Q +A: Juhyun Kim
By: Samantha Spinaci
As a student from South Korea, Juhyun Kim has battled many cultural challenges and differences to get to where she is today. She started at the University of Georgia a year ago after feeling bored with her new American life at her previous university, Valdosta State University.
Kim is currently majoring in public relations and minoring in consumer economics at UGA. Kim went to high school in Korea and before coming to UGA, Kim went to Valdosta State for a year where she says she had some of the “best and worst memories.” She said she deals with struggles that other students did not have to. Kim deals with language barriers, cultural differences, and class difficulties that require her to put more time into studying and homework than other students do.
Despite her struggles, Kim has not given up on her dream. She hopes to pursue a career in public relations helping companies have a better brand image and learning how to better communicate with people. Kim would love to work for a company in South Korea so she can teach people about her culture and help the company with its image around the world. To advance her career, Kim interned with a Sports Modeling Agency in London, where she says, “it was her turning point in life.” If Kim does not move back to Korea after school, she says she will also consider moving to London because she wants to learn new things.
Samantha Spinaci
So I see that you went to Valdosta State for a year. Tell me about that and how is that being different than being at UGA now?
Juhyun Kim
For me, they are the best and worst memories envolving stuff because it was my first place where I had my best memories. It was the first place I got to learn about new American culture and how to make friends in a totally new country. And I can compare to how it is different, so one difference is the class curriculum between America and Korea. So, it was a good opportunity to learn every new thing in my life after graduating from high school. The hard memory I had was when I started learning about totally new cultures, so I have to study and prepare some classes more than other local students. When this daily routine was repeated I felt so exhausted and about my life in America. And got hung up on cultural, and language barriers and I got depression. So that made me become easily tired of my life. And so, I also think about my relationship, with my new people. Because of that big reason [depression] I took one semester off. And I transferred to UGA after resting. So I think that was different. Yes, and it is, this is my first year here. So after processing, I think the difference is the students at UGA have more passion. They are more energetic about their future which means I can meet more people than in Valdosta. I think I’m learning more things than at Valdosta.
Spinaci
What career, do you see yourself done with your major and minor?
Kim
My major is PR. I want to learn how to communicate with people or customers to a family and to communicate better within relationships. I’m also interested in how I can make brand images better, or learn about companies in different nations. I want to make sure what’s the difference between PR and marketing and career differences. I want to make progress here in PR activities. I should understand consumer economics as well. The activities here [UGA], I think it will be a better advantage for my career so when I have it in PR and in consumer relationships.
Spinaci
So I saw that you did your internship for a modeling agency Are you interested in like clothes and modeling as well to do with your major?
Kim
So at first, I didn’t know well about the sports modeling agency, because in this case, it was my first experience. I made so many, so many mistakes, but I learned and it was a big influence on me choosing my major. I think it was a very, very good experience to show how I can choose my future and career goals.
Spinaci
Via your Instagram, I’ve seen that you’ve traveled a lot, what is your favorite place that you’ve been to and what makes it your favorite place?
Kim
You asked me before I did an internship in London. London, England is my favorite place because it was the turning point in my life. I felt boring about my repeating American life because I was always having to study or do homework. I had a feeling and I wanted to develop myself more. So I started an internship in London at the sports modeling agency. I also wanted to learn about new cultures from other countries, not just America. I want to understand what is the difference between England and America because they use the same English but they’re lots of various accents between English and American accents.
Spinaci
After school where do you plan on living? Do you want to stay in the US or back to South Korea?
Kim
I want to stay in South Korea or London because it was a good experience for me and I learned so many things in America and I wanted to learn new things like the things I learned when I was at the company. I want to get that.
