers and analysis, but a lot of what I’m working on here involves new systems, unfamiliar industry terminology, or communications strategy. I’ve definitely been “learning as I go” and building up knowledge day by day. Thankfully, I have two Korean intern coworkers who are not only fluent in English but have been extremely helpful in translating and clarifying some of the more traditional or nuanced instructions that come from our CEO. Their support has made a big difference in helping me keep up and perform well.

Overall, this week has been my toughest in problem-solving through uncertainty. It’s taught me how to move forward even when I don’t have all the information, and how to build confidence in my decisions by backing them up with research, past examples, and team feedback. While it can be uncomfortable at times, that discomfort is what’s helping me grow the most. I’m starting to realize that real-world work doesn’t always come with perfect instructions and I am glad I am beginning to utilize this as a tool going forward.