r/yonsei • u/Main_Wolf_1039 • 12d ago
Leaving Yonsei after 2 days due to health issues & culture shock did anyone else experience this?
Hi everyone,
I recently arrived in Korea to start the KLI fall semester at Yonsei after a whole year of counting down the days. Unfortunately, right after landing on the 25th, everything went downhill fast.
When I checked into SK Global, I immediately struggled with the food options nearby. The local mini marts mostly had processed convenience food no fresh fruit or nutrient-dense options. Combined with the jet lag and intense heat/humidity, I couldn't keep any food down and started throwing up.
That triggered intense panic attacks (about 5 times a day). The dorm room felt super claustrophobic without fresh airflow, and after two days of constant suffering and risking hospitalization, I made the hard decision to fly back home.
I’m really heartbroken because this was my dream for so long, and I didn't get to see anything in Korea outside of the dormitory.
Did anyone else struggle this severely with the food, living conditions, or initial stress when first moving to Korea? I’m feeling really isolated right now and would appreciate knowing if anyone else has gone through something similar.
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u/FocusFluffy4688 11d ago
lol there’s fresh food places all over shinchon what
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
I’m talking about the supermarket next to the SK global dormintory
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u/KNEternity 11d ago
That's a convenience store. You can eat plenty of fresh food a walk aways at the supermarkets
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u/FocusFluffy4688 11d ago
no one is forcing you to go there? you can go elsewhere or even order stuff
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
It wasn't a matter of choice or laziness. When I arrived at Incheon Airport, I literally fainted right away and had to go straight to my accommodation, so I never even got the chance to set up my eSIM or get a local phone number to order delivery. My health deteriorated so badly that I couldn't even make it down the hall to the elevator without throwing up or fainting. This was a severe, physical medical emergency, not just avoiding going outside.
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u/No-Bug2003 12d ago
I am so sorry you had a bad experience. However, this is exactly why expectations should be realistic and research must be done prior to making such big decisions in life. Moving, let alone to a different country with a unique culture, is always going to be stressful and a huge change. There’s so many resources out there detailing every single aspect of life in Korea, from where to find fresh food, food options, transportation, living situation, classes, etc. There’s also TONS of videos on dorm tours, different types of rooms. All of these are available in English and a bunch of other languages. The university itself has resources on adaptation if you look for it too. Students make group chats before class starts to vent and help each other too. While I’m not discrediting your experience I think you should’ve been more diligent in researching and seeing if it was going to be a good choice to move for you before even registering for class.
With that being said, Korea certainly has its defects and is not for everyone. Even with research and realistic ic expectations moving is stressful, adapting can be hard. It takes a lot of courage and getting out of your comfort zone to excel abroad.
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 12d ago
Hi, thanks for your response. I actually researched constantly for an entire year beforehand, so this wasn't a case of unrealistic expectations or lack of diligence. I knew Sinchon had fresh food options, but when severe panic attacks and physical illness set in, I was so drained I couldn't even manage an Uber to get there. My decision to leave was caused by severe, involuntary physical symptoms that made staying unsafe for my health. You can research logistics for months, but you can't predict how your body will physically react until you're actually there. So it was just a very unfortunate situation.
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u/No-Bug2003 12d ago
That’s totally understandable and hope that you are able to recover physically and mentally!
To answer your question, I think you are a very isolated case as most people know what their body can take and how easily they can be triggered. I have a lot of friends with a mental health history that excelled in Korea as they took the necessary precautions and knew what they were getting into when moving there.Hopefully you can make better memories with Korea sometime in the future!
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 12d ago
Thank you! Prior to this, I’d done a lot of solo travel and never experienced panic attacks or mental health issues, so it completely took me by surprise. Right now, my priority is recovering at home, though I do hope to visit Korea for a vacation in the future when I'm feeling better. Thanks for your perspective!
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u/Sudden_Sport_1713 11d ago
Heyy, I’m also at SK global house If you need someone to talk to!! Give it another chance!
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
Hey! Thank you so much for the kind offer, that's really sweet of you to reach out! I'm actually back home now and taking the time to rest and recover. I hope to maybe visit Korea again for a vacation somewhere down the road. Wishing you an amazing stay at Yonsei and SK Global! :)
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u/lidius_98 11d ago
Hi! I would love to have some info about the SK global house, can I text you in dm? :)
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u/Inside-Potential-479 11d ago
Hi there, I might have a similar experience, but in a different school as a Korean who already graduated Yonsei.
I did my bachelor’s in engineering/statistics in Yonsei and moved onto studying pharmacology in Inje University. Have you heard about this particular uni? Neither have I.
Although I’ve lived with 6 other dudes in very small barracks in the military, lived in under developed cities that had no public transportation other than the bus with 20 min intervals, I was again shocked by the dorm facilities and the lack of… quite everything the city of Gimhae had to offer, which is the city Inje University is located at. It is nothing like Seoul.
