From learning ancient painting techniques to executing a flurry of kicks with instruction from a Taekwondo master, Seoul National University has a wide selection of fine arts courses that feature the most exciting aspects of Korean art and culture. Foreign students will find opportunities to experience Korean culture in a manner that does not exist in other countries. Other fine arts courses that are not necessarily unique to Korean culture are equally enthralling, as SNU has one of the most extensive and well-funded fine arts departments in the entire nation.

Korean Dance
A slow and steady beat resonates through the room, as dancers flow with the rhythm. Small and subtle movements are emphasized during this part of the Korean traditional dance, but it is a dynamic art form that does not remain steady for long. The drums pound faster and the movements become more exaggerated, and the dancers twirl around and step in rapid succession.
``The changes in rhythm really get you into it,`` says Zainiddin, as he wipes off beads of sweat from his forehead. ``It gets faster and faster and my heart starts pounding with excitement!``
The dance is performed without the typical accompaniment of music. Instead, the dancers hold Korean drums in their hands and create the beat as they move about. The tempo is dictated by the instructor, who beats a larger drum during the session. Zainiddin, who is an international student from Uzbekistan, enjoys this opportunity to experience a dance that is unique to Korea`s culture.
``It`s a lot of fun,`` he says with a grin. ``It was tough to learn at first, and it`s different from a lot of other dances I was familiar with. But the professor Choi has been great! He really makes it easy for people who don`t know much about Korean dance.``

Introduction to Oriental Painting
Although they are made with simple strokes of a single hue, Sumukhua paintings depict nature in a vibrant and dynamic manner. Sumukhua, the Korean traditional brush and ink artistry, was often seen as an elegant style of art indulged by nobles and connoisseurs with a sophisticated taste in the arts. Korean artwork of this style often portrays flowers, bamboo stalks, landscape, and human figures.
``Only a single stroke can be used for drawing leaves of flowers in order to produce the best effect,`` says Thomas Eustorgi, an exchange student from Switzerland. ``Controlling the brush is pretty tough. I`m still learning, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly.``
A truly dynamic painting can be created with this style, even though only grey tones are used. The paint itself is prepared by hand, as sticks of ash are ground up against a stone tablet to create the ink. The amount of ash added to the mixture provides varying shades and creates contrast. The course itself is taught by an experienced instructor, who will present an example of a painting and go over the style and technique displayed in the particular piece. Students are then free to experiment with what they have learned.
``I always loved art, but the Korean style of painting is truly unique,`` says Thomas. ``It`s very relaxing for me, a nice change of pace from my other classes.``
As with most art courses at SNU, the class is very popular. Students with interest should act fast before the class fills up if they want to experience a uniquely Korean style of painting.

Taekwondo
Masters of Taekwondo state that the martial art requires as much mental discipline as physical ability. With Korea`s national sport, students relish the chance to build agility and strength, along with mental discipline. Taekwondo is difficult to master, but the course offered at SNU allows students to progress quickly. Kee-Young Kim, a Mechanical Engineering student, insists that students with no experience should not be discouraged.``
``The class is really diverse, and we have a good number of female students, as well as foreigners. Some people here have learned Taekwondo for years, and others like me have never done it before,`` Kee-Young says. ``This works out really well, since the experienced students are paired with the new ones. I came in knowing nothing about Taekwondo, and having a mentor really helped me improve quickly.``
Taekwondo is best known for its kicking techniques, stemming from the idea that the leg is the longest and most powerful weapon that a person has. Because Taekwondo is a Korean sport, all of the techniques and tenets are in Korean. However, this does not hold back foreigners at all, as the instructors speak English and are more than willing to share the Korean martial art with anyone showing interest. SNU`s Taekwondo course is an excellent opportunity for foreigners to experience Korea`s national sport in an intimate setting.

Introduction to Ceramics
Intro to Ceramics is one of the most popular art classes at SNU. Students work with clay to make a variety of sculptures and models that they can take home. They are not shy about recommending the course to others, either.
``Professor Seong really gives us a lot of freedom,`` says Annie Ahn, an international student from San Diego. ``We can choose to make five different things, or concentrate on one project for the entire semester. If you look around the classroom, everyone is doing something different.``Professor really encourages us to explore our creativity.``
Although students can dictate the pace at which they work, basic techniques are taught at the beginning of each class. Feedback and additional advice is always available, and the professor Seong always pushes the students to stretch their imagination in order to maximize their artistic potential.
``I`ve learned so much about art, and I can definitely notice the improvement I`ve made since the beginning of the semester,`` Annie says.

Introduction to Drawing
As the nude model removes her robe and poses in the center of the classroom, sheepish students look lost at first. The nervous tension soon wears off, as students begin to portray the beauty of the human body in all manner of ways. Many choose to sketch a realistic picture, using colors and tones to create an image more like a photograph than a drawing. Others explore their creativity using off-beat colors and boxed shapes to form an abstract expression of the model.
The drawing course features nude drawing, a unique opportunity that few schools can offer. The class aims to create a comfortable and creative environment in which students can explore many different avenues of art through the use of pencils, contes, and charcoal. Besides the session with nude drawing, students can appreciate art through the sketching and drawing of landscapes. The instructors encourage students to explore a variety of artistic techniques in hopes of providing a broader perspective on drawing and sketching.

Introduction to Watercolor
Vibrant depictions of nature and landscape cover the canvases as students enjoy the art of watercolor. Images of people and places are brought to life with transparent and opaque ink. Students love the atmosphere of the classroom, as well as the content.
``Professor Park is very enthusiastic, and gets us genuinely excited about our work,`` says Purevkhuu, a student from Uzbekistan. ``This course really helped me discover the beauty of art.``
Watercolor painting is one of the most prevalent forms of painting across the world, with a rich history in many different countries. Like all other introductory courses, students need not worry about a lack of experience or artistic talent. An open mind is all that is required.

Art classes are usually 2 to 4 hours and meet once a week. The courses fill up very quickly during course registration, and it is recommended that these courses should be added as soon as possible. Visit the university website at www.useoul.edu for the full course list, and feel free to contact the instructors for more information.

May 28th, 2008
Written by Michael Kang, Sooyeon Oh, and Chanwoo Lee