Korean Concentration

Janai Byrd

How did you choose your degree program ? 

In high school, I really wanted to be bilingual and self-learn a language. I watched a K-Drama and quickly became enamored with learning Korean and felt challenged by its difficulty. I studied the basic principles of Korean before majoring in Korean Studies in my Sophomore year at GMU. I minored in International Business because I wanted a business-oriented career path, and not a career that solely focused on my literacy in Korean.  

My favorite class at Mason was KORE 110. KORE 110 also gave me a strong foundation in Korean language skills such as grammar, speech, and listening which gave me the confidence to still pursue this rigorous language today.  

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career? 

Every Korean professor I have had has been an absolutely amazing language professor and has been the biggest help in improving my Korean over the years. However, my favorite Professor is Jihye Moon. I admire her for her continuous diligence, commitment towards the success of her students learning Korean, and her continuing kindness throughout the years grateful for all professors under the Korean Studies courses.  

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals? 

For this academic year, I am most excited to work with Mason's Korean Studies Center as a research assistant. Under this position, I am tasked with interviewing various fans of Korean popular culture and hearing their thoughts and opinions about the spread of Korean pop culture from different American perspectives.  

After graduating from Mason, I have high hopes to apply for the Blakemore Fellowship which will allow me to study Korean at a graduate level at my choice university in South Korea. This fellowship will bring me closer to my long-term career goal of working as a business partner at an International American company in South Korea or working at a company that works closely with South Korea. After career stability, I hope to move on to learning other languages such as Spanish and Japanese. 

What has been your most meaningful experience in the Department of Modern & Classical Languages so far? 

My most meaningful experience in the Department of Modern & Classical Languages has been my six-month internship at George Mason Korea located in Songdo, South Korea. There, I worked as an intern under the Career and Development Center and was tasked with translating several documents from Korean to English and English to Korean. I also had the opportunity to network with Korean locals and work alongside respectable and admirable people. My most memorable experience during this internship was visiting the JoongAng Daily building, a daily English newspaper company located in Seoul, South Korea. It was incredible to look behind the scenes on JoongAng Daily's process of creating newspapers and articles as a leading newspaper company in South Korea.  

What does learning a new language and culture mean to you?  

Learning a new language and culture means opening a door full of opportunities that would have otherwise been inaccessible. This includes a global mindset and acceptance for differing cultures, a tenacity to adapt to cross-cultural differences, and the invaluable friendships and people who are met along the journey of learning a new language and culture.  

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? 

My favorite thing to do during my free time is to volunteer at my local cat shelter. I have a strong love for cats. I also enjoy reading books and watching Korean Fashion and Beauty Youtubers as a way to practice my Korean.