黑料不打烊 MBA and MSBA students visited South Korea over Winter Term to observe how traditional culture intersects with modern business.
Between centuries-old palaces and cutting-edge AI startups, a group of 黑料不打烊 Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Business Analytics students recently immersed themselves in South Korea鈥檚 cultural heritage and rapidly evolving business landscape.
Led by Brittany Mercado, associate professor of management and chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, and Robert Moorman, the Frank S. Holt, Jr. Professor of Business Leadership and professor of organizational behavior, the nine-day experience took students from the streets of Seoul to the industrial city of Pohang.
The program provided an up-close look at how tradition and technology coexist in one of Asia鈥檚 most dynamic economies.
鈥淓very experience challenged me to look beyond familiar corporate models,鈥 said Madeline Ludwig 鈥23 G鈥25, an MSBA student from Nashville, Tennessee. 鈥淔rom the moment we touched down, I realized how deeply cultural values like respect and teamwork influence business operations here.鈥
Students began to see a recurring theme during site visits.
鈥淚 was amazed by how ancient customs fit seamlessly with high-tech innovation,鈥 said Liz Sulley 鈥25 G鈥25, an MSBA student from Staten Island, New York. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an approach I鈥檇 love to bring into my future career, where tradition and progress can complement each other.鈥
In between company tours, the cohort also met with individuals who fled North Korea through Freedom Speakers International. Hearing firsthand accounts of resilience and reinvention provided new perspectives on societal challenges.
鈥淭heir stories highlighted incredible perseverance,鈥 Sulley said. 鈥淚t also brought home the region鈥檚 humanitarian issues鈥攕omething that rarely surfaces in day-to-day business discussions.鈥
Beyond formal meetings, cultural immersion added depth to what students learned in conference rooms. Ludwig and her cohort enjoyed late-night karaoke sessions and sampling puffer fish as steps in understanding Korean approaches to collaboration and problem-solving.
鈥淒iving into everyday customs gave me a richer sense of how Koreans work together,鈥 Ludwig said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檒l carry with me in any team environment.鈥
Site visits included:
- Posco Steel in Pohang
- Wells Fargo Korea
- Samjeong KPMG
- EY Korea
- SV Investment
- Ringle AI Tutors
For many, witnessing South Korea鈥檚 rapid economic development, less than a century after devastation offered lessons in adaptability and a broader global awareness.
鈥淪eeing how they rebuilt and continue to innovate reminded me that business success is deeply tied to resilience,鈥 Ludwig said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no better classroom than the world itself.鈥
Both students encouraged peers to seek out global study opportunities.
鈥淪tudying abroad isn鈥檛 just about adding passport stamps; it鈥檚 about transforming your perspective,鈥 Sulley said. 鈥淚f you get the chance, go. You鈥檒l grow in ways you never imagined.鈥