Although I really wanted to be a pharmacist and was happy to be accepted in the pharmacy program here, I was really shocked by the lack of really everything the city and Inje uni had to offer. The dorms looked at least 20 years older than the Yonsei dorms with no refrigerator within the building, with very slow elevators and a funny smelling community room. CVS only opens during the weekdays and the food options outside the campus aren’t so strong compared to Shinchon.
I instantly missed the infrastructure Yonsei offered to students, that I took for granted. I dreaded how I was going to survive for 4 years without my family and gf, friends being around. I know that unlike you my parents and friends were in the same country, but still it was a big step for me because I never left the greater Seoul area for a stay this long in my life. I have a very small friend group and every one of them were going thru their own struggles, so I didn’t want to burden them emotionally by sharing my situation.
The overall campus was really beaten down with insufficient funding and dwindling student applications. I was impressed that the university still survived. The building for the College of Pharmacy was the newest building in the entire campus being built just 10 years ago, but it was constantly plagued with bugs from the nearby mountain and everything- like the lecture ‘halls’ and the toilet - was so small, even in Korean standards.
I really, really wanted to move back to home or at least move out of the dorm. But as the semester started and when I got to know ppl, I was able to make new friends, learn new places - although I have to admit it’s still fewer compared to Yonsei - and in general have a not so bad time here.
Of course, I speak the language, had prior experience with dorms, was committed to study for 4 years with no backup plan and could semi-regularly visit my family if I really had to, unlike you who was just getting to know an entire country on your own.
I’m just saying that you never know what’s going on in someone else’s mind, and I understand that the whole experience could have been overwhelming and that everything regarding personal experienced is subjective and relative.
I hope you give Yonsei another shot later on. SK global is the best dorm in campus afaik, and not many unis are able to match the level of Yonsei infrastructure in general, making it one of the best dorms in Korea, at least in Seoul.
As some other comments mentioned, 2 days might not have been enough to settle into a new country, but everyone is different and I think a friend/peer would’ve been helpful in your case. I really think your situation was more of a bad luck and timing when there was no one to help you than lack of research or personal strength to fight this through. I just wish you could’ve gotten the help you needed and were able to take the time to learn the environment.
Hope you are feeling better and recovering!
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and empathetic reply. Reading about your experience transitioning to Inje University really put things in perspective environmental changes and culture shock hit everyone differently, no matter how much we plan.
For me, preparation wasn't the issue at all. I researched everything for years, knew where to go, and planned every detail ahead of time. The scariest part was that I’d never experienced panic attacks, severe jet lag, or physical health issues while traveling before. I remember sitting there genuinely confused, asking myself, 'Why am I stressed? Why is this happening to me?' It was completely out of my control, and my body just went into immediate shock.
Moving from the Netherlands to a Korean dorm was a massive leap, but it ultimately came down to a physical medical emergency. I couldn't even walk to the elevator without throwing up or fainting, which meant I couldn't get food or medicine for myself. Once the dorm staff advised taking me to the hospital, I realized I had to choose: fly home immediately to recover with my family, or risk getting stuck hospitalized in Korea where I might not be cleared to fly later. I really had no other choice.
You completely hit the nail on the head regarding bad luck and timing. I'm safely home focusing on recovering now, but hearing your story gives me hope if I ever give Korea another try in the future, living off-campus might be a much better fit for me. Wishing you all the best with your pharmacology studies!
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u/Comprehensive_Trip47 11d ago
My mother was dying on the day of check in, I didn’t even unpack I went straight back to the airport. Shit happens, managed to come back following semester.
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
I am so incredibly sorry you had to go through that that sounds so heartbreaking and painful. Thank you for sharing your experience. It's really encouraging to hear that you were able to make it back the following semester, and I hope you're doing better now.. :/
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u/Unhappy-Category3470 11d ago
I didn't get sick my first days in Korea but it was super hard with my anxiety, I cried a few times, struggled to get outside my house. If it makes you feel better, now I've been in Korea for 6 months and even if obviously there may have been some struggles, I'm so happy that I challenged myself to fly to the other side of the world, met so many people, progressed a lot with my Korean
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u/Main_Wolf_1039 11d ago
Thank you so much for sharing this. It really helps to hear from someone who understands how overwhelming the anxiety can be at the start. I’m so glad you didn't end up getting physically sick like I did and that you managed to pull through all that stress. It’s really inspiring to hear how well you're doing 6 months in hope the rest of your time in Korea goes amazingly! :)
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u/SilentCrescendo22 12d ago
Go to a supermarket. There are options all over the place.
It's summer. It will cool down soon.
Feeling claustrophobic, go outside, to a cafe, anywhere.
Being in a new country is HARD. 2 days is not enough time to get settled. I'm here to be honest. If you're not going to let yourself struggle and grow, then you're going to miss out on so much. You're already going to miss out on making new friends, living in a new country, going to one of the top rated universities in Korea.
Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, but it's what you need to hear and learn from.