'30 Days in Seoul' turns confused newcomers into confident residents

Nadine Hummel, a German student studying in Korea, talks about "30 Days in Seoul," a Seoul Metropolitan Government program helping global talent settle into life in the capital, in Jongno District, Seoul, June 27. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

For Nadine Hummel, a 23-year-old German from a small town near Frankfurt, Seoul is the first big city she's ever lived in. Coming to study at Ewha Womans University for four years, she's having the time of her life.

“There's so much more going on in Korean university life. The campuses are huge and there are university festivals, so many school clubs to join, activities planned by the students,” she told The Korea Times. “If it's possible, maybe I would like to pursue a career here.”

Helping her navigate that whirlwind journey and settle in Seoul in the long run is “30 Days in Seoul,” a city government program that helps global residents adjust quickly and put down roots for the long term.

Launched in 2025, it is open to international students at universities and graduate schools in the capital, as well as job seekers who graduated within the past two years.

This comes as more international students are choosing to study in Korea, with many hoping to stay long term. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of international students in Korea reached 308,838 as of December 2025, up 17.1 percent from the same month the previous year. A 2023 Ministry of Data and Statistics survey of 188,000 international students found that 63 percent hoped to remain in Korea after graduation.

The program enrolled 175 students from 27 countries in first two cohorts last year, out of 725 applicants. Three more cohorts are planned for this year. Each cohort runs six to seven weeks, offering about 50 hours of lectures and cultural experiences.

The response has been positive, with a completion rate of 80.5 percent and a satisfaction rate of 92 percent.

Participants in the "30 Days in Seoul" program, run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to help foreign nationals settle into life in the capital, pose during an event in Jongno District, Seoul, June 27. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

This year, the program added a newcomer track, pairing international students who have been in Korea for less than a year with Korean partners to complete hands-on tasks together and participate in group cultural activities.

The newcomer track already won Hummel over.

“My Korean buddy is really nice. He plans all the activities but always asks if there's anywhere we want to go or anything we want to learn,” she said. “We went to a traditional market, ate Korean food and snacks and biked along the Han River. It was a chance to learn how to get around and try different Korean food.”

For Meng Xianyu, 27, a Chinese student at Hanyang University, the program was a chance to explore Seoul's traditional and modern sides.

“I learned a lot about Korean culture, from making necklaces to trying traditional games. It was so much fun to experience firsthand,” Meng said. “I also watched a baseball game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, and the atmosphere there was really different and fascinating.”

He added that communication was a challenge at times, but having Korean friends through the program helped ease campus life. His student partner, also a Hanyang University student, helped him work through daily challenges too, he said.

The program has been just as meaningful for the Korean student partners, like Kim So-yeong, who spent her middle and high school years in Canada.

“I adapt quickly, but I still cried for an entire month when I first arrived in Canada,” Kim said. “So I try harder to make sure the international students here don't feel left out, because I understand their anxiety and worries.”

That sensitivity helped her spot problems early on. On the first day of group activities, Kim helped her group get to Gwangjang Market in downtown Seoul using a Korean map app.

“Some students in my group were late because they didn't know how to use Korean map apps to find the meeting spot,” Kim explained.

“Naver Map and Kakao Map (the most widely used mapping apps in Korea) are pretty different from Google Maps, which often misses a lot of things in Korea. So I thought showing them how to use those apps was the most important part of settling into daily life here.”

Kim said that ever since, her group has used the maps every time they meet up. “They told me today they used it to get here too, and that felt rewarding,” she said.

For the city government, these students' stories point to something bigger.

“We hope that through the program, international students come to see Seoul not just as a city to pass through, but as a place where they want to put down roots,” said Lee Young-mi, head of the Immigration and Foreign Residents Policy Division at the city government.

“We will do our utmost to create an environment and provide tailored support so that global talent can stay in Seoul and thrive even after completing their studies.”

For those who want to participate, this year's last cohort opens for applications in September, with details available at english.seoul.go.kr, participating universities or the Seoul Global Center.

Applicants first submit an online form evaluating factors such as their motivation and Korean language ability, and those who pass are asked to record a video introducing themselves and outlining their goals for the program.