What are the differences between each countries’ club culture and Korean club culture?
There is a saying that goes “Club activity is the flower of university life,” which refers to various club activities that play important roles in university life. Students can share their hobbies with the club members, meet friends who have similar goals, and learn about new fields. Many clubs also do their best in their areas by participating in competitions or performing at school festivals.
Universities around the world, as well as in Korea, have their own club culture. The Dongguk Post aims to discover the characteristics and differences between the club cultures of various countries by looking at clubs from around the world, and learning about Korea’s school club culture. At the same time, The Dongguk Post would like to introduce aims to learn about Dongguk University’s specialized club culture.
Let us find out various club cultures in different countries
In the United States, it is crucial to foster individual initiative and autonomy in areas other than academic courses. Therefore, in middle and high schools, “extracurricular activities” or club activities are active, and almost all students are expected to join clubs. In addition, the experience of taking on the role of an executive in club activities or clubs is highly regarded when applying for jobs, so students have to work hard on club activities until graduation. In particular, the U.S. has a well-established sports club system, which can be seen as an environmental culture in which schools naturally take charge of sports activities.
Compared to club activities in the U.S., club culture in European countries tends to focus on the students’ leisure lives. For example, in the United Kingdom, clubs are called “societies.” The tradition of club activities in the U.K. traces its origins back to the 19th century, particularly within the context of the “Public School,” a term commonly used to refer to Britain’s prestigious private schools. When the semester starts and first-year students enter, a period lasts about a week for freshmen called “Welcome Week” or “Fresher Week.” During this period, booths are set up to promote clubs to freshmen to join the club. Most English clubs have membership fees when to join clubs. Also, there may be participation fees every time you do club activities.
In France, similar to the U.K., booths are set up at the beginning of the semester to promote clubs and hold events. However, overall, club activities are not a big part of the French school culture, and some universities have only few or even no clubs. Bahia Ammallal from France (Department in Social Sciences) said, “In general, when we talk about extracurricular activities, we are talking about sports or music. At my university in France, there are around 300 sports activities on offer. There is also an eloquence club, which is also very common in French universities. The art of speaking is highly important in France, particularly in studies such as journalism, politics, and philosophy. So we can often find this type of club around these department.” She also said, “The difference in France universities is that we have associations and not many clubs. Generally, associations have to be approved, and they all have different aims. There are associations dedicated to integrating students. There are also study associations, more recreational associations, and political associations. The difference between a club and an association is that, for many associations, you have to pay a membership fee.” Lastly, she added. “If you want to do something, you canthere is always an association for that.”
In Japan, clubs are referred to as “Bukatzu” and are culturally extensive and detailed. The term was introduced during the Meiji period imitating club activities in the 19th century United Kingdom. Since the early 20th century, the club culture has been established in most schools and has become a tradition. There is also a welcoming period for new students at the beginning of the semester, when club promotion is active. Japanese university students tend to put club activities before their studies, and many students devote their four years of university life to the club. In addition, there are few clubs related to employment, and most of them are for hobbies, leisure life, and experience. This is due to the tendency of Japanese companies valuing applicants’ organizational life experience, “qualifications,” and personality rather than so-called “specs” such as credits. Therefore, in Japan, people often join clubs to do what they like or do meaningful activities during university life.
There are some characteristics in Korean club culture
The most prominent features of Korean club culture are club activities for employment, after-party, and Membership Training (MT) culture. First, due to the social characteristics of Korean universities, there are many club activities to build “specs,” which is the Korean term meaning to improve one’s resume, in connection with employment. The proportion of clubs related to majors and clubs studying for employment is relatively high. In the case of European countries and Japan, the club field is mainly focused on leisure or hobby life. However, in Korea, it is common to find clubs that are closely tied to one’s majors or intended employment fields, serving both as a pathway to career opportunities and as a way to enjoy personal hobbies.
After-parties and MT are distinctive and integral components of Korean university clubs. The after party is a culture in which club members gather to eat or drink together after club activities. This can be regarded as a characteristic of Korea’s community culture, which places a strong emphasis on gatherings where members come together over meals or drinking parties, like “Hoisik.”
MT is a Korean term that stands for Membership Training, where club members travel together to strengthen their bond with each other. It is mainly held as one-night or two-night trips. Students usually go on these trips at the beginning of the semester, during vacation, and at the end of the academic year. During the trip, members reflect on the activities, strengthen the direction, and deepen friendship among members. The term MT is indeed comprised of English words, but it is a Korean-style English expression, not commonly used in English-speaking countries.
Specialized clubs at Dongguk University
Dongguk University has a total of 67 clubs managed by the Federation of Clubs, a group of central clubs on the Seoul campus. The club consists of nine divisions: performance, volunteerism, society, research, art creation, physical education one, physical education two, academic and new. In early March, when students enter the school, the club makes an announcement and recruits new members through the “Club Fair,” an event that prepares booths from each club and promotes clubs.
The “Dongguk Buddhist Student Association” is significantly a unique club at Dongguk University, a Buddhist school. The “Dongguk Buddhist Student Association,” commonly abbreviated as “Dongbul,” serves as a central club where students interested in Buddhism come together. They participate in Buddhist activities twice a month, go to temple stays, and mainly engage in Buddhistrelated activities such as tea ceremonies. It is characterized by the fact that any student of Dongguk University with an interest in Buddhism can join. There are students who are not only Buddhist but also have other religions or no religion.
While looking at club cultures from around the world and diving deeper into the Korean club culture, it becomes evident that there are both differences and commonalities between societies and cultures of each country, and the characteristics of club activities. Meeting friends with the same field of interest, gaining valuable experiences, and participating in desirable club activities can enrich your university life and serve as an opportunity to gain meaningful experiences.
Dear Donggukians who come across this article, why not consider exploring some club activities and create a fun and developmental school life?