In the past, Korea University (KU) was renowned as the university with a strong national consciousness and never-changing traditions. However, these days, not only is the motto of KU modified to Global KU, but also KU culture is now changing. KU graduates and undergraduates drink cocktails instead of Korean traditional alcohol, Makgeolli. They dance on stages under gorgeous lighting at trendy bars instead of gathering at small around-campus pubs with Korean alcohol and dishes such as pajeon.

The Babyshower 2007, New Graduation Party Trend in KU

Many well dressed students were dancing on the stage under brilliant lighting. Some students were sipping cocktails and consuming some hors-d’oeuvres such as fruit and sitting on a seats around tables and bars instead of on the floors. Other students were chatting with friends listening to the loud music with a fast beat. One woman was walking near the bar wearing black hot pants, a tank top, and graduation cap and gown.


This is a picture of a KU graduation party at the Circle in Cheongdam-dong. This KU graduation party named, the Babyshower 2007, was held on February from 8-9, 2007 by Party Providers, a KU club, and Job Korea. It was the first graduation party held by KU students. Not only KU students, including KU graduates, but also anyone who wanted to enjoy the party could come to the party as long as they wore black and red suits.


The club Circle where the graduation party took place was remodeled into a hard rock cafe. DJ Frankie Shin, Kid-B, Kuma, Miryo, and Yob performed at the club. Red and semi formal were the dress code at this party.


This party consisted of two parts: Babyshower and Rebirthday. Traditionally, babyshower is a western party for women in their eighth month of pregnancy. Acquaintances come to the party to celebrate the new life  coming into the world and give presents for the baby and mother-to-be. The party name, the Babyshower 2007, means to celebrate the graduates who will become new members of society just like the baby coming out to the world. 


The Babyshower 2007 started at 7pm and ended around 4am on the first night. Participants could drink one free cocktail with an admission ticket. The second night of the party, Rebirthday, started from 6pm and lasted for about ten hours. For Rebirthday, the second day of the program, the Party Providers club was supposed to provide participants a buffet and a chance to talk to each other. However dining buffet scheduled for Rebirthday was canceled because the food service enterprise could not prepare the dining buffet owing to sudden unavoidable problems.



There were students from other universities who came to enjoy the graduation party. Also, some people came to the Babyshower 2007 just to enjoy a club party. There were a few KU graduates wearing graduation caps and badges emblazoned with a tiger. “I couldn’t notice what this party was for before I saw some people wearing a graduation cap.” said Yang Jiyeon (’04, Child and Family Studies, Duksung Women’s University) who participated in the party with her friends. Lee Ju-yowp (’01, Electrical Engineering) said, “I can’t distinguish graduates from undergraduates. Also, I felt that Party Planners should be more prepared with unexpected situations. However, I understand that some mistakes and problems can happen because it is the very first time that students prepare for their own graduation party. Beginning is always hard. I hope the graduation party is more organized and activate next year.” 


Most participants said that this graduation party did not seem to be distinguished from any other party, It was not unique in celebrating graduation. However, in general, people seemed satisfied with the party itself. Jang Seung gyu (’05, Mechanical Engineering) said, “There are many graduation parties in some countries such as the United States. On the other hand, in Korea, graduates usually have solemn graduation ceremonies held in a heavy atmosphere. I thought this kind of change in graduation party is quite positive since graduates can enjoy freely their graduation and have more fun than before.” 


Such trendy graduation parties are not only popular at KU. This kind of graduation party was first held by Seoul National University students, named S Party. Some media organization broadcasted S Party as a luxurious party for just a few students. Some people criticized this party because it was too luxurious, being held in club in a Gangnam for college students. Other people were critical toward the party because they consider this kind of party as a wholesale adoptation of western culture. “I think South Koreans have a negative point of view of parties and club culture. I understand concerns about the thoughtless adaptation of western culture. However, I think it is not good to think western culture as bad. I think parties are one of the best medium to communicate between people,” remarked Kim Noo ri (’02, German Language and Literature) hoping that students would accept the party as a new culture.


This graduation party was hosted by Party Providers, which is a KU club interested in a partying and party planning. Party Providers was organized as project team to host 921ºF, an evening party during the 2006 Ko-Yon Games. Party Providers hosted the Babyshower 2007 as they considered 921ºF to be quite successful. “Previously, university students hardly communicated with others because there were not enough chances to do so. So I wanted to organize a party to make a place to create a forum where students could talk to each other and also congratulate KU graduates.” Kim Noo ri remarked.


