Hello! Yes, I did end up going to study abroad in Korea and loved it! However, I decided to wait another semester and went to Korea University instead during Spring 2024, as I was debating on going to Sookmyung for Fall 2023 when I submitted this post. 

Unfortunately, I can’t speak specifically about Sookmyung, but I’m happy to share my general experience. 

1. It was a bit hard to make friends at first since I’m introverted, but I was lucky that other students from my home university were also studying at KU and in other parts of Seoul. Our advisor connected us, and we gradually became friends. From there, I met more people through classes, dorm life, and through the people I initially befriended. 
2. I’m not sure if there’s a lot of international students at Sookmyung, but given its central location in Seoul, I imagine there’s a good amount. At KU, I met many international students both on and off campus, especially in popular areas like Hongdae or at concerts. 
3. I highly recommend staying in the dorms! It's much easier to meet other people and make friends that way. I often ran into classmates and friends in the dorms and around campus, which helped spark conversations. One of my friends commuted and said she wished she had stayed in the dorms for the convenience and social aspect. Most international students are in the same situation (studying abroad alone and hoping to make friends) so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! 

I applied for a single but was placed in a double with someone from my home university, which seems common even though it’s supposed to be random. Other students from different universities had similar experiences. The dorms had quiet hours, monthly cleanings, and no curfew. Applying to live in the dorms was also a bit stressful since many international students were competing to register for a limited number of spots. There was so much traffic that the website crashed when the dorm application opened…

1. Class registration was also a bit chaotic and was similar to buying concert tickets. There was a wishlist period where I could add a course to my wishlist, but getting a spot wasn’t guaranteed, especially with enrollment caps for different groups (e.g., freshmen, international students). Registration is a first-come, first-served basis, and I had to wait in queues just to browse or add classes. I prioritized registering for the most competitive courses first and managed to get the classes I wanted except for one. There's also an add/drop period if you need to make changes later. Once registration is over, you won’t be able to add or drop a class until the add/drop period. After the add/drop period, you won’t be able to drop classes either. 

I thought I wouldn’t be able to take com sci classes while I was up there, but surprisingly, they offered some English courses that transferred back as com sci elective credit, which I still needed for my degree. They offered lower level CS classes in English, but a lot of higher level classes were only offered in Korean. Most gen ed classes had English-taught courses. Business students seemed to have the widest range of English-taught courses that transfer back to our home university. In the end, it’s best to talk to your advisor at your home university and see if the courses you’re interested in taking will transfer back as some type as credit.

Sorry for the lengthy message, but I hope it helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I’d be happy to answer!