This past week outside of work has honestly been pretty enjoyable, especially with this being my last full weekend in Seoul. As usual, I’ve continued my SIE studies after work every day. I’ve really tried to stay consistent with that habit throughout my time here, even though studying every night for 3 hours is quite exhausting. It’s been good for me to feel like I’m making progress and preparing myself for my exam upon my arrival back home.
On the weekend, I made it a point to walk around Seoul more and try to really “take in” the city before I leave. I know that sounds kind of cheesy, but I’ve realized how fast time flew while I was living here, and I didn’t want to let these last few weekends slip by without appreciating the beautiful city I live in. One of the highlights was going to the FC Seoul soccer game on Sunday with my friend Dan. As someone who’s played soccer my entire life and who’s watched games in both Europe and the States, getting to experience a professional match here was something I really wanted to do before I left.
Seeing the team play in the Seoul World Cup Stadium was such a cool experience. The field itself is beautiful, and the stadium is huge. What really stood out to me, though, was how different the fan culture is here compared to the U.S. or even Europe. The energy from the crowd felt unique – the fans were loud, passionate, and seemed to have endless coordinated chants. At times, it felt like something out of an anime, with the announcer’s dramatic voice booming through the stadium. I loved seeing the pure pride in the fans, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for how sports connect people across cultures. FC Seoul ended up winning 1-0, and it was an awesome way to wrap up the weekend. I’m really looking forward to heading to Busan this coming weekend with a few friends for one last big trip in Korea. I know it’s going to be a memorable way to close out my time here.
Reflecting on this week’s prompt, I’ve definitely noticed how communication here operates on the high-context side of the scale. Korea as a whole leans toward high-context communication, where a lot of meaning comes from shared cultural understanding, subtle cues, and unspoken norms. This is pretty different from the U.S., where we’re typically more direct and explicit in both our written and spoken communication.
The hardest part of adjusting to this, especially in a workplace setting, has been trying to stay fully “in the loop” when my coworkers switch between English and Korean. For example, every Monday we have a weekly meeting where we go over what everyone worked on last week, what’s being carried into this week, and any new projects or tasks on the table. My boss, who is an older Korean man, will often start talking in English about one of my coworkers’ reports, but then suddenly switch to Korean for a deeper conversation about it. To make it even trickier, all of these reports are written in Korean, so I’m already at a disadvantage trying to follow along.
While I understand this is just how things operate here, it can definitely be difficult to keep up. I haven’t had any major miscommunication issues thanks to my supervisor, who’s from Brazil and is extremely clear about translating expectations and tasks from my Korean boss. She’s been super helpful in answering any questions I have and making sure nothing important gets lost in translation.
Something I had to adjust to early on was realizing that there are many forms of Korean, especially when it comes to formal vs. informal speech. Before coming to Korea, I tried to teach myself some basic Korean phrases so I could at least greet, thank, and say goodbye to my bosses. What I quickly learned is that using informal versions of these phrases is not appropriate in a professional setting. I had to relearn everything and really focus on adjusting my tone and language to be more respectful. This was a small but important lesson in cultural awareness.
Even now, there are times during casual office conversations where I’ll find myself turning to my coworker and asking, “What did they just say?” It can feel frustrating, especially when everyone laughs at something in Korean and I’m left playing catch-up to understand the joke or the comment. These moments remind me that no matter how integrated I feel, there’s still a limit when you don’t share the same language.
That said, my coworkers and bosses have been incredibly patient and understanding of my situation. They’re always willing to explain things again or adjust how they’re saying something so that I can understand. I really appreciate that, and it’s helped me not feel isolated despite the occasional language barrier.
All in all, this experience has taught me a lot about the importance of adaptability and patience in communication. It’s also made me more aware of how critical it is to respect different communication styles in global business. I look forward to translating this knowledge into my future professional experiences.