By Han Sang-hee
Yonsei University, one of the top schools in Korea, has been trying to decide how friendly it can get for students who need a break from their studies.
Last month, news that Yonsei International Campus in Songdo, Incheon, was looking over a plan to build a bar in a dorm or at a students’ building hit the Internet, triggering a fierce dispute over whether the “missionary” school should carry it out or not.
The school explained that the idea was in response to the lack of cultural or entertainment venues around the campus, which is a 30-minute drive from Incheon International Airport and surrounded mostly by apartment complexes, research centers and constructions sites.
“You would have to come to see for yourself, but it’s pretty deserted. You have to drive 10 to 15 minutes to find anything,” an official from the campus said with a laugh during a phone interview.
“That’s why we’ve considered establishing a bar for students. But the plan has been suspended for now after it ignited a huge dispute.”
The idea of establishing a bar where students can enjoy alcoholic drinks has had students and alumni divided.
When news spread, both expressed their opinions, some supporting the school’s efforts in trying to create such a venue and others arguing that having a place that sells alcohol would be out of line with the school’s Christian tradition.
“Although I understand that the students may not have a place to go to relax, I still think it’s inappropriate to have a bar on school grounds. Students can get tipsy and then they are prone to silly pranks that could easily lead to accidents,” said Lee Seung-byuk, an office worker and graduate of the school.
Some pointed out tradition, saying that it would be wrong to sell alcohol for relaxation and entertainment reasons.
“There are a lot of devoted faculty members who feel uncomfortable about the idea of starting something that has not even surfaced for the past 126 years,” said a professor at Yonsei who wanted to remain anonymous.
The university is the successor to Yonhi College, which was opened with the help of missionary groups in the United States and Korea in 1915.
Other universities in Seoul, including Seoul National University (SNU) and Korea University, actually run bars within their campuses.
SNU’s Global House was opened in 2005. The school held surveys and collected opinions from students, parents and faculty for a year and finally decided to open it in a dorm during the second semester of that year.
The bar sells not only beer and wine from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., but also sells snacks and food too.
“There was a lot of opposition among Christian clubs within the school and even parents. But the Global House has turned into a cultural space, with students and professors getting together for a glass of wine, playing board games with friends or just hanging around with a beer. We even have a small area for those who don’t want to drink but still want to enjoy the atmosphere with good food,” Byun Jun-seok, the dorm supervisor of SNU said in a phone interview.
Worries were raised about heavy drinking, which is not new for university students. In order to prevent this, the bar has a supervisor at all times who overlooks the atmosphere and helps students get back to their dorms when they are to drunk.
“We hold surveys about the bar every semester and work hard to improve the vibe in it. We also have a committee of professors, including those who opposed it initially, that holds meetings once a year,” he added.
Boston University in the United States also runs a 15-year-old bar called the BU Pub serving drinks and sandwiches. The pub is only open to faculty, staff, alumni, students and invited guests and is closed on weekends.
“Since the BU Pub is only open to individuals who have Boston University identifications and their guests, it is a very nice location for faculty, staff and students of legal drinking age to meet and socialize over food and drink. The legal age is 21 and only about 15 percent of our undergraduates are of legal drinking age, so most of the students that frequent the BU Pub are graduate students,” said Colin Riley from the university’s media relations department in an email interview.
Byun of SNU also said having a bar on campus is not such a bad idea.
“It’s natural for some students, parents and professors to be hesitant, but with the right intentions and thorough research and consensus, this can turn into a very fun and enjoyable location,” Byun said.