The Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Tertiary International Students in South Korea

Abstract

South Korea’s demographic problem has spurred Korean universities to expand their outreach and increase their stake in global student mobility. The desire for global expansion and diversity in Korean higher education clashes with the sensibilities of a nation lacking a multicultural tradition. This study documents this conflict of competing interests by narrating the cross-cultural adaptation experiences of 14 international students at a private tertiary institution in South Korea. Within the framework of cross-cultural adaptation theory, the researcher utilized questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group to better understand how international students are affected by their encounters with Korean society. From the qualitative analysis, the key themes of cultural affinity, language fluency necessity, and implicit discrimination were found to impact an individual’s cross-cultural adaptation. The results demonstrate that students' perceptions of Korea and their experiences constitute a feedback loop: either a positive cycle of adaptation stemming from a high interest in host language and culture that manifests into a higher student-perceived satisfactory experience in the host country or a negative cycle of dissatisfaction and rejection of the host society and culture. 
 
 Received: 9 July 2023 / Accepted: 17 October 2023 / Published: 5 November 2023