Early Korean Study Abroad Students (chokiyuhakseng)

This project investigates the psychological patterns, religious practice and self-identification of Chokiyuhakseng, or early Korean study abroad students, who came from South Korea to the United States mainly in their high school years, as compared with Korean American students on campus. The author examines various social practices of the undergraduate students that attend the Korean Church of Champaign-Urbana (Crossway), a majority of whom are Chokiyuhakseng students. In this examination, the author seeks to answer what factors influence their pattern and use of language, whether Korean and English? Is the choice of language in varying situations related to how they identify themselves within varying environments? How do Chokiyuhakseng identify themselves within the larger Korean ethnic population in the university? What role does the Korean church provide for its Chokiyuhakseng members? This project is based on individual and group interviews as well as ethnographic observation of Chokiyuhakseng and Korean American Bible group members and university students. This study concludes that Chokiyuhakseng students are a distinct group minority within the Korean ethnic community, whom identify separately from yuhakseng (study abroad students that came to the states after high school) and Korean Americans.unpublishedU of I OnlyRequested by studen