Sookmyung Women's University President Moon Si-yeon Discusses Future Plans

On April 29, Moon Si-yeon, the president of Sookmyung Women's University, shared her vision for the institution during an interview at the university's administrative building in Yongsan, Seoul. As the president of the World Korean Wave Association, she expressed her commitment to developing Sookmyung into a university specialized in the Korean Wave (한류).

"In today's environment where the importance of STEM fields is emphasized, universities focused on humanities and social sciences may seem less competitive. However, we will not be swayed by this and will focus on our strengths to regain our reputation," said President Moon. A graduate of Sookmyung's French Language and Culture Department, she has been a professor at her alma mater since 1997 and took office as the 21st president of Sookmyung in September 2022, with her term set to last until 2028. She stated, "I will enhance the university's competitiveness through Korean Wave and global strategies during my tenure."

When asked about the challenges facing Sookmyung, she noted, "Universities like KAIST, which focus on engineering, receive significant government support and are growing due to the STEM boom. We have only recently started accepting engineering students since 2016, and we do not have a medical school. We need a turning point to change this situation."

To overcome these challenges, President Moon emphasized the need for differentiation. "While other universities are concentrating on STEM, we aim to stand out as a 'Korean Wave specialized university.' The Korean Wave, as an industrial product of the humanities, is a field where women play a prominent role. Most of the key creators in Korean Wave content, such as K-pop choreographers and drama writers, are women, showcasing their exceptional ability to craft narratives and develop content."

She highlighted Sookmyung's strengths in the Korean Wave, stating, "Many alumni are active in the drama, film, and entertainment industries. Sookmyung excels in educating about Korean arts and popular culture within the humanities. We are confident that we can effectively educate and conduct research on the cultural and industrial aspects of the Korean Wave based on this competitive edge."

Notable alumni include Lee Woo-jung, the writer of the 'Reply' series, and Seo Yi-rae, the creator of the webtoon 'Jeongnyeon-i.'

When questioned about the necessity of teaching and researching the Korean Wave at the university, she responded, "The Korean Wave emerged in 1997, but many viewed it as a fleeting trend, leading to its lack of academic focus. Consequently, the value and industrial know-how of the Korean Wave have not been adequately highlighted. Despite the increase in foreign students due to the Korean Wave, there are no related experts or courses in Korean universities. Just like artificial intelligence (AI), the Korean Wave should be taught in universities to produce specialized professionals."

Regarding Sookmyung's Korean Wave education, she mentioned, "This year, we introduced a micro-degree program in 'Content Convergence.' Students can complete the 'Content Convergence Major' by taking four out of five courses, including 'Drama Backstage I & II' and 'Korean Wave and Media.' The 'Drama Backstage I' course, which started this semester, features guest lectures from industry experts like writer Lee Na-eun from the drama 'Our Beloved Summer,' Kim Won-guk from Hive Media Corp, and Kwon Mi-kyung from Studio N, all of whom are Sookmyung alumni."

When asked if focusing solely on Korean Wave education could lead to university development, she affirmed that a global strategy would also be implemented. "We plan to actively attract international students from regions like the Middle East, where there is significant interest in the Korean Wave. While major universities in Seoul have an average of about 3,000 foreign students, we currently have only a few hundred. This summer, we will launch programs for foreign students to experience K-pop and gain practical skills in the Korean Wave industry, in collaboration with SM Universe, an educational institution under SM Entertainment."

For domestic students, she revealed plans to significantly increase scholarships for studying abroad. "This initiative aims to expand opportunities for students to study at foreign universities and gain practical experience in international companies. We want to help students develop a global perspective and become proactive members of society."

Regarding strengthening the engineering department, she noted, "Although Sookmyung's engineering school has a short history, our professors are young and passionate. Startups founded by our faculty have received substantial investments and signed technology transfer agreements, yielding positive results. As a result, this year, many non-major freshmen have applied to the engineering school. We will continue to provide ample support for research and entrepreneurship for both faculty and students."