South Korea
Leadership in a Korean Context
The South Korea Program is an experience designed to take advantage of the numerous learning opportunities in South Korea that hold direct connections with the program pillars in the Center for Service and Global Citizenship: global studies, sustainability, and a dedication to service.
Throughout the trip, student pairs will be asked to prep the group and guide an interactive lesson for each of our adventures. Students will study Korea’s remarkable economic journey in the post-war period while practicing their own leadership skills and hearing first-hand about leadership in action. Th group will explore the tension between cultural traditions and the forces of modernity within the country and compare the benefits and costs to modern Korean society of this rapid development. Through visiting with leaders in a diversity of businesses and nonprofits, and by participating in local cultural experiences, students will gain a more textured understanding of leadership and service in an evolving South Korea.
The trip includes a visit with monks at a local Temple designed to offer a time for students to reflect on their experiences and their growing awareness of themselves in the context of others and the place around them. Other trip highlights include hiking around the spectacular UNESCO world heritage site, Namhansanseung Fortress, touring the National Museum of Korea, and an excursion to Busan on the high-speed train. Students will return to Deerfield with exposure to the rapidly evolving culture of Korea and a deepened understanding of what it means to turn ideas into action as leaders in a rapidly changing world.
Program Notes
- Families are responsible for transportation to and from JFK airport to student’s final at the end of the trip
- During this trip students will stay in a hotel. Meals will be shared at a variety of restaurants. The meal at the temple will be vegetarian.
- As part of Deerfield’s commitment to face-to-face interactions, during certain times of the trip students will be “unplugged” and will be asked to limit access to cell phones.
- Students and faculty leaders will update families and friends at home through our Notes From The Field blog.
Program Dates
May 26 – June 6, 2025
Program Eligibility
This trip is open to ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students with a preference for those with a demonstrated interest in developing their leadership skills. Financial Aid is available to all qualifying students.
Faculty Trip Leaders
Nina Otterson
- Elizabeth Dollhopf
Estimated cost: $6,500
This price is subject to change depending on enrollment numbers and flight costs. The final price will be set before initial deposits and enrollment paperwork are due.
2025 Preliminary Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
This itinerary starts with a flight from JFK Airport to South Korea. Students will be based in Seoul. Over the course of the week, students will facilitate and participate in leadership workshops with lessons on eco-design, Buddhism, and North-South Korea relations. They will explore key cultural sites such as Insadong, Jogyesa Temple, and Changdeokgung Palace and Secret Garden, as well as the UNESCO world heritage site, Namhansanseung Fortress.
Other highlights include exploring Hanok Village, visiting the National Museum of Korea, hearing directly from a North Korean refugee, and meeting with local leaders from the Deerfield Academy community in South Korea. Leveraging the connections of the Deerfield network in Korea, specific visits change from year to year. In the past, the group visited Coupang’s fulfillment center and NamSan. Students will go on an immersive visit to Geumsunsa Temple, where they will meet a monk and practice meditation together, as well as share a vegetarian meal.
We will take the high-speed train to visit Busan for an overnight trip to explore the shore. The final days feature K-pop dance lessons and student-led explorations around Seoul which might include visits to Gangnam, Seongsu, or the Blue House. The program concludes with a day trip to hike in Namhansanseong Fortress, where students reflect on their experiences before returning to the US.
**Families are responsible for transportation to and from JFK airport for the beginning of the trip and the remainder of summer break.