To have a better understanding of the history, art and culture of Korea, and further studies in Seoul, thirty S.4 & S.5 students together with 3 careers teachers (Mr Tang Tak On, Mr Mak Ying Kit and Ms Hung Wai Dan) joined the study to Seoul from 1st April to 4th April, 2016.
The 4-day trip was highlighted by two visits to two universities in Seoul, namely Kyung Hee University (慶熙大學) and Hongik University (弘益大學). Our alumni, Lee Man Hin(李文軒), who is currently studying at the former university, and his professor, worked as our docents. They took us around the campus and clearly introduced the history of the university, the degree programs and the requirements of admission to their degree programs conducted in Korean and English, respectively. The latter university is famous for its art and degree programs.
Learning about Korean History, art and culture was definitely an indispensable of our trip. We visited Gyeongbokgung Palace (景福宫), which is the most representative royal palace that boasts beautiful architectural traditions of Korea, housing kings’ parlor as well as spacious plaza relating to public affairs. Obsessed with the traditional Korean architecture, we visited Namsangol Hanok Village (南山谷韓屋村), which is a specially organized tourist destination recreating the traditional looks of Korean village of the past. The place displays residential houses, common area, pavilions, promenade and more architectural items altogether.
To have deeper understanding of Korean art, we visited Insa-dong (仁寺洞) and 　Samcheongdong (三清洞). Insa-dong, located in the heart of the capital city Seoul, is an important place where old but precious and traditional goods are on display. The streets of Insa-dong are aligned with big and small alleys on each side full of interesting shops, galleries, traditional restaurants, traditional teahouses, and cafes. Samcheongdong is characterized by numerous small art galleries, shops, and restaurants. Visitors to the area can see restored hanok, Korean traditional-style houses.
Students could broaden their horizons by visiting Samsung D’Light (三星展示館), an exhibition space that showcases all the latest consumer electronic products by Samsung Electronic, which enabled students to try out new technology with their own hands. On the first floor at "Myself," Students could create digital content and find their own personalities using Samsung Digital products, technology, and services. In the "Sync Zone," students could register using their RFID compatible d'light bands. Besides, we also visited Alive Museum (4D立體美術館,) exhibitions include, Trick Art, Object Art, and more. Trick Art refers to a new type of art, which consists of artworks that actively engage the viewers through a 3-dimentional experience where Object Art refers to sculptures and installation art reinvents the idea of "seeing is believing."
On the whole, apart from having a better understanding of advanced technology, our students were given opportunities to get familiar with the history, art and culture of Korea, and mostly importantly, the further studies in Seoul.