Meet our faculty members in Asian Studies and learn more about their background and passions! In this Faculty Spotlight, we introduce you to Dr. Ho Jung Choi, our new Associate Professor of Teaching in Korean Language and Culture! Prior to joining UBC, he taught Korean at various institutions and served as the director of the Korean language program at Princeton University.
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What drew you to Asian Studies?
Can you tell us what you will be teaching in the UBC Department of Asian Studies?
What do you want students to gain out of your courses?
What are some other interests you enjoy pursuing outside of your work?
Could you tell us a little about your academic background prior to joining UBC Department of Asian Studies?
I completed my Ph.D. in Foreign Language & ESL Education at the University of Iowa in the United States, where my research focused on literacy practices in Korean language instruction for heritage and non-heritage learners. Before that, I earned an M.A. in Asian Civilization, specializing in Chinese historical linguistics, also at the University of Iowa. My connection to Iowa actually began earlier, when I spent my junior year there as an exchange student; a formative experience that shaped both my academic and professional path. I completed my B.A. in South Korea before returning to Iowa for graduate studies.
Professionally, I have taught Korean language and culture for nearly two decades. Prior to joining UBC, I served as Senior Lecturer and Director of the Korean Language Program at Princeton University, where I designed curricula, initiated co-curricular activities and the summer study abroad program Princeton in Korea, and spearheaded initiatives in digital humanities and experiential learning. I also worked hard to create internship opportunities in South Korea for my students, helping them connect their language learning with real-world professional and cultural experiences.
In addition, I taught at the University of Iowa and Middlebury College, gaining experience in both program building and intensive language teaching. Alongside these roles, I pursued research and professional activities that bridged pedagogy, technology, and intercultural learning.
What drew you to Asian Studies?
My path into Asian Studies has been shaped by both personal and academic experiences. From an early age, I was fascinated by Korean alphabet Hangeul, Chinese characters, and the beauty of writing systems. That curiosity led me to study linguistics and explore how Chinese characters are used and pronounced differently in Mandarin Chinese and Korean. What began as an interest in writing systems gradually developed into a broader passion for East Asian languages and cultures.
My undergraduate and graduate training in East Asian languages and linguistics provided a strong foundation in the region’s cultural and intellectual traditions. Over time, I came to realize that teaching Korean is not only about language acquisition but also about opening doors to histories, identities, and cultural connections across Asia.
What excites me about Asian Studies, and Korean language education in particular, is the opportunity to build programs that connect learners with these broader contexts. I am especially drawn to fostering communities of practice where students engage in meaningful intercultural exchange and see themselves as part of a global dialogue. Joining UBC’s Department of Asian Studies allows me to contribute to a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment that places both language and culture at the heart of learning.
What inspires you to teach?
I was fortunate to learn from remarkable teachers who shaped me both intellectually and personally. Their example continues to inspire me, and I strive, perhaps not exactly the same, but in spirit, to resemble them in the way they cared for their students and created meaningful learning experiences.
This belief also resonates with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem The Arrow and the Song, which reminds us that what we send out into the world, whether arrows or songs, endures beyond our sight. I see teaching as an opportunity to send out “songs” that touch hearts, spark positive transformations, and leave a lasting impact.
For me, language teaching is especially powerful because it connects with students on such a personal level. I particularly like the idea, often noted in discussions of etymology, that the word person relates to the Latin personare, “to sound through.” Whether or not it is the precise origin, the image is compelling: the sounds, stories, and interactions we create in the language classroom can “sound through” our students’ lives.
My hope is that these shared “sounds” become songs students carry forward, not only as language skills but also as openness to diverse perspectives and intercultural understanding.
Can you tell us what you will be teaching in the UBC Department of Asian Studies?
I will be teaching Korean language courses ranging from basic (KORN 102) to advanced levels (such as Readings in Korean Topics, KORN 301/302).
Our program offers three levels of Korean language courses, along with courses in Hancha and modern Korean fiction, allowing us to meet students’ needs whether they are building foundational skills or pursuing advanced proficiency for both practical and academic purposes. I also plan to design upper-level courses for advanced and heritage learners who wish to further strengthen their Korean.
My goal is to create a culturally enriched curriculum that engages students from diverse backgrounds by incorporating topics such as Korea’s relations with other regions, industrialization and democratization, and popular culture.
What do you want students to gain out of your courses?
I want my students to strengthen their Korean language proficiency while also developing intercultural competence. Because Korean is considered a Category IV language, I emphasize that learning it is a lifelong journey: one that requires time and persistence, and presents unique challenges for English speakers. Yet these challenges also provide opportunities for growth, encouraging students to cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and openness to diverse perspectives.
Equally important, I hope my students come to see language not just as a set of structures or vocabulary, but as a bridge to understanding different cultures and ways of thinking. My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that language learning is most impactful when it is interactive, immersive, and connected to real-world experiences. To this end, I incorporate authentic materials such as K-pop, TV shows, social media, and current news, and I design activities that highlight how language reflects and responds to contemporary cultural and social issues.
I also encourage students to extend their learning beyond the classroom through cultural events, internships, and collaborations with diverse communities. These opportunities help them understand how Korean can be used in real-world contexts; whether communicating with peers in Vancouver, engaging with global media, or connecting with local and international communities.
Ultimately, I hope they leave my courses not only with strong communicative skills in Korean but also with the confidence and motivation to use those skills to build meaningful connections and make a positive impact in the world.
What are some other interests you enjoy pursuing outside of your work?
I enjoy visiting museums and learning more about art, culture, and history. One of my favorite places is A Room of Quiet Contemplation at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, which I find especially inspiring. While living on the East Coast in the United States, I often visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and I also loved seeing Van Gogh’s The Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. I look forward to exploring the many museums and cultural institutions in Vancouver as well.
