Art, Design & Performance

Mukbang, BTS, Parasite, Blackpink, Gangnam Style, Squid Game, Running Man… South Korea is one of the major voices in pop culture today. ‘Hallyu’ aka the Korean Wave has penetrated the Oscars, the Grammys, and Netflix’s most watched lists, but what is it about the country that makes it a nursery of these works of art, design, and performance? On this school trip to Korea, through the examination of art, design, & performance, we go backstage and behind the scenes of Korea’s outward facing pop culture products.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive at Incheon Airport and meet your guide. After check-in, tour the trendy area of Myeongdong – the centrifuge of fashion in Korea. Go for a stroll along the Han River to take in the Seoul skyline. Relax in the evening by enjoying a unique Beyond Classrooms activity: a squid games take on traditional Korean Board Games.

Day 2

Start the day at Gyeongbok Palace and finish your tour by witnessing the change of Guards ceremony.

Seoul has a crystal-clear stream running right through the center of its business district called Cheongyecheon. Works of art and historical architecture, line the clear waters where you can see fish swimming and nature cutting through one of the world’s busiest metropolises. We facilitate an extremely unique Running Man style scavenger hunt. Finally, we wind down vis a vis a street tour at charming Insadong.

Day 3

Before Kpop, there was Gukak. Gukak refers to the traditional music and sounds of Korea. Participate in a Gukak workshop. Visit an exhibition by one of Korea’s most famous brands and learn more about its latest innovations at the Samsung D’light exhibition all. In the evening we have the chance to experience a quirky Korean past-time – vending machine style singing practice booths.

Day 4

We’re off to prepare a DIY lunch at a traditional Korean kitchen at a cooking class! Next, we check out Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a multi-cultural complex dedicated to ‘Dream’, ‘Design’ and ‘Play.’ Finish the day at Hongdae performance street. Hongdae is an open air ‘training’ ground for many aspiring artists looking to train away stage fright, or launch their careers.

Day 5

The day’s theme today is to Become a K-pop star! Accompanied by a videographer documenting our journey, students do the following:

K-pop singing class. Pop into a professional sound studio to get a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the underbelly of South Korea’s K-pop powerhouse. Meet musical engineers and use those vocal strings.

K-pop Dance Class – Possibly one of the most popular Korean export – the K-pop wave took the world by storm in the recent years. Today you’ll learn to dance like a K-pop star.

Finish up the day of shooting in a location where old meets new, Seoul-ro 7017.

Day 6

Free time at Gangnam Coex, the world’s largest underground shopping complex it has everything from sunlit libraries to movie theaters to aquariums and concert halls. Then, travel back in time at the Namsan Hanok Village – remodeled after the traditional houses of Joseon Dynasty, this village allows you to get a taste of the traditional life while escaping from the bustling city life of modern times. Dress up in traditional Hanbok for some final Korean memories (and photos!) on your last day. Finally, we head to N Seoul Tower for a spectacular nighttime views of Seoul city