STARTING AS a club to promote English language learning through conversation, Yonsei English Society is also known for its bi-semester musical productions. Though COVID-19 has caused Yonsei English Society to temporarily pause their musical productions, its members’ English skills continue to improve through language immersion. The Yonsei Annals reached out to Yonsei English Society’s President Melody (Jung-hun) Cha (Sr., GLC, Media & Culture and Intl. Commerce), and Lee Chae-rin (Jr., UIC, Econ.) to learn more about Yonsei English Society. 

   Annals: Can you introduce Yonsei English Society? 

   Cha: Yonsei English Society is a language exchange club founded in 1981. It is one of the first English-speaking clubs at Yonsei. The club allows local, international, and exchange students to meet and share their cultures, building some friendships along the way. Yonsei English Society offers the perfect space for Korean students to practice their English and exchange and international students to experience activities related to Korean college life. 

   Annals: What are some of the activities the Yonsei English Society offers, and how do you plan them?

   Cha: We organize big online meetings with everyone twice a month where we play games and have an afterparty for free socializing. Due to the pandemic, our offline meetings are held in groups of five. Groups are formed at the beginning of the semester, and they can choose a time that works for their group to do the suggested activities. These activities include picnics by the Han River, bowling outings, meet-ups to play board games, sightseeing trips, etc. Board members also announce a small mission, such as filming a small vlog of their trip, for each group to complete during their activity. At our final meeting of the semester, all the groups share photos and funny anecdotes from their get-togethers and overall reflection about what made this experience enjoyable. The teams that go out of their way to make memories and become closer also get an award, though the award is still undecided at the moment. 

   Annals: How does the Yonsei English Society stand out from other language clubs?

   Lee: Language clubs tend to hone on academics, creating lesson plans and sticking to a certain curriculum. Yonsei English Society believes immersion is a better approach; as such, we create a welcoming environment where students can meet native speakers and naturally learn through casual conversations.

   Annals: In the past, the Yonsei English Society was known for producing musicals and plays. Do you still hold these productions? 

   Cha: We used to hold a musical every fall, but all productions have unfortunately been halted since 2020. Producing them was a staple for our club. We have put on productions of popular musicals like Grease, Mamma Mia, and Cats. Producing these musicals was a burdensome task, and each member had an important part, either acting, designing the set, or working in lighting. We would spend a lot of time together and become a family. We look forward to bringing our musical productions back by 2023. 

   Annals: Do students need to be fluent in either English or Korean to join the Yonsei English Society? 

   Lee: Students do not have to be great in English or Korean as we accept all proficiency levels in either language. We do not pressure anyone; on the contrary, we encourage each other if there are any difficulties communicating. When we form our small groups at the beginning of the semester, we try to include both beginners and advanced English speakers in one team so they can learn and help each other. 

   Annals: When and why did you decide to join Yonsei English Society?

   Cha: I decided to join the Yonsei English Society during my second semester at Yonsei. Having mainly spoken English while living in China my whole life, adjusting to life in Korea was difficult. I wanted to meet people whom I could speak English with, and I was looking for a group of international people with similar interests that I could relate to. Joining the Yonsei English Society turned out to be one of the best things I have done since arriving in Korea. Here, I am able to be myself wholly.

   Lee: I was just looking for an environment where I could meet a lot of people since the pandemic took away from us the habitual student life. I decided to join directly as a board member instead of a regular member because I wanted to actively contribute by planning the events. I wanted to improve myself and my organizational skills through Yonsei English Society. 

   Annals: Can you tell us about your favorite Yonsei English Society activity?

   Cha: Last semester our club was very small with only ten regular members, so we became a very close-knit group. When we would go bowling, it would be extra exciting since we would banter and get very competitive like what most close friends would do. Sometimes bowling may seem boring, but the game was one of the best events we did last semester, hanging out with everyone and making jokes. I planned it and it took a lot of work to organize, so it meant a lot to see the members enjoy it so much. 

   Annals: What is your recruitment process? 

   Lee: Our recruitment process involves a written self-introduction followed by an interview. We are frequently asked what language our interviews are conducted in; we do them in English because all of our club activities are also done in English. Once our new members join, they can expect a very vibrant and welcoming atmosphere with diverse members they can become friends with. 

   Annals: Is there anything you would like to say to students who might think about joining?

   Cha: With 130 members this semester, it is exciting to have a large club again, and we have a lot planned now and for the future. Please feel free to apply to Yonsei English Society without hesitation!