This party is not first party was held by Party Providers. A party named 921ºF was held at KU Main campus right before the Ko-Yon Games on September 21, 2006. Kim Noo ri organized 921ºF with other students. At first, she needed to gather a few students to help her. In order to recruit some people to help her out with party planning, she wrote on the home page board that she was seeking persons who wanted to plan a party at KU.. About 15 people gathered at Minto in Shin-Chon. They brainstormed what kind of party could appeal to both KU and Yonsei University (YU) students and what materials they should prepare for a successful party. Then they decided to hold an evening party during the  Ko-Yon Games, the biggest sports event between KU and YU. “KU and YU students seemed to enjoy their own festival at their own university for two days and it is true that they had no chance to enjoy together. So I decided to hold a party for both school students,” said Kim Noo ri of 921ºF.


The place where Party Providers chose to host 921ºF is called Democracy Plaza, known as the place where students usually gather to demonstrate against what they think unreasonable and wrong. However, Party Providers changed it into a party place and around KU and Yonsei University (YU) 1000 students came to enjoy the party. The party participants danced to powerful hip-hop music and drank cocktails at the installed cocktail bar.


Kim Noo ri said, “our goal is KU embracing non-KU. Party Providers pursue communication between people through parting.” Party Providers has a goal to host a party annually at KU. Party Providers is planning to hold both a party for freshmen in May, 2007 and another when the first semester finishes on this year.

Perspectives over the Party Trend

921ºF and the Babyshower 2007 convey an important message to us. Is KU culture changing now? At the moment that is KU emphasizing Global KU, which one are KU students going to choose, makgeolli KU, wine KU or cocktail KU?


Listening to different perspectives is helpful to understand such cultural changes. Professor Kim Muncho from the Department of Sociology found causes for the cultural change in three great trends. “First, with the advent of individualism, more people tend to prefer more small-size, informal and private gatherings to large groups. This led the young university students to enjoy club culture with a small number of people.” “Also,” he continued, “modern people care greatly for code, based on a cultural sense. Lastly, society has become leisure-oriented. While gathering and relaxing have been a supplementary part of people’s lives in the past, now they have become the core part of people’s lifestyle.”


On viewing this year’s graduation party, Prof. Kim said, “I think it is natural to have such occasions. The graduation party is following changing society. Society, which has long been based on industry and labor, is now becoming leisure and culture focused.” However, the professor expressed his worry over KU’s culture becoming commercialized as students forget the real meaning of it.


Korea University alumnus Lee Hyesoo (’02, Sociology) expressed her opinion on the changing campus culture. “I think the graduation ceremony has become too meaningless for the undergraduate students. It seems, unfortunately, that students do not feel and think of the meaning of graduation itself.” “About the graduation party,” she continued, “I don’t think the club is that necessary. People who want to enjoy club culture could fully enjoy it outside the school even without the club. Graduation seems to be only a pretext to have a ‘party’.” Lee also said that university students should not be easily absorbed into the western culture.



A freshman who does not yet have much background on KU campus culture also shared her opinion on the issue. Park Ji Eun (’07, Division of International Studies) mentioned that the very first thing that comes up in her mind when hearing ‘KU’ is drinking occasions after school events. “Oh, I also heard of Party Providers and the graduation party. I received a message on the Internet that was advertising the graduation party. Although I didn’t know much about it, I thought that it would be interesting.” She also said, “I think what is indeed important about graduation is that friends gather to celebrate it, and not how people enjoy it.” “However,” she added, “more people would be free to join if the format of the party was more liberal. For example, I don’t think the place always has to be a club or that people always have to follow the dress code.” On the play culture of the campus, she said pursuing most interesting form and way for individuals is most important.


There are different opinions on the party culture and never-ending controversy on this subject. In this situation, campus leisure culture has spread widely among university students. Some students go to clubs near Hongik University to relieve stress or just enjoy the atmosphere. What do you think of a spread of leisure culture on the campus? Do you think 921ºF and the Babyshower 2007 is a beginning of wholesome party culture? As long as students keep their party culture from being commercialized, party culture will settle as KU students’ new play culture.