Try on a hanbok. Learn to write your name in Korean. Discover a new favorite snack.
At the Bopsim Korean Festival, visitors had plenty of ways to explore Korea without leaving Salt Lake City. On Sept. 11, 2026, the celebration brought Korean food, performances and cultural activities to the University of Utah’s A. Ray Olpin Student Union. Between traditional arts and contemporary pop culture, there was something to spark curiosity at every turn.
At the University of Utah Asia Campus booth, that curiosity opened another conversation: What would it be like to live and study in Korea?
For prospective students, it was an introduction to new possibilities. For returning alumni, it was a chance to reconnect with a community they already knew.
“We especially enjoyed welcoming U Asia Campus alumni to our booth, where they reconnected with us and signed our popular ‘Alumni Stories’ board,” said Ben Voegele, assistant director of international admissions for the University of Utah Asia Campus.
Their visits gave the booth a personal dimension. Alongside information about academic opportunities were people who had made Incheon part of their own University of Utah experience.
A celebration built on connection
Organized by Cupbop, Bopsim brought the community together around opportunities to experience Korean culture firsthand. This year, food vendors visiting from Busan shared flavors found in traditional Korean markets, such as mandu dumplings and Korean-style fried chicken, while approximately 200 volunteers helped bring the festival to life.
The event also honored Korean War veterans, recognizing the history connecting Korea and the United States alongside the celebration of contemporary culture.
For the Asia Campus, participating in that gathering created a welcoming setting for conversations about education.
“It gave us the opportunity to connect with prospective students while taking part in a fantastic event highlighting Korean culture,” Voegele said.
A visitor’s interest in Korea could become a question about classes, campus life or spending a semester abroad. Students and alumni with firsthand experience could help make those possibilities easier to imagine.
Bringing the experience back to Utah
Ben Vu, a third-year biochemistry student on the pre-med track, knows that connection firsthand. He studied at the Asia Campus in spring 2025 before helping staff its booth at that year’s festival. Having spent a semester in Incheon, he could draw on his own experience when introducing visitors to the campus and its academic opportunities.
Reflecting on the 2025 event, he recalled the energy of participants eager to learn about Korea. He also emphasized the value of encountering traditional culture alongside familiar interests such as K-pop, skincare and food—experiences that could help visitors develop a fuller understanding of the country.
His role as an ambassador gave that learning another direction: After experiencing university life in Korea, he could bring his perspective back to Utah and help others consider making the journey themselves.
This year, returning alumni continued that exchange. Their contributions to the “Alumni Stories” board brought past experiences into a space focused on future possibilities. For prospective students, the booth offered an opportunity to connect an unfamiliar place with someone who had already studied there.
One university, new possibilities
“We were proud to show how current and prospective University of Utah students can live and learn in Incheon, experience the vibrant Incheon Global Campus, and earn a University of Utah degree,” Voegele said.
For students based in Salt Lake City, the Asia Campus offers U courses taught in English by U faculty. Depending on their academic plans, students can explore courses in their major or take electives and general education classes while studying in Korea. Students whose majors are not offered at the Asia Campus can also consider opportunities to spend time there.
First-year students have another pathway through Global Quest. Its South Korea program begins with a semester in Salt Lake City, followed by a semester at the Asia Campus. A small cohort and support from faculty and peer advisors help students build connections as they prepare for their international experience.
At Bopsim, those academic possibilities had a human introduction: an ambassador sharing a memory, an alum returning to say hello, a conversation about what might come next.
For the alumni who returned to the booth, Incheon was already part of their U story. For someone visiting for the first time, that chapter may still lie ahead.
Explore learning opportunities at the University of Utah Asia Campus.