DEAN OF Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Education, Professor Kang Seung-hae is a powerful woman leading the online learning industry. Her “First Step Korean” course landed her the title of the world’s top five women instructors on Coursera, amassing over 490,000 total enrollments. She started off as an instructor at Yonsei University’s Korean Language Institute (KLI) and has since published multiple pieces of academic work on the Korean Language, out of her innate passion for teaching students and fulfilling God’s purpose. The Yonsei Annals sat down with Professor Kang to talk about her life, her accomplishments, and the future of Korean education.

   Annals: Could you briefly explain Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) and Coursera for readers who are not familiar with the concept?

   Kang Seung-hae: The “Online” part of MOOC stands for the way education is conducted, and the “Open” part refers to the courses’ free accessibility for all. Andrew Ng’s research on machine learning as a computer scientist and professor at Stanford University greatly contributed to the formation of these open courses. Ng appreciated how an open-source learning platform allowed him to teach 10 to 20 years’ worth of students at once. He and his fellow computer science professor Daphne Koller would later cofound Coursera in 2012. Coursera is now the biggest MOOC provider in the world with millions of students worldwide enrolling in its free courses; while individuals may not be able to attend Harvard or Stanford themselves, they can still take prestigious courses taught by the same professors at Coursera. In fact, iconic lectures such as Justice by Michael Sandel were able to establish their current renown with the help of MOOC providers. 

   It is quite an honor for a MOOC course by Yonsei University to be on par with the courses taught by professors from the world’s top universities such as Yale, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pennsylvania. Yonsei University is the first school to provide intensive Korean language courses through its KLI. My First Step Korean course is also the first Korean language lecture uploaded on a MOOC platform. Ultimately, LearnUs is Yonsei University’s ambitious project to develop Korea’s own MOOC and provide quality lectures taught by our school’s renowned professors. 

   Annals: What led you to the field of Korean education?

   Kang: In 2014, Yonsei University first suggested that I should conduct Korean lectures online because of my experience as a KLI instructor. I rejected the offer because I did not feel comfortable talking in front of a camera due to my introverted personality. However, the school and my KLI students persistently asked me to take on the role for a year, and that was when I realized that it was a God-given mission for me to teach Korean. My faith is strong and I lead a religious life as a devoted Christian. With the strength that God gave me, I was able to muster up the courage and pour my effort into designing a well-thought-out lesson plan for the online course. 

   When deciding on a specific MOOC lecture to teach, Yonsei University identified a niche in the online learning market; we knew subjects such as business or economics would already be taught by elite Western universities. Therefore, we decided to offer competitive courses with a Korean twist, such as Korean studies, Korean history, Asian marketing, and my Korean language course. Before starting every Korean language lecture, I always recite Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” I believe that what God orders me to do is inevitable, and I am capable of accomplishing anything that He bestows upon me.

   Annals: Why do you think the Korean language is gaining so much popularity?

   Kang: Evidently, South Korea has become a hotbed of cultural influence. In Latin America, my First Step Korean course is the number one course taken by women in Colombia. In Asia, it is the first or second most popular course in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. In North America, it is the fifth most popular course in the United States. I believe we can owe this explosive attention observed across multiple continents to Hallyu, or the Korean wave. Since the late 1990s when South Korean boy band H.O.T. became commercially successful in China and Japan, South Korean culture flourished internationally through the decades with popular forms of entertainment like K-dramas and K-Pop. I believe that it is not just prudent economics and politics but also the rich culture of South Korea that has enabled it to join the ranks of developed nations. Like a huge wave, Hallyu has caused a surge in the number of students willing to learn the Korean language worldwide. For those wanting to learn Korean but lack the financial means to do so, my free courses on Coursera have really been a valuable resource. 

   Annals: After years of teaching the Korean language, who was your most memorable student?  

   Kang: I received an email from one of my Coursera students in the United States. She had multiple severe disabilities and had learned Korean to thank the Korean immigrant helpers that took great care of her. She emailed me to express her gratitude for my course materials, and her heartfelt letter made me cry. 

(excerpt of email)

Dear Ms. Kang,

You never know when you will do a kind thing that will go farther than you ever imagined. People help me in my home three days a week. They help me get groceries, cook, clean, care for myself, and go outside safely. They are all Korean because I chose a Korean home health agency. My helpers are all women who gave up a lot to come to America. These ladies are very good to me, and I would like to learn about their culture by learning their language, so that I can properly respect them and thank them. Truly, they treat me like their own daughter or sister. 

Ms. Kang, I am telling you this because I respect you and thank you for your gift of Coursera course materials. You are going to help me be kind to these ladies, who are quickly becoming family to me. You will help me bring them comfort and laughter as they hear me learn and play with language. Thank you for your part in helping me give back to them.

    Annals: What do you think sets your course, First Step Korean, apart from other courses?

   Kang: I believe that every little detail that went into the completion of this course sets it apart from other online Korean courses. For instance, we spent an extensive amount of time creating illustrations for the Korean alphabet. I did this after coming across an online Chinese language teaching course teaching Chinese characters in English phonetics. While this may be an easier approach to learning a foreign language, I thought Korean should be taught solely using the Korean alphabet, especially considering how it is one of the most scientific writing systems in the world. To properly introduce the great achievement of King Sejong—the creator of the Korean alphabet—to the whole world, we were determined to create effective illustrations that would simplify the learning process. Moreover, while my English may not be the best, all the lectures are still conducted in English. I think my elementary language usage actually helps the students understand my explanations more clearly. There are also subtitles provided in nine languages, so even if English is not a student’s first language, they could still pick their mother tongue for better comprehension. My course is of course free, and the fact that it is accessible to all is also a reason why I believe a lot of people have been drawn to it. 

   Annals: COVID-19 has increased people’s interest in continuing to conduct courses online. How do you believe Yonsei University should proceed with its online education?

   Kang: I have been the director of the Graduate School of Education for the past two years, since the start of the pandemic. It was natural for me to ponder upon this question as I witnessed the initial issues that the abrupt change from offline to online education caused for students. Many professors faced similar difficulties trying to adapt to remote teaching. For example, one of the professors who was recognized for his great offline lecture delivery had many difficulties trying to adapt to online learning. Thankfully, after a period of adjustment, he is now able to edit video lectures and use online resources to their full extent. Taking advantage of online teaching will enable Yonsei University to create a better learning environment. Recently, the Ministry of Education has granted approval for universities to create a curriculum that is fully conducted online. I believe that Yonsei University should definitely endorse this idea and allow students the opportunity to access quality online lectures. More students can listen to our lectures if they are conducted online, so I do not see a downside to such a change.

    Annals: Lastly, can you give a word of advice to our Yonsei students?

   Kang: I hope that students grow to become the light of the world through their experience at Yonsei University. They should understand and be aware of their Yonseian identity and the decades-long history Yonsei alumni have written. The power of Yonsei University comes from the accomplishments and contributions of our alumni. I wish our students can also play these roles when they set foot into the world and write their own history.