MANY UNIVERSITIES in Korea used to have a very strict sun-bae[1] culture. However, with the recent emergence of the colloquial term hwa-seok[2], it has become common for sun-bae to avoid participating in school events and blending with younger students. Particularly, Yonsei University is known as “mo-rae-al,” or a grain of sand, for its culture of hyper-individualism and poor group dynamics. This new sun-bae-hu-bae[3] culture further discourages interaction between different year groups and has weakened Yonsei’s sense of community. As it now seems normal for senior students to evade school events, The Yonsei Annals asked students to disclose what the current sun-bae culture is like. 

Cha Seung-bi (Fresh., UIC, Underwood Div.)

   I believe we do get enough opportunities to interact with sun-bae and the student council is doing its role to engage different year groups. Since it is mandatory for all freshmen to live in Songdo, it does create a physical distance barrier and impedes interaction between students of different year levels, compared to other schools where all students are on the same campus. However, there are still various places where one can interact with older students, such as club activities, student councils, and sun-bae-hu-bae matching programs, so opportunities are open to anyone who has the will to become friends with older students. Recently, strict sun-bae culture or forced drinking is not as prevalent, and a lot of sun-bae are friendly with younger students. Thus, older students actively participating in school events like Membership Training (MT)[4] would make it more fun, rather than causing discomfort. From the perspective of freshmen, we often attend school or department events expecting to get to know older students. 

Park Won-ho (Fresh., School of System & Semiconductor Engin.)

   In our department, I feel that we do not get enough opportunities to interact with older students. Especially because of the nature of our department, in which we get busier in the second year preparing for the Samsung employment exam, it becomes difficult for us to socialize with them. The physical distance between Songdo and Sinchon is another feature that separates freshmen and older students. Songdo is a place where you can easily spend time with dong-gi[5], but at the same time, it prevents bonding with older students who are in Sinchon. 

   I definitely think getting closer to older students is worthwhile and would help with overall campus life. As freshmen, we go through the process of adapting to a new university and, with the help of older students, can easily acclimate. Although it would be good for senior students to actively participate in various school events, their involvement does generate some discomfort compared to only being surrounded by our year group. However, I do not feel this way around close sun-bae, so I believe this tension could easily be resolved if school events encourage interaction between different year groups.

Ju Seung-hyuk (Sr., Dept. of Theology)

   I used to actively participate in school and department events, but since becoming a senior, it has been more difficult to do so. It is not because of discomfort from being around younger students, but rather due to having to think about and prepare for post-graduation plans. 

   Although not always the case, due to the nature of the Department of Theology, a strong form of community is often created through religious or theological interactions. Additionally, those who are less interested in such topics or are not religious still seem to interact with others fine through discussing other interests.

   I somewhat agree with the saying “mo-rae-al Yonsei” in the sense that Yonsei tends to lack a sense of unity between sun-bae and hu-bae compared to Seoul National University or Korea University. However, many students these days are already living individualistic lives for other reasons, so I think it is difficult to see the term “mo-rae-al” as a unique characteristic of Yonsei University. Ultimately, I believe that the needs of both sun-bae and hu-bae must be met for an active exchange between the two. 

Lee Ji-won (Soph., UIC, Quantitative Risk Management)

   Although I think the saying “mo-rae-al Yonsei” is only relative to Korea University, we do tend to lack collective bonding and interactions. Many sun-bae-hu-bae relationships take place at the school or department level at Korea University; on the other hand, at Yonsei University, it seems that these relationships tend to form on an individual level. This prevents students from knowing people from different grades unless they are involved in student councils. Even if you get to interact with people from different year groups and have bap-yak[6], it usually only results in a one-time meeting. With that in mind, I believe the issue can be addressed at the department level to encourage continuous interaction between sun-bae and hu-bae. For example, in terms of the sun-bae-hu-bae matching program, a year before last year, they matched people by region. This way, people were able to get to know others from the same neighborhood and even meet them over the holidays. This year, the locations were limited to Songdo and Sinchon, which increased convenience but made maintaining relationships difficult; it was hard to stay connected, especially during the holidays, so many pairs only met once. 

   I think there are many perks to interacting with sun-bae, and I do want older students to participate in school events more actively. However, even I as a sophomore feel somewhat disconnected from freshmen, so it would be good if more action was taken at the school or department level.

Yoon Tae-ho (Jr., Dept. of Architecture)

   I am involved in one or two school clubs but mainly participate in various activities off campus, such as contests. Regarding clubs within the department, I feel that there are, to some extent, structural limitations in getting involved as an upperclassman.

   I think that the saying “mo-rae-al Yonsei” especially resonates with many international students since they often start a semester later than the normal schedule. Although it differs depending on the departments and the proportion of students that start in the fall semester, it seems that more support and opportunities to socialize must be provided at the school level to make them feel more included. Moreover, while there are some sun-bae-hu-bae interactions in clubs, I do believe that there need to be better opportunities overall for collective bonding.

Kang Ji-hoon (Sr., UIC, Justice & Civil Leadership)

   There are various programs that engage different student year groups, but they have not been active in the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I participated in various school and department events when I was an underclassman, but since becoming busier with internships and job hunting in recent years, I have been unable to fully participate. Another reason is the discomfort younger students might feel due to an increased age gap, especially now that I have completed my military service. I also feel more comfortable being around people who are my age.

   I think the term “mo-rae-al Yonsei” arose due to Yonsei’s overall atmosphere, in which many students value personal development and focus on achievement. However, the people that I have met at Yonsei University are kind and lively, which contradicts the selfish and individualistic image conveyed by the phrase.

[1] Sun-bae: A Korean term that refers to upperclassmen

[2] Hwa-seok: A Korean term directly translated as “fossils,” that refers to senior students who postpone graduation to maintain their student status due to severe employment shortages

[3] Hu-bae: A Korean term that refers to underclassmen

[4] Membership Training: Part of Korean university culture, it refers to a small trip to bond with others within a group.

[5] Dong-gi: People who share an entrance year at universities or companies

[6] Bap-yak: An abbreviation for a lunch or dinner appointment where a sun-bae buys a meal for a hu-bae