As the cold weather ends and the warm weather fast approaches, the sun is starting to shine it's bright rays down onto us again! It's officially time to start thinking about all the fun activities to do and interesting places to go during your time off this summer season. What better way to spend summer 2020 than attending a study abroad trip to Yonsei University in none other than South Korea? For those of you who are looking for a unique, educational, and culture-rich experience, look no further than Yonsei International Summer School (YISS). Here are 6 awesome and unforgettable South Korean experiences you can't miss out on at Yonsei University this year.

1. Seoul City Tour

Are you an avid watcher of K-dramas? Do you ever wish you could experience the rich cultural history of South Korea with your own eyes? Yonsei International Summer School offers a Seoul City Tour so you can get your fix of Korean history and maybe even live out your dream of being a princess or prince! Gyeongbok-Gung will allow you to live out your historical drama fantasies as it is the first and formal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Stand in front of Gwangwhamun gate and enjoy the view of Sejong road where King Sejong once sat on his throne and looked over his people. YISS attendees will also experience the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (a traditional and cultural experience at Gwanghwamun) and go to Insadong (a gallery town filled with old calligraphy writings, paintings, and ceramics). Lastly, attendees of the program get to go to N Seoul Tower to get a fantastic panorama of Seoul standing 479.7m high at the top of Namsan mountain. Students will get to soak in the skylines and maybe even click a lock with someone they love on the iconic terrace fence. Learn more about Korea and the Joseon dynasty through this one-of-a-kind, culturally-immersive experience.

2. DMZ Tour

If you're a fan of Korean history and want to experience culturally-enriching museums, look no further than the DMZ Tour.  Experience the extraordinary Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the South Korean side and have an in-depth look at the war and history between North and South Korea. Visitors will go to Imjingak Park, the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, DMZ Exhibition Hall, Dora Observatory(you can see North Korea from there.), and Unification Village. Last, but not least, the tour will end with a return to Seoul to visit the War Memorial of Korea where you can get in-depth looks into some of Korea's most impactful historical moments.

3. Baseball Game Watching

Gocheok Sky Dome is a cultural sports complex that's especially known for hosting baseball games! Baseball is Korea's #1 sport and attending a match will immerse you in a culturally unique experience completely different from the baseball you watch at home. Experience delicious food and special fan cheers at a local baseball game. Gocheok Sky Dome is also a popular concert venue for K-Pop artists in the offseason and has even hosted huge award shows like KBS Music Awards. This 18,000 - 20,000 seat venue is a must-see.

4. Experience Busan!

Participate in a 2 day, 1 night trip to the gorgeous city of Busan by train. Through Yonsei International Summer School, students can choose to take part in a trip to Busan to experience life outside of Seoul. Busan is a beautiful coastal city with great beaches just south of Seoul- in fact, Busan is the second-largest city in Korea. Busan is the economic, cultural, and educational center of southeastern Korea, making it Korea's busiest city. Busan has wonderful weather and attractions to experience, and this program offers a super fun way to explore as well as answer BTS Jungkook and Jimin's question - "what is tasty in Busan?" Eat, shop, explore, play, and make memories in Busan that will last a lifetime.

5. Traditional Stamp Carving

Participate in a workshop that teaches you how to create traditional Korean stamp carvings! This workshop will teach you all the skills you need to know to carve your own name into your very own stamp. All items will be provided and you can let your creative juices run wild as you make a one-of-a-kind name or message stamp that you can stamp all your books, documents, and art with. This traditional stamp carving workshop is perfect for those who want to create a unique memory in Korea to take home with them forever.

6. Boryung Mud Festival

Don't mind getting a little dirty? Look no further than the Boryeong Mud Festival that takes place every summer in Boryeong, a town located 200km south of Seoul! The festival began in 1998 to promote the local therapeutic mud, and by 2007, it became a huge local and tourist destination. Each year, more than 2 million visitors go to cover themselves in the medicinal mud that improves skin texture and glow. Have fun with your new YISS friends and meet all the neat festival-goers while partaking in some of the unique Mud Festival activities. You'll have enough fun and muddy pictures and experiences to last you a lifetime. From mud baths and massages to mud wrestling and live music, Boryeong Mud Festival is a great way to experience local goods and culture.

These are just a few things that Yonsei International Summer School has to offer, but we're already excited about this summer. Please visit Yonsei International Summer School's official website here: http://summer.yonsei.ac.kr to learn more about applying to the program and what you can learn, and experience during your time immersed there.

This year, 2020, marks the first time since YISS's inception that Yonsei International Summer School will be offering online courses for summer attendees. Now, students interested in Python Programming and AI & Design can opt to enroll in online courses so YISS attendees can maximize their experiences abroad. Learn more about the courses offered here.

YISS is also opening up availability for internship programs exclusively for YISS students for 6 weeks during this year's summer school periods. Students can apply for an internship they're interested in prior to the official start date of the program, so be sure to take a look at the Corporate and Research internships to find out more about the opportunity. Not to mention, participation in an internship program makes you eligible to receive 3 academic credits. Act fast, as internship availability will go quickly and get ready to culturally immerse yourself in a new experience through work, study, and play. The internship application will be available from 6 April.

Can't wait to get going and apply for Yonsei International Summer School? The application period has been officially opened since January 3rd, 2020, and will continue to be open until May 15, 2020. There are two programs: a 6-week program from June 30, 2020 to August 6, 2020 and a 4-week program from June 30, 2020 to July 23, 2020, so there's a schedule for YISS that is sure to fit almost every schedule.

Early Enrollment Benefit: KRW 200,000

All students who are registered on 2020 YISS program during Early registration (Jan 3, 2020 ~ Mar 31, 2020) with a completion of online application submission are eligible to receive a benefit of KRW 200,000 which will be applied on your YISS tuition as fees deduction.

See you soon in South Korea!

Disclosure: This article is sponsored by YISS.