Museum, Dreams, and the Indonesian Language

An Indonesian lecturer in South Korea reflects on how visits to museums inspire Korean students to think about their futures, and how learning the Indonesian language opens up diverse career paths in business, fashion, and aviation across Southeast Asia.

Indonesian is currently taught in more than fifty countries worldwide. One of them is South Korea. Two main campuses that have Indonesian and Malay departments are Hankuk University for Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul and Yongin, and Busan University for Foreign Studies (BUFS) in Busan.

Why do foreigners learn Indonesian? What fields of work can be entered with Indonesian language skills? The answer is in this brief note, written based on the experience of living and teaching Indonesian for three years, from 2017 to 2020, at Hankuk University for Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Yongin.

One day at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, not far from Gwanghwamun, Seoul, five primary school students were observing an old photograph displayed on the wall. A middle-aged female teacher in a long floral dress was explaining about Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General from Korea, who in the photo was leading a UN General Assembly session. The five children listened attentively, occasionally jotting down important notes.

Besides politicians like Ban Ki-moon, the museum also displayed photos of figures from other fields. There was entrepreneur Lee Byung-chull, the founder of Samsung, and Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai. There were also photos of gymnast Yuna Kim, footballer Son Heung-min, musician Psy of Gangnam Style fame, and the Grammy Award-winning group BTS. On another wall were photos of nurses and miners who worked in Europe during Korea’s economic hardship in the 1960s and 1970s.

In addition to photos and animations, the museum exhibited the nation’s first industrial products. There were cars, tape recorders, electric fans, and refrigerators. Also on display were the first vinyl records and cassette tapes that recorded the songs and voices of Korean singers.

Every time I visited a museum, I always encountered groups of primary or middle school students. Whether at the Hangeul Museum, the King Sejong Museum, the Contemporary Art Museum, or the Korean War Museum. These schoolchildren were always accompanied by their teachers. Museum managers always offered discounted admission for students and foreigners.

Why do Korean teachers like taking their students to museums?

“The future is determined by museums,” said Bernardo Nugroho Yahya, a professor of computer science at Hankuk University for Foreign Studies (HUFS) originally from Surabaya. “In museums, children witness what people have done and discovered in the past. From there, they can choose their own future. Whether to continue the steps taken by others before them, or to discover something new that no one has ever done before.”

As graduation approaches, every university student in Korea must have a clear life plan to avoid becoming a confused jobseeker. Everyone designs a realistic future and plan. Besides working or continuing their studies, some start their own businesses.

“My dream is to become an expedition entrepreneur,” said Kim Won-jae when asked about his future plans. Why such a simple dream, Won-jae?

“Koreans migrate to many countries. They might need goods from Korea, or they might want to send souvenirs from the country they live in. So, I help them with an expedition business,” he explained.

During holidays, Won-jae interned at an expedition company operating overseas. By the time he was about to graduate, he had been accepted to work at a Korean trading company that exports its products to various Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia. The Indonesian language skills he acquired during his studies were, of course, very helpful in this line of work. After a few years of working, he planned to start his own expedition business.

Song Yu Jeong was a calm and quiet student. When going to campus, she often wore a dress with a long, wide skirt. Her long hair was always neatly braided. While her friends headed to the café for a break, Yu Jeong preferred to stay in the classroom. She liked to sit at her desk, scribbling sketches on paper with a pencil. What is your dream, Yu Jeong?

“I want to be a Muslim fashion designer,” she answered softly.

“Why are you interested in that field?”

“First, because I like drawing and designing. The second reason I found when I visited Indonesia and Malaysia. When I saw the clothes worn by Muslim women, I imagined many opportunities to modify Muslim clothing so that women can look even more beautiful,” she explained.

“But you are not a Muslim yourself?” I probed, feeling curious.

“That is not a problem. I can learn about the dress code for Muslim women. In fact, that will be an interesting challenge for a young person like me.”

“I want to become a flight attendant,” answered Lee Kyung Seun. “Because I love travelling anywhere.”

“If you want to be a flight attendant, why did you choose the Indonesian language department?” I asked.

“Of course,” Kyung Seun said confidently. “I want to be a flight attendant for flights in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, Malaysia, or Vietnam. So I have to be able to speak Indonesian and Malay.” Three months after that conversation, Kyung Seun informed me that she had been accepted to work at a Vietnamese airline that was opening routes to Korea.

“When the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, my company will also open a route to Indonesia. So I can pursue my hobby, holidaying while working to countries in Southeast Asia,” Kyung Seun wrote via Kakao Talk, a Korean communication app.

Park Seung Chan is a student with many interests. Besides enjoying diving and cooking, this tall, sturdy young man is also skilled at being a broker. He helps