Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa
Honour (20) spent her teenage years obsessed with K-pop and K-drama. After finding out about a fully-funded Korean scholarship, she decided to turn that obsession into something more productive. In this story, she shares how she applied for and received the scholarship.
Where do you currently live, and when did you relocate from Nigeria?
I live in South Korea and I moved here in 2024.
Korea is an interesting choice. Why was it an option for you?
I started watching Korean dramas in secondary school. Like the typical Korean lover, K-dramas and K-pop became a big part of my interests. I also enjoyed watching KBS World reality shows and news. It inspired me to want to study in South Korea. But I didn’t go for that dream immediately after secondary school because I thought language would be a barrier. I wasn’t open to learning and studying in a new language. So at first, I applied for UK and US scholarships, but after those didn’t work out, I decided to try South Korea. Thankfully, it worked out.
So you received a scholarship?
Yes!
Congratulations! What was your life like in Nigeria before you received the scholarship?
After secondary school, I started studying Mechanical engineering at a university in Nigeria, but I noticed I wasn’t passionate about my course. It felt like I was just studying to get a degree. Then, during the academic strike in 2020, I got motivated to apply for scholarships. I wanted a better life because I didn’t want my university life to be full of strikes and uncertainty.
I applied for scholarships to study mechanical engineering, but later, I realised I should rather go for fashion design, which is what I truly love. I applied to some UK universities to study fashion design, got some offers, but they weren’t fully funded. Finally, I decided to face my fears, applied for the Global Korea Scholarship, and won it. It’s fully funded, so it is everything I prayed for.
Interesting. Is it a master’s scholarship, or is it for undergraduate studies?
GKS scholarship offers both, but I’m here for my undergraduate. Postgraduate students can also apply.
Can you take me back to the beginning? How did you learn about the scholarship, and what did the application process look like for you?
I found out about the scholarship back in secondary school through a WhatsApp channel sharing scholarship opportunities. Though I knew about it then, I didn’t apply right away. After the USA and UK didn’t work out, I applied for GKS (Global Korean Scholarship), and the application process was hectic.
The documents required were a lot. You need to write a study plan, personal statement, submit extracurricular activity certificates, recommendation letters, transcripts, and other documents.
It took me about four months to gather all the documents I needed, and that was a short time compared to some other applicants. For others, it can take up to a year, depending on how cooperative their secondary school is with releasing transcripts. In Nigeria, some schools charge a lot for transcripts, and some charge a reasonable amount. Luckily, mine was affordable, so I got it faster.
But in general, the process was challenging. Back then, we had to go to Abuja to submit documents and attend a physical interview (for those who applied through the embassy track). When I got the scholarship, I had to return to Abuja again to apply for my visa. It was a lot, especially since I didn’t live in Abuja. Now, thankfully, the process is online, so it’s easier.
Let’s talk about writing essays. What are some things you did right that others can replicate?
When I first wrote my personal statement, I wasn’t very detailed. I wrote the usual: “I want the scholarship because…” But when I showed it to my sisters, one of them told me she wouldn’t pick me if she were the reviewer. She said I needed to be more vulnerable.
So I decided to go deeper and be very honest about my story. I included everything—from developing my passion for fashion, running a fashion brand in Nigeria with my sisters, training people, and managing customers. When I reread it, I was impressed, and that vulnerability paid off.
My advice to anyone considering applying is to write their essay in a personal way—so personal that you might not even feel comfortable sharing it with others. That’s how real it should be.
That’s powerful. Aside from essays, are there other important things involved in the application process that people should know about?
Yes. People should be prepared to spend some money when preparing documents. It’s like they say, you use money to get money. For example, some online courses in your application portfolio might cost a little. For fashion applicants like me, building a strong portfolio also takes money; you must experiment, design, sew, or sketch.
Also, plan early. You can’t write all your essays in just two days. You need time to think, brainstorm, and refine your essays.
You mentioned earlier that there are undergraduate and master’s options. Do your tips apply to both?
Yes, they do. But for master’s applicants, one extra thing is crucial: having good relationships with your lecturers. Many of my friends here for master’s had to get recommendation letters from lecturers they worked with during their projects. Without a good relationship, it would have been more complicated.
