For three days, about 70 of us moved across Seoul, Osan, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek, visiting factories, museums, media institutions, government sites, and ecological parks as part of the Korea Field Research Study (KFRS) 2026. What began as an academic field trip quickly became something more personal for many of us. It was an opportunity to observe Korea beyond the classroom and to understand how different parts of society connect to national development.

The first stop that stayed with me was Amorepacific in Osan. Before the visit, I knew the company mainly as one of the world’s leading cosmetic brands. What I did not expect was the level of integration between manufacturing, nature, research, and branding. The company’s botanical garden was particularly striking. Many of the herbs used in production are cultivated there, surrounded by glass houses, rock gardens, and dry flower exhibitions, carrying a calm, natural scent throughout the whole environment.

What stood out was the attention to detail. The factory itself reflected efficiency and technology, but the environment around it reflected something equally important: identity. Korea has found a way to transform local culture and natural resources into globally recognised products without disconnecting them from their roots.

Later that day, we visited the Korean National Assembly Museum and the National Assembly complex in Yeouido. The museum traces Korea’s legislative history from the 1919 Provisional Government to the present democratic system. Walking through the exhibitions gave context to how much political and institutional change Korea has undergone within a relatively short historical period.

One interesting part of the visit was entering the legislative chamber itself. Sitting inside a functioning parliament that shapes national policy every day gave a more practical sense of governance than any textbook explanation could provide. It reminded me that development is not driven by industries alone. Institutions matter too.

That evening, we had a cruise along the Han River. Seoul at night has a different atmosphere entirely. The bridges, skyline, riverbanks, and public spaces all reflect years of urban planning and infrastructure investment. Beyond the aesthetics, it was difficult not to think about how infrastructure quietly shapes everyday life and economic activity.

The next day began at the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) headquarters in Seoul. We toured various sections of the broadcasting network, including documentary, drama, animation, sports, television, and radio divisions. There was also a museum section documenting the history of Korean broadcasting from the colonial period through the Korean War and into modern Korea.

The visit showed how deeply media and culture are tied to Korea’s global influence today. Korean dramas, music, film, and entertainment are often discussed internationally as cultural products, but seeing the systems behind them revealed the scale of organisation and institutional support involved. The global popularity of Korean media did not emerge randomly. It was built deliberately over time.

One of the most memorable visits during the entire program was KIA AutoLand Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province. The facility itself was massive. Seeing the production lines in operation felt like stepping directly into a live industrial systems textbook.

Nearly every major stage of production involved robotics, automated guided vehicles, laser-guided movement systems, and precision engineering. The body assembly process was handled almost entirely by robots. Even processes like emblem installation and bolt tightening used automated systems with vision cameras capable of identifying exact positions with remarkable precision.

At the same time, the plant did not feel absent of human involvement. Workers remained central in supervision, coordination, engineering, quality assurance, and systems management. Rather than replacing people completely, the technology appeared designed to improve speed, consistency, and efficiency.

One detail that stayed with me was learning that around 40 percent of the vehicles produced at the Hwaseong plant are electric vehicles. It reflected how Korea is actively positioning itself for the future of the global automobile industry rather than reacting late to changes already happening.

The scale of employment was also striking. According to officials at KIA, the Hwaseong facility alone employs about 14,500 workers. Seeing that level of industrial activity operating continuously made it easier to understand how manufacturing contributes not only to exports, but also to employment, skills development, logistics, engineering, and wider economic growth.

Another major stop during the program was the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan. The sheer scale of the museum was difficult to capture in photographs. Housing hundreds of thousands of artefacts, it reflects how seriously Korea invests in preserving and presenting its historical identity.

One of the first artefacts visitors encounter is the 10-story stone pagoda of Gyeongcheonsa Temple from the Goryeo Dynasty. Learning that the pagoda had once been dismantled and smuggled abroad before eventually returning to Korea added another layer to the experience. Many of the exhibits carried similar stories of survival, preservation, and cultural continuity.

The museum guide also mentioned that most of the artefacts housed there are of Korean origin. That statement stayed with me because it reflected a strong national effort to preserve ownership of cultural memory and historical identity.

Our final stop was Pyeongtaek Agricultural Eco-Park. Compared to the factories and museums, the atmosphere there felt quieter and slower, but it still reflected Korea’s broader development approach. The park combines environmental conservation, public recreation, agriculture, and historical storytelling in one space. Even seemingly small public spaces are carefully planned and maintained.

By the end of the three days, what stayed with me most was not simply the technology or infrastructure, impressive as they were. It was the consistency across different sectors. Whether in manufacturing, media, governance, museums, or public spaces, there seemed to be a long-term culture of planning, coordination, and investment.

The Korea Field Research Study became more than an academic schedule of site visits. It offered a closer look at how industries, institutions, culture, and infrastructure connect together in shaping a country’s development story. For many of us, it also became a reminder that some of the most important lessons are understood better when experienced directly rather than studied from a distance.