Over the winter long weekend, six Choate students, accompanied by Dean of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Rachel Myers and HPRSS teacher Dr. Yaser Robles, went on a trip to Philadelphia to learn about the Korean diaspora, traditions, and culture. This trip was sponsored by Envoys, a global immersion company that designs enriching programs for public and private schools. Partnering with Choate, co-founder of Envoys and trip guide Ms. Marina Lee led the group through three days of Korean studies engagement.
The group began their trip at the recently opened Faith and Liberty Discovery Center. Students learned about various impactful historical figures like Dr. Philip Jaisohn, who was the first Korean to become an American citizen. They also explored the history of Philadelphia and the radical ideas of the state’s founder, William Penn, regarding freedom of religious expression.
After exploring the museum, the students switched gears to a lesser-known topic, appropriately dubbed “the Forgotten War.” The group visited an outdoor Korean War Memorial located in Penn’s Landing and took time to learn and discuss the conflict and its effect on Korea’s legacy. They paid respect to the lives lost in the war and reflected on repercussions that carry on to the present day.
Over dinner at the authentic Korean restaurant, Seorabol, the students were introduced to the President of the Korean Adoptees Association, Mrs. Liz Wade. Together, they discussed Korean identity and the struggles that come with the intersectionality of being American. Mrs. Wade was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States shortly after birth. She was raised in New Jersey with adoptive parents, growing up without any knowledge of her Korean heritage. Now working with other Korean adoptees, Mrs. Wade makes it her mission to help adolescent adoptees have a future that embraces their culture. The Korean-American students and Mrs. Wade conversed over their shared struggles of feeling “white-washed” and disconnected from their backgrounds, productively creating solidarity that Korean-Americans are just as Korean as international Koreans.
Building on the momentum from the first day of activities, the group traveled to the Emmanuel Church to learn about the history of the hanbok, which is traditional Korean clothing. Teaching the group about the history of the robe-like clothing was Principal Yi of Emannuel Church. Everyone was able to try on different styles of hanbok provided by Principal Yi.
Based on the color, custom designs, and accessories, hanboks can symbolize various things, such as marital status, personal virtues, and social position. Experiencing culture through its unique fashion was a great privilege and piece of educational knowledge.
Later that day, the student group went on a deep dive through the history of the Korean immigration culture in the United States. The students discovered that, just like many other recognized immigrant cultures, the layers of Korean diaspora lie deep and integrated within the American culture itself. Going with the theme, the students were enjoyed a meal at a Korean-American fusion restaurant named KPod.
The final day of the trip was the most action-packed of all. Bright and early, students were given a hands-on opportunity to immerse themselves in Korean culture and delve into Korean cuisine through a guided cooking lesson. Hosted at a private cooking establishment, Hudson Table, they prepared dak bulgogi, japchae, and scallion pancakes.
Soon after, they headed to the University of Pennsylvania to meet with the Korean Studies Department. The students gained a new perspective and a fresh understanding of the Korean diaspora through this discussion. Furthermore, they continued their study of Dr. Jaisohn at the Jaisohn Memorial Center, where the lasting impact of Dr. Jaisohn’s medical accomplishments was discussed. To aid the center’s mission of protecting vulnerable communities, the students also helped prepare Covid-19 mask packets and self-test kits.
The final activity the group participated in was a traditional Korean drum lesson. Then, the students dined at a traditional Korean restaurant that specializes in soft tofu stews known as soondubu. Over steaming pots, the students discussed issues such as different cultural traditions and unique experiences with their own upbringing.
Today, society is quick to group hundreds of cultures into one category of “Asian,” thus ignoring the individualism of each country. It is crucial to diversify one’s knowledge in order to recognize and represent all of Asia adequately. More importantly, as a country that has not only gained a lot of attention for its pop culture such as K-pop and K-dramas, but has also played a vital role in the global economy, geopolitical sphere, and technological advancements, South Korea and its people deserve to be appreciated and included in classroom discussions.
