In this blog post, I will outline my motivation for applying to the English Literature major—based on my high school academic experiences, club activities, international exchange programs, and examples of my commitment to others—as well as my academic and career plans after enrollment.
Academic Experiences During High School
“Developing Expertise Through the Study of Tourism English.” I was born on Jeju Island, a region known for its natural environment and thriving tourism industry, and attended elementary, middle, and high school there. In particular, while majoring in Tourism English in high school, I was able to focus intensively on studying foreign languages. I chose to major in Tourism English because I have always enjoyed English classes and because I dream of becoming a translation and interpretation specialist who can contribute to Jeju Island’s tourism industry in the future.
The courses I took while majoring in Tourism English included English Listening, English Grammar, English Conversation, English Writing, and English Reading Comprehension. Since I enjoyed English so much, I worked consistently to achieve good grades in these subjects. I was relatively confident in my ability to understand English sentences through listening and reading, as well as in my reading comprehension skills. I was also quick and accurate at memorizing vocabulary, so I consistently scored perfect marks or missed only one question on vocabulary tests. However, my skills in grammar, writing, and conversation were somewhat lacking in comparison.
Regarding English grammar, the knowledge I gained from my school classes wasn’t integrated, making it difficult to apply it when solving application problems. To address this, I studied using an EBS grammar book—which helps understand principles through exercises—rather than a general grammar book where concepts are organized in isolated sections. As for writing, although I understood individual words and sentence structures, it wasn’t easy to actually express the ideas that came to mind in sentences. To solve this, I bought a book containing 1,000 model sentences and studied by memorizing the entire sentence while simply substituting different words within it. Once I had memorized many basic sentence structures, it was only a matter of time before I became comfortable applying them.
As for English conversation, even when I could form a sentence in my head, I lacked the confidence to actually say it out loud. To address this, I made a point of participating in class discussions during conversation classes—even if I made mistakes—and during debate classes, I worked to develop the habit of speaking up continuously, even on topics I wasn’t prepared for. Through these efforts, I actively overcame the challenges I faced in studying grammar, writing, and conversation, and my English skills improved by leaps and bounds.
Extracurricular Activities: Obtaining a Barista Certification
“Developing My Talents by Obtaining a Barista Certification.” While in high school, I joined a club dedicated to obtaining a barista certification—not only to study English but also to develop my unique talents and interests—and participated in activities with friends who shared the same hobby. The club included students with diverse motivations and goals: some were interested in coffee, others were preparing for careers by studying to become baristas, and still others were drawn to the club out of curiosity sparked by TV dramas. Among them, I was a student who joined to use this as an opportunity to develop various skills as a future tourism professional.
After participating in the club a few times, I developed an interest in coffee—a subject I had previously known little about—and began to be fascinated by the diverse flavors and varieties of coffee. After more than a month, I gradually grew fond of the club’s activities, and after four months, I became interested in obtaining a barista certification. The club invited external instructors to help us prepare for the written exam, and there was also a program where upperclassmen who had already earned their certifications assisted us with practical training. Taking advantage of these resources, I formed a small study group with friends who were studying hard and prepared for the exam step by step.
As the certification exam approached—just one month away—our study group members stayed late into the night, devoting ourselves wholeheartedly to our studies and preparing with great passion. The school also provided significant support, even setting up a temporary meeting room within the tourism lab specifically for barista exam preparation. The room was fully equipped with high-end coffee machines, grinders, and hand-drip sets, so we had everything we needed to prepare for the practical exam. I particularly enjoyed preparing for the coffee roasting and flavor evaluation by type modules; rather than just aiming to pass the exam, I found the process itself so enjoyable that I practiced repeatedly. As a result, every member of the club earned their certification, and I was proud to see this achievement featured on a banner in front of the school’s main gate and in the school newsletter.
In addition, the club opened a café once a month for the entire student body to promote and showcase the coffee we brewed ourselves. In particular, through this activity, I was able to move beyond the standard, quantitative blending methods I’d used while preparing for the exam and create the creative coffee flavors I’d always wanted to try—which was a great experience. During this process, I developed and sold my own new coffee blend using mint and honey.
Since I’ve always enjoyed herbal teas, I decided to combine them with coffee to create a mint-flavored brew. Since using coffee beans and mint can result in a somewhat bitter taste, I added honey to bring out the sweetness. After numerous trials and tastings, I determined the precise proportions of mint and honey that produced the most subtle yet rich flavor, developed a menu based on this formula, and sold it at the café. As a result, I received a lot of positive feedback from customers and experienced the joy of satisfying them with a drink I had created myself.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation
“The Experience of Learning About Other Cultures Through International Exchange” Our high school has maintained a sister-school relationship with Shanghai Agricultural High School for many years, engaging in international exchange programs. Through this program, students from Shanghai Agricultural High School visit our school every May for sightseeing and facility tours, and in October of the same year, students from our school visit Shanghai Agricultural High School. I participated in both programs, hosting a foreign student in my home, and I also had the opportunity to experience a homestay in China.
○○○ was surprised by the diversity of our school’s curriculum and club offerings, and found it fascinating that we have electronic whiteboards and the capability for remote learning. They remarked that Korea certainly seems to have advanced in the areas of the internet and the IT industry, adding that while China is also developing rapidly, there are still many shortcomings in educational and school facilities. Sharing these insights helped me understand other cultures and sparked my curiosity, and it made me want to share more about Korea and Jeju Island.
After the school tour, I guided ○○○ on a tour of Jeju Island as part of their homestay. ○○○ had researched places like Seongsan Ilchulbong, the Jeju Olle Trail, Yongmeori Coast, and Cheonjiyeon Waterfall beforehand and expressed a desire to visit them, so I made the most of weekends and evenings to show them all within the limited time we had. Perhaps because I dream of working in the tourism industry, guiding foreign visitors was both exciting and rewarding for me. I enthusiastically explained everything all day long, and seeing ○○○ enjoy it and feel satisfied was a great source of fulfillment for me.
Educational Background, Motivation for Application, and Post-Admission Plans
“An Interpretation and Translation Specialist Contributing to Jeju’s Tourism Industry” My parents ran an orchard in Jeju and sold tourism products to visitors and foreign tourists. Thanks to them, I was exposed to many Jeju specialties from a young age and watched the process of turning them into products like chocolate and health foods for sale. My parents always said they hoped I would take over the business and work in the tourism industry, and that to do so, I needed to be proficient in English and other foreign languages. Hearing this advice, I decided to major in English Literature to study interpretation and translation professionally, and I resolved to work in Jeju’s tourism industry to support my parents.
Once I enter college, I plan to focus particularly on improving my English conversation skills. To this end, I will diligently complete all available conversation courses, such as English reading, discussion, and mock international conferences. In addition, I intend to study Japanese conversation as a second foreign language. Building on the foundation I established by studying basic Japanese as a second foreign language in high school, I will take a “Japanese for Tourism” course during my undergraduate studies and obtain Japanese language certifications such as the JPT.
Regarding translation studies, I will continue to work part-time as a translator on campus, participate in practical translation training both on and off campus, and complete a related internship program. Subsequently, building on this practical experience, I plan to enroll in a graduate program in interpretation and translation, earn a master’s degree, and then prepare for employment. Ultimately, I hope to work at an interpretation and translation support center dedicated to promoting Jeju Island’s tourism industry, where I will plan and manage various tourism projects.
