Passion for Korean Language Flourishes in Egypt
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The Korean Wave has started to make its way into the intellectual and educational circles of Egypt and into society as a whole over the last few years, fueling a passion for Korean studies in the largely Muslim country.
At Ain Shams University, Egypt's second largest university, there has been growing demand at the Department for Korean Studies since it opened in 2005. The first batch of alumni, a group of about 30, graduated last year. The school even held its very first Korean language exam this year, testing about 120 students.
"The majority of the students entered the Korean studies department because of their love of the country", said Min Kyung-jin, a Korean language instructor at Ain Shams University. "I find so much joy in teaching them, for I know how passionate they feel about learning".
The phenomenon may seem rather unusual as Egypt is known as one of the world's most culturally conservative societies. However that doesn't seem to stop students from pursuing their dreams of mastering the language and even settling in Korea.
Free Korean classes are available on a weekly basis at the Cultural & Information Center run by the Korean Embassy in Egypt. Most students are in their early 20s and say that their curiosity about and attraction to the Korean language was sparked by several acclaimed Korean TV dramas that were broadcast throughout the nation in 2004.
Despite the fact that the Korean dramas haven not aired in Egypt for several years, there continues to be a surge in the number of applicants for the two-year program, and regular gatherings where students exchange resources and indulge in Korean films, music and food are still common.
The Korean Embassy said it has a series of cultural events and competitions related to the Korean language coming up later in the year to ensure opportunities for Egyptians to learn and appreciate it.
At Ain Shams University, Egypt's second largest university, there has been growing demand at the Department for Korean Studies since it opened in 2005. The first batch of alumni, a group of about 30, graduated last year. The school even held its very first Korean language exam this year, testing about 120 students.
"The majority of the students entered the Korean studies department because of their love of the country", said Min Kyung-jin, a Korean language instructor at Ain Shams University. "I find so much joy in teaching them, for I know how passionate they feel about learning".
The phenomenon may seem rather unusual as Egypt is known as one of the world's most culturally conservative societies. However that doesn't seem to stop students from pursuing their dreams of mastering the language and even settling in Korea.
Free Korean classes are available on a weekly basis at the Cultural & Information Center run by the Korean Embassy in Egypt. Most students are in their early 20s and say that their curiosity about and attraction to the Korean language was sparked by several acclaimed Korean TV dramas that were broadcast throughout the nation in 2004.
Despite the fact that the Korean dramas haven not aired in Egypt for several years, there continues to be a surge in the number of applicants for the two-year program, and regular gatherings where students exchange resources and indulge in Korean films, music and food are still common.
The Korean Embassy said it has a series of cultural events and competitions related to the Korean language coming up later in the year to ensure opportunities for Egyptians to learn and appreciate it.
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