Park Tae Young - a boy from the land of Kim Chi - became the Valedictorian of Vietnamese Studies because of his love for Vietnamese culture.

At the age of 26, in Vietnam or Korea, many people have started their own careers. But for Park Tae Young, this Korean guy chose to study at university in Vietnam, because of his love and passion for the people and culture of this country. This choice is probably too adventurous and risky, he will have to face inevitable difficulties such as language and cultural differences, age gap and even social prejudices. But overcoming all, thanks to persistent efforts, the "sweet fruit" has come when the foreign student graduated from one of the top schools in Vietnam, even being one of the 24 honored Valedictorians.
The path to becoming a student of Vietnamese studies is not easy. Korean law requires all men to perform mandatory military service for 1.5 years. During his time in the army, the 9x guy thought a lot about what he really wanted to do in the near future after being discharged. He decided to do what he had never done before, and that was to go to Vietnam.
Right after being discharged from the army, he applied for a job at a Korean company in Vietnam. It was a company operating in the field of manufacturing high-end bedding products. During his work, he had many good memories with kind and friendly Vietnamese colleagues. People who go abroad alone often feel lonely, but not Tae Young. Tae Young said that he had the experience of drinking beer, eating hot pot at home, traveling around Vietnam with colleagues, and especially being invited to many weddings.    

Gradually, Tae Young's love and passion for Vietnam and Vietnamese people grew deeper. The 26-year-old boy at that time was determined to stay in Vietnam longer to learn Vietnamese language and culture. And the place he chose to experience his time as a student in Vietnam was the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Tae Young revealed that Hanoi University of Humanities and Social Sciences is one of the universities with a long tradition, very famous in Korea, known by many Koreans and wanted to study. After surveying and researching, in addition to being impressed by the prestige and quality of teaching of the school, he was also surprised to learn that international students from Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and many other countries were also studying at Hanoi University of Humanities and Social Sciences, so he was even more confident in his choice.

At first, the foreign student's Vietnamese ability was limited. He could only use Vietnamese in daily life, read and write short essays. In order to understand the content in class, he made an effort to study Vietnamese and asked for help from friends and teachers. Thanks to that, his Vietnamese vocabulary and grammar have now improved a lot.
“Many people think that I might have a lot of difficulties studying in Vietnam. But actually I don’t feel that way at all. On the contrary, I feel very happy to learn Vietnamese and research Vietnamese culture. I don’t feel too surprised because Vietnam and Korea have many cultural similarities. Moreover, I am very lucky to have friends and teachers in the Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language Department who are very enthusiastic in helping me. The curriculum provides very practical and interesting knowledge, modern learning methods, and stimulates the creativity of learners; the school also has many support policies and accompanies students, especially foreign students. So studying for 4 years of university does not really make me feel pressured but very excited. The only problem is that the 2 years of Covid-19 pandemic left me stuck in Korea and unable to go to school directly. However, fortunately, the school has the UPM online learning system, so I can still study remotely. and despite the geographical distance, I still received the attention, encouragement and close guidance of my teachers. The important thing is that I am able to live with a passion for researching Vietnamese culture, and that passion becomes a guiding light that helps me overcome all difficulties and obstacles.
Despite the language barrier and the prolonged pandemic, Tae Young still maintains high scores in his studies. The Korean guy revealed that his secret is to prepare his lessons and review them thoroughly. In particular, he often reads books related to the content he is studying, which helps the 9x international student expand his knowledge and gives him many new ideas.
Even he himself was surprised by this result: “My mother in Korea was so happy, she ran to show it to everyone around. As for me, this is a very meaningful gift, proof that the path I chose is the right one.”
Tae Young would like to share a few words with foreigners who want to study in Vietnam like him: “If there are any foreigners reading this article, I know you are a person who loves the country and people of Vietnam very much. Thinking too much is just a waste of time. Quickly choose and act! A small note is that Hanoi winter is very cold, so prepare a thick coat to avoid catching a cold!”
The knowledge and experience he gained during his time studying at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will be a solid foundation for the Korean man to continue pursuing his passion for Vietnamese language and culture. "And Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities will definitely still be my top choice if I continue my studies at a higher level in Vietnam," Tae Young shared.