Center Provides Interactive Setting for Expats, Natives
By Ines Min
Contributing Writer
The door gives way to a warmly-lit room filled with wooden tables and chairs, sofas, a bar, and small groups of students huddled around open textbooks. Music plays in the background and various artworks ― ranging from Van Gogh's "Starry Night" to Johannes Vermeer's "Girl With a Pearl Earring" ― decorate the walls.
This is the scene inside Hyehwa-dong's Culture Complex, a center for language exchange. The English-language cafe serves as a setting for people to learn either Korean or English, as well as interact in a non-stressful, culturally-friendly way.
"I don't want this to be like a hagwon," said CEO and co-founder Kim Young-jin. "We let people hang out here, so they can speak Korean and English naturally."
The 35-year-old wanted to make a "creative place," an alternative to the boozy night culture of bars, where it can be difficult for natives and foreigners to penetrate cultural barriers in a lasting or meaningful manner.
The Culture Complex, called CulCom for short, doesn't cater to only one side. Foreigners are able to learn Korean, but can also teach English to their counterparts.
"It's exactly a half-half exchange," said Kevin Aubert, an English-teacher here and an IT instructor for the U.S. Army. Though he has been living in Korea for nine years, he didn't begin studying the native tongue seriously until he came to CulCom two weeks ago.
The short timeframe has already been enough for him to see an improvement.
"I used to go to coffee shops to study on my own, but most of the people in coffee shops aren't there to study language," he said. "But here I get so much help because everybody here is interested in learning."
The complex goes beyond being a mere educational opportunity, and takes on the feel of a small community. The group organizes monthly gatherings that range from laid-back casino nights to white-water rafting excursions on the Hantan River.
Foreigners are also able to experience parts of Korea that might be difficult to reach or find out about, Kim said.
For Jake Hasselbach, a 25-year-old English teacher, the complex has been a perfect fit since has started coming two-and-a-half years ago, on his second day in Korea. Hasselbach is a Korean-language student in a university course, but continues coming to the center for the activities and friends he's made.
"Nowadays, I come at least once or twice a week," he said. "I would come every day if I could. There's always a new person to meet here."
The organization provides a range of services, from six-level language classes to help navigating confusing online shopping Web sites.
Korean members must pay to become a part of the organization, but foreigners are welcome to join without paying any fees. Though none of the staff or volunteer members are certified teachers, lessons are textbook-based. And, as an extra social lubricant, free beer is provided.
CulCom began in 2005 and currently has five locations; four in Seoul and one in Incheon. For more information, visit www.culturecomplex.co.kr.