Good point. Is there an application fee?
No, there’s no application fee. The money you spend is only for preparing the required documents.
Nice! Is there any other tip you’d like to add?
Follow instructions carefully. There’s a specific way to arrange documents and a format for personal statements and study plans. Don’t freestyle. Also, pray. Honestly, the process can be overwhelming, but God placed helpers everywhere for me, so it made the process smoother.
You mentioned you were initially worried about the language barrier. How’s that now?
The scholarship requires one year of Korean language study before starting your program. The one-year course helps, but it’s not enough. You still learn more by interacting with locals.
Learning Korean has not been so easy for me. It’s the first foreign language I’ve had to learn. If you want to apply, I’d advise you to start learning Korean before you leave Nigeria. At least learn Hangul (the alphabet) and basic conversations so that when you arrive and take a placement test, you can start studying from level 2 or 3 instead of level 1.
Do you need to know Korean before applying?
No. That’s one of the best things about this scholarship. They don’t prioritise Korean knowledge. They care more about your extracurriculars, personal statement, and study plan.
Cool. You’ve been in Korea for over a year now. How has the experience been?
Amazing overall. Koreans are nice as long as you make an effort to interact with them. But one sad reality here is how much pretty privilege matters. I’ve seen friends treated differently because of body type, while I’ve had smoother experiences. It’s not fair, but that’s how it is.
Personally, I haven’t faced major racism. My professors and classmates are nice. So my experience has been good.
Is it everything you expected as a K-drama lover?
Not everything. The biggest culture shock for me was how much people smoke. It’s so common here. That was a huge difference compared to dramas. But dramas did prepare me for a lot, though, so other things didn’t shock me that much.
Speaking of culture shocks, what else have you noticed?
Apart from smoking, I’d say the average height. Many people here are around 5’5 or 5’6. Also, when you shop, you pay for shopping bags. In Nigeria, shopping bags are free (at least here I lived), so that was new for me.
Another shock was the gossip culture. I had seen it in dramas, but experiencing it in real life was not pleasant to me. People gossip about you in your presence, in Korean, whether you understand or not, it’s a culture here.
On a scale of difficulty, how hard is Korean to learn?
I’d rate it a 4/10. The alphabet and grammar are fairly easy for me, but speaking is the hard part. For extroverts who practice a lot with locals, it’s easier. I’m introverted, so it’s harder for me.
How would you describe your social life in Korea?
I’d say I know many people, but I’m not close friends with many people. I have about three close friends here. I appear extroverted in public, try to be polite to everyone I meet, but when it comes to friendships, I prefer to have a smaller circle.
Have you found a Nigerian community there?
Yes. There’s a KakaoTalk group (like WhatsApp in Nigeria) for Nigerians in Korea. Almost every Nigerian here is on it. They host events sometimes, and one can also plan hangouts with fellow Nigerians.
Interesting. Let’s talk about dating culture in Korea. Is it like K-dramas?
Not at all. K-dramas exaggerate a lot; the falling books, elevator meetings, rich guy-poor girl love stories. In reality, dating here is different.
One big shock is how people are comfortable hugging, kissing, and holding hands in public. And couples are everywhere. People also get into relationships quickly, ideally, after three dates. They believe you get to know someone while in the relationship, not before the relationship.
Is it easy for you as a black person to date in Korea?
I’d say most Koreans prefer dating other Koreans. Of course, there are exceptions; some are open to foreigners. But I think to date here, you’d need to use dating apps or get introduced through mutual friends. For the readers, if you’re curious about my experience, follow my social media page lol.
Do you see yourself staying after your studies?
Maybe. Korea has opportunities, especially in entertainment. But I’d need to master the language more. I might stay a while, then move to an English-speaking country. Luckily, things are improving. There are better visa options and friendlier laws for foreigners. So staying is possible. I don’t know for sure, it all depends on God’s plan at the end.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in Korea?
I’d say eight. I’m very happy here. But I miss my family so much and don’t have the money to visit yet.
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