This statement by Professor Lee marked the beginning of my internship at the User Experience Lab, following my exchange semester at SNU.

Who am I?
Name: Teresa Müller
Home University: TU Dresden, Germany
Major: MSc Psychology
Why SNU? To pursue my fascination for East Asia as an exchange student during the spring semester of 2023 (March-June).
Why UX Lab? To experience Korean working culture in my field of interest.


As the first ever foreign intern at the lab, I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about being accepted, or interpret these words as a threat for what‘s to come?

Consulting ChatGPT about it revealed that “surviving in a Korean work environment can be challenging, as it often involves long hours, strict hierarchies, and a strong emphasis on teamwork” (OpenAI, 2023).

But the warnings didn’t stop me, and I started my internship with an open mind and the motivation to do my best. However, without any expectations.

So, what was it actually like, and what did a German graduate psychology student learn about the all-Korean environment of the UX lab during her three weeks of internship in July?

How to survive at SNU UX Lab? 1) Come up with an experience design concept inspired by Dissociative Identity Disorder by the next day.
2) Be prepared for escape rooms, museum visits, and hours of brainstorming with your lab members.
3) Follow Google Assistant’s orders to go home at 6 p.m.
4) Learn to use the expression 개 쩐다 (translates to “amazing”) in the right context which your lab members taught you.
5) Join the lab party at the professor’s house.
6) Make sure to choose your daily lunch delivery menu in a timely manner.
7) Last but not least, be encouraged by your lab members:

When I was exhausted, out of ideas, or felt discouraged, there was always someone to pick me up. Once, when I couldn’t think of a way to improve a concept, someone suddenly gave me VR glasses, and we started playing Beat Saber.

In those moments, I felt immensely grateful for their consideration, and I realized that the way the team members were able to anticipate my needs was a unique feature of the lab. In this way, they managed to cheer me up and eventually contributed not only to my survival, but also my growth and success.

Contrary to the initial warnings and potential concerns, this is how the internship ended up exceeding my expectations.

My experience with 개 쩌는 (“amazing”) team members taught me that working effectively and harmoniously together is not tied to language or culture, but to people’s open-mindedness and attitude. Thanks to you, I was not only able to survive, but thrive!

Writer: Teresa Müller