During Reading Week in March 2026, the Office of Co-operative Education Programme from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Co-op@CUHK) organised a week-long field trip to Seoul for 39 undergraduate students. The visit offered a hands-on opportunity to explore one of East Asia’s most dynamic economic hubs—while experiencing local culture, businesses, and innovative development firsthand. Through this initiative, students broadened their global perspectives and strengthened their intercultural communication skills in preparation for today’s globalised workplace.
Highlights and Idea Exchange
The participating students came from a wide range of disciplines, including Law, Medicine, Economics, Computer Science, Linguistics, History, Business Administration, and Engineering. This multidisciplinary mix encouraged fresh ideas and creative problem-solving throughout the trip. During the visit, students toured local universities, emerging start-ups, and other private enterprises—gaining practical insights into local market dynamics, career opportunities, and industry trends through direct interaction with key stakeholders.
Highlights also included a seminar by Mr. Billy LEE, Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (Seoul Office), where students learned about the thriving business environment in South Korea and the strong ties it shares with Hong Kong.
At Sogang University, students engaged with their local counterparts to better understand both life and study in South Korea. The visit included a seminar by Mr. Inho KO, a former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Korea, on “Understanding the Game Industry: Console Games.” The session introduced students to an industry that is fast-growing, complex, and still unfamiliar to many—expanding their horizons beyond what is covered in the classroom.
Chole Leung, a year two law student, said: “As someone who has deep interest in the Korean culture, the sharing session by Mr. Billy LEE from HKTDC offered valuable insights into the historical development of the South Korean economy and how the increasing popularity of its culture has led to new trading opportunities with Hong Kong and countries around the world.”
Ken Chan, a year two statistics student, said: “Dr. Ko noted that despite distinct markets, direct competition between PC and console isn’t always necessary due to each platform’s disparate nature. That’s why cross-platform migration isn’t a major focus. Thanks to Dr. Ko’s sharing, we gained insights into Sony’s role in the gaming industry. Sony’s revenue extends beyond console distribution to include first-party games—titles developed internally by the platform manufacturer. The Spider-Man series stands as a prime example of Sony’s successful first-party portfolio.”
Nurturing future-ready global citizens
CUHK is committed to providing experiential learning opportunities that help students thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. This field trip enabled participants to engage directly with overseas markets, deepen their international exposure, and develop the qualities needed to become future-ready global citizens.