Cal State Fullerton student abroad finds world to be both vast and small

By Tran Dang

I was in for an adventure when my plane landed and I met three other Cal State Fullerton students who I would spend quality time with during the fall semester in a foreign country. The four of us had enrolled in a study-abroad program with limited information about the institute where we would be studying.

Little did we know, Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts is one of the most prestigious art institutes in South Korea. According to some performing arts students, there is a one in 10 chance to get into DIMA for their major.

It depends on the major, but DIMA’s acceptance rate is generally low. The professors are well-known for their talents in the Korean entertainment and media world, such as actress Park Hae Mi and Song Ok Sook. My professor for color grading and documentary classes, Neil George, is an award-winning filmmaker who is currently working on a documentary while he teaches.

DIMA students are also an inspiration to me. Classes are three hours long. Some students take eight to nine classes per week while they also have jobs. Since I am staying in the dormitory, I see students practicing for their concerts and plays after midnight on campus. I witnessed students designing stages for their films and plays. After a late-night practice, they would walk up and down the dark hills in the mountains to return to their studios or dorms because shuttles are unavailable after 9 p.m. Walking up to the dorms after a long day of classes, work and practice is exhausting, but it is normal for them.

After attending various concerts and plays produced by DIMA students, I can see why the institute is one of the best for media and arts in South Korea. It is fascinating to see how everything comes together through the students’ determination and perseverance. I am proud to say that I am attending a school filled with talented individuals.

Several award-winning Korean movies and dramas have been produced at the on-campus studios, such as “The Man from Nowhere,” “Train to Busan” and “Good Doctor.” Celebrities attended and are currently enrolled at the institute. When I look at the history of famous DIMA alumni, I am star-struck, because I often see them in the media and I listen to their music.

Since DIMA is hidden in the mountains in the countryside, I like to venture out to Seoul with my friends every weekend. This is a popular city to indulge in the Korean culture, as well as to meet more friends. In October, I mainly stayed in Seoul, due to Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), and a two-week internship at GSA Public Relations.

I smile every time I think of October. When I typed my monthly report for DIMA, I did not know where to begin since so much happened that I had to read my journey to remember everything.

Seoul has many tourist attractions and other universities, so I made amazing friends and unforgettable memories. My bond with my fellow Titans is unbreakable from spending every moment together. We made friends from California who are mutual friends of my friends and family. We made friends from other countries who I connected with deeply, and we keep in touch as we make plans for future meetings. Seoul made me realize that the world is vast and small at the same time.

My time at GSA PR brought more opportunities to participate in various events and campaigns. My fellow CSUF friends and I interned as a team to work on branding a newly launched skincare company. We did extensive research to form a creative brief, media strategies and marketing ideas. We visited the studio with our boss to test each product to further develop ideas. By the end of our second week, we sent everything to our boss and supervisor, along with our individual ideas to brand the company. A week later during Korean language class, we got a group text from our boss that one of our ideas was picked as the next campaign. To my disbelief, it was one of mine. A little moment of success may be nothing, but I felt proud and content.

Our supervisor started a storyboard for the idea, and we have been developing and filming for the campaign since. The skincare company also offered to pay us to film an advertisement that will be on a well-known television channel.

Initially, I was worried that we would not learn much from this short internship, but I gained experience, as well as made more connections within those two weeks. Besides working for the skincare company, we met another set of clients who are refugees. They opened a restaurant, which became one of the most popular in the area. We visited the restaurant with our boss and had the opportunity to sit down to learn more about the refugees’ heartfelt stories.

Interning at GSA PR consisted of learning and eating delicious food from our clients and with our supervisor. One of my favorite moments is when we enjoyed a three-hour Italian meal made by a celebrity chef at an agriculture event with other clients.

Just like everyone said, studying abroad is life-changing and unforgettable now that I am experiencing it. South Korea has a special place in my heart; I will visit again to relive my memories and see my friends.

It has been bittersweet because my time here is ending soon, and I am not ready to say goodbye. I will miss getting lost and wandering around Seoul with my friends. If a career opportunity arises in South Korea in the future, I will not hesitate to pack my life and move here.

Tran Dang is about to begin her final semester at Cal State Fullerton, where she is a communications-public relations major also completing a minor in psychology. She plans to pursue a career in public relations and social media with the long-term goal of working internationally.