Aspen High School senior, Ava Mackie, is planning to further her studies at Yonsei University, a college in Seoul, South Korea. Yonsei University is a private research university and is famous for its international inclusivity. Mackie, who has never been to South Korea before, is excited to immerse herself in Korean culture.

“I’ve never been [to South Korea] before, which is why everyone’s very confused as to why I’m going. I really like the culture and the language [andlearning the language. My mom actually has family friends over there, and I have some friends from South Korea as well. They’ve told me a lot about their culture and things that they love over there. I just feel like I would be a good fit for [Korea],” Mackie said.

Another aspect of Korean culture that fascinates Mackie is Korean pop, also known as KPOP. This music influences fashion and music culture, famous for its ability to produce boy-bands and girl-bands. Thanks to KPOP, bands like BLACKPINK and BTS have taken the world by storm. Mackie is planning to learn the Korean language and study in Korean as well.

“What I am going to study is to-be-determined, but I will be having a Korean language course, so that’s like the main thing I will be majoring in currently: Korean language and culture. I will also be taking online courses in English, either business, psychology, or marketing. I can change my major or minor at any time,” Mackie said.

Yonsei University has a large international student body and also has an international school within the college. This university also has an acceptance rate of 5%, making it an extremely prestigious college in South Korea. Mackie will be able to achieve a Korean language degree and earn her other credits online. Mackie is eager to start her studies in South Korea and be surrounded by a different cultural environment.

“In August of 2020, I am going for a two-month course that is not connected to the university. It’s a summer school. In the spring of 2021, I will be going to Yonsei University for four years, and I plan on staying in Korea after that,” Mackie said.