Korean

The number of Korean language learners has been increasing worldwide in recent years, partly due to the influence of the global "Korean Wave" (Hallyu) boom. As of 2025, the global population of native Korean speakers has reached 82 million.

Language is both a part of culture and a crucial medium for expressing and understanding it. In other words, communication through language is not merely an act of conveying meaning but is deeply connected to correctly understanding the society and culture behind the language, while also accurately conveying one's own.

In our Korean language program, the goal is to move beyond memorizing vocabulary and holding daily conversations to deepen students' knowledge of Korean society. To this end, in Hiyoshi Campus, in addition to the required courses "Korean I and II," we offer "Korean Society and Culture I and II" to help students understand traditional and contemporary Korean society. Furthermore, in Major in Sociology, we offer seminars (Sociology Research Seminars I, II, III, and IV) for third- and fourth-year students on the theme "A Comparison of Youth Culture in Korea and Japan." In these seminars, students explore and understand the similarities and differences in the thoughts, interests, and circumstances of their peers by drawing on diverse materials such as literature and mass media.

Additionally, we conduct a seminar trip (fieldwork) to Seoul, South Korea, during the summer break. The goal is to empirically verify on-site the knowledge gained through the seminars. While in Korea, students also participate in exchange meetings with local university students, providing a valuable opportunity for them to utilize their language skills.

Students learn in stages, starting with an introduction (characters, pronunciation, greetings), moving to basic (simple daily conversation), and then to elementary levels (useful for travel, shopping, watching dramas, reading, etc.). The course consists of three classes per week, each taught by a different native-speaking instructor, ensuring repetitive practice of grammar, pronunciation, and conversational dialogues.

Continuing from the first year, students learn through themes based on everyday situations. The course aims to help them acquire expressions appropriate for various contexts and deepen their understanding of Korean conversational styles. There are two classes per week, with native-speaking instructors supporting students' progress.

This course is for students who have studied Korean before enrolling in the university. Using materials such as music, dramas, movies, newspapers, and literary works, students deepen their understanding of Korean culture and social affairs while also improving their presentation skills in Korean.

While Japan and South Korea are neighboring countries, they carry the scars of an unfortunate history and continue to face difficult challenges in politics and diplomacy. On the other hand, the recent growth in mutual interest and exchange, centered on young people, is a hopeful sign for the future.

At our university, too, we have recently seen an increase in the number of young people who have become interested in Korea and the Korean language, sparked by their interest in Korean music, dramas, and movies. We greatly hope that this will serve as a catalyst, leading to more exchange between the youth of both countries.