Katalina Chung

Introduction

Kia ora! My name is Kat Chung, I’m a Korean New Zealander and I’m currently studying a Global Studies and Arts conjoint degree majoring in Transnational Cultures and Creative Practices, English Literature and Screen Production.

I applied for the Korean language study abroad programme at Korea University because I’ve always wanted an opportunity to reconnect with my Korean roots and identity, brush up on my Korean and travel solo! I’m most excited about exploring Seoul, connecting with new people from all over the world and strengthening my Koreanness.

I grew up being fully assimilated into the dominant Western culture in Auckland and I never really got the chance to feel pride in my heritage or ethnic identity. At university, I finally began to unlearn a lot of the internalised racism I had developed during my upbringing and feel comfortable with my unique bicultural and transnational Korean-New Zealand status. So now I’m here to continue on that journey and cement Korea as a part of who I am! One day I hope to come back here and feel like this is just as much my home as New Zealand is.

If there are any fellow Korean-heritage students out there, don’t sleep on this opportunity!