By Marco Rafael P. Mucho
Participants gather for a group photo during the KUMA Summer Camp, celebrating a week of cultural exchange, hands-on learning, and unforgettable experiences in South Korea.
Scary, yet beautiful. Unfamiliar, yet exciting. We learned so much, yet it seemed like we were only scratching the surface. It was fleeting; ended in just the blink of an eye, yet it also felt like the longest week of our lives… Our time at the Korea University of Media Arts’ (KUMA) summer camp program was like a dream. It was a surreal trip where every single thing felt like a novel experience and an opportunity to grow. As someone who has only ever lived his entire life in his home country of the Philippines, to have my first experience abroad be that of the highly developed, technologically advanced, and culturally distinct nation of South Korea was simply awe-inspiring. The cities were meticulously planned, the streets spotless, the people disciplined, the food unique, and many other novelties.
However, our purpose there wasn’t simply to enjoy the sights of Korea as tourists. No, we were there as four college students proudly representing Central Philippine University, specifically the College of Computer Studies, whose main goal was to learn more about media arts studies abroad and immerse ourselves in foreign culture so that we may share our insights and experiences with everyone back home. That’s why despite the fantastical nature of the trip, we had to constantly remind ourselves that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain knowledge and experience that we can only get in South Korea and KUMA. And knowledge did we gain.
KUMA, the university we stayed in, is located in a scenic mountainside area on the outskirts of Sejong city. The campus itself was like a small mountain village, with winding paths going up and downhill towards the different buildings within the university. It had almost everything a student would need in order to sustain themselves just within its borders: a dormitory with laundry machines, a gym, convenience stores, multiple cafés and restaurants, study lounges, a library, and a whole selection of specialized facilities for media production. And we were able to experience basically all of them!
It was within that campus where we had some very incredible and eye-opening moments. Our experience there consisted mostly of media production workshops where we got to be taught industry-level knowledge and techniques by the university instructors who also happen to be experienced practitioners in that field. Topics such as film production, motion capture, and cinematography were thoroughly discussed with us throughout the camp. Not only were we exposed to interesting new information, we were even offered the opportunity to practice using the high-end equipment that KUMA had within their repository.
For example, during the film production workshop, we were allowed to operate KUMA’s expensive film cameras and lighting set-ups to produce a high quality short video. During the cinematography workshop, we were taught how film cameras really worked and were even shown a live demonstration. In the KUMA campus tour, we got to experience the university’s Dolby Atmos 7.1.6 surround sound mini-theater, 8K video editing room, live broadcast studio, and XR building. Finally, the most memorable one for us was the motion capture workshop where two of our very own CPU representative students were dressed in motion capture suits and made to experience live motion capture technology where their every movement was replicated by a 3D model projected on a screen right behind them!
Of course, a trip abroad wouldn’t be complete without some sightseeing. And I mean, it technically is a part of our educational journey since cultural immersion is a vital experience when visiting somewhere new. And so, during our fourth day of summer camp, we found ourselves in a big red bus heading to the capital of South Korea: Seoul. It is a bustling, metropolitan area with a busy atmosphere and busier people. It is also a majestic and culturally rich city. On our excursion, we were taken to the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace in the heart of Seoul. It was lined with historical buildings containing beautiful art and architecture.
While walking through the palace’s sandy walkways, we could almost feel what the area would’ve been like hundreds of years ago. The only downside to our visit was that we weren’t able to rent the traditional Korean attires, or Hanbok, to wear for ourselves. But overall, it was definitely a very enriching experience. Finally, at the tail-end of our Seoul trip was none other than a few hours of free time at a shopping district! We were able to bring home many souvenirs and local goods from there.
After returning from Seoul, we only had a few more days left in South Korea which we spent attending the final workshops, as well as socializing with our fellow student camp-goers from Whistling Woods International in India. On the final day, after saying goodbye to our friends from India who left the camp before us, we made a quick visit to the O World amusement park in Daejeon with just us four CPU students as a last chance to make memories before packing our bags to fly back home ourselves early the next morning.
The journey home was tiring, somber, and bittersweet. It was only after reaching home and being with our families again that we can look back at our memories of the summer camp with fondness in our hearts. South Korea and KUMA might be thousands of miles away, however our connections, relationships, experiences, and knowledge will surely stay with us for the rest of our lives. And through this article, we hope to inspire others to do the same.
Finally, from the bottom of our hearts, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the CPU Local and International Linkages and Affiliations Center (LILAC), our department the College of Computer Studies (CCS), the university itself, our parents, CPU President Ernest Howard Dagohoy, and all the personnel and staff who made our trip possible and guided us through every step of the way, especially Asst. Prof. Lesley Joy L. Dignadice, Assoc. Prof. Ma. Christina Quijano, Assoc. Prof. Marjee Rose Parreño, and Assoc. Prof. Rose Leah Joy Ojacastro. This experience would not have been possible without these wonderful people supporting us and we are forever grateful to them.
I would also like to thank as well my fellow CPU summer camp representatives and now close friends, Angel Marie Palma, Eizer Kendreage Duque, and John Al Richie Ang for being the best companions on this trip! And of course, above all, praise and thank you to our wonderful God for bringing all of us together and keeping us safe and healthy through it all.
The participation of the CPU delegates in the Summer Camp Program at the Korea University of Media Arts (KUMA) was made possible through the facilitation of the Central Philippine University Local and International Linkages and Affiliations Center (LILAC). Through this opportunity, participants were able to expand their global perspective, enhance their skills, and represent CPU on an international stage.