Studyaway in South Korea

Digital Innovation & Mental Health in South Korea: A Studyaway Experience

UGA Study away in South Korean Students in this Maymester program travel to South Korea to explore how one of the world’s most technologically advanced societies is responding to urgent challenges in mental health, substance misuse, and health equity. Against the backdrop of South Korea’s high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, students will examine how social stigma, academic and work pressure, and rapid social change shape help-seeking, service use, and recovery. They will also investigate gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery supports, and how digital tools such as mobile health apps, tele-mental health, and AI-enabled interventions are being used to reach underserved groups and reduce disparities.

The program begins and ends in Seoul and includes additional visits to cities such as Daejeon, Jeonju, and Busan. While in South Korea, students will meet with community organizations, social service and health agencies, universities, and policy or nonprofit leaders working at the intersection of technology, mental health, and social welfare. Site visits, guest lectures, and guided discussions will be complemented by cultural and historical excursions that situate contemporary health challenges within Korea’s broader social context. Through these combined experiences, students gain firsthand insight into how digital innovation, social work, and public health are being integrated to promote mental health, address substance misuse, and advance health equity in a rapidly changing society.

Course Offerings: May 2026

SOWK 5775/7775 – Technology, Health Equity, and Social Transformation: Insights from South Korea

This study-away course examines the rapidly evolving landscape of digital health in South Korea, one of the most technologically advanced societies in the world. Students will explore how innovations such as mobile health (mHealth), telemedicine, wearable devices, and artificial intelligence are reshaping access to care and advancing health equity. Grounded in social work values, the course emphasizes the ethical, political, and cultural implications of digital health technologies for marginalized groups, including older adults, migrants, low-income residents, and rural populations. Through agency visits, policy discussions, historical tours, and participatory reflections across Seoul, Jeonju, Daejeon, and Busan, students will analyze how digital systems are deployed to address social determinants of health and advocate for equitable, culturally responsive care.

This course is directed by Dr. Hee Yun Lee, Thomas P. Holland Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations at the UGA School of Social Work, with an additional UGA co-instructor (TBD) who will contribute complementary expertise in technology, public health, or global social work.

SOWK 5912/7912 – Mental Health, Substance Misuse, and Technology in South Korea

This study-away course provides a critical examination of South Korea’s intensifying mental health and substance misuse challenges, with a focus on how emerging technologies are transforming prevention, treatment, and recovery. Students will engage directly with mental health agencies, community organizations, policy leaders, and technology innovators to investigate South Korea’s high rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance-related concerns. The course highlights how systemic inequities, cultural stigma, family dynamics, and work and academic pressures shape access to care and attitudes toward treatment. Students will observe technology-enabled solutions—including digital therapeutics, mobile counseling platforms, AI-based screening tools, and virtual reality interventions—and evaluate their potential to reduce disparities and support vulnerable populations in diverse Korean settings.

This course will be led by another UGA faculty member in Social Work (TBD) with expertise in mental health and substance misuse, in close collaboration with Program Director Dr. Hee Yun Lee, who oversees the broader Korea Study Away initiative. They will guide student learning through cross-cultural immersion, ethical inquiry, and analysis of how lessons from South Korea can inform social work practice, global mental health, and public policy.

Brief Itinerary (Tentative)

Over 12 days, students will travel through four major South Korean cities—Seoul, Daejeon, Jeonju, and Busan—each offering distinct cultural practices, food traditions, and approaches to public and mental health. Our program explores how culture, geography, food, spirituality, technology, and community systems shape stress, coping, substance misuse, and health promotion.

Date and Deadline

Start Date: May 10, 2026 (Sunday)

The group will depart from the United States on the morning of Sunday, May 10, 2026, and arrive at Incheon International Airport (Seoul) on Monday, May 11, 2026, due to the time difference and international travel duration. The official program start date in South Korea is therefore Monday, May 11, 2026. Program activities in country will begin on this date.

End Date: May 23, 2026 (Saturday)

The group will depart from South Korea for the United States on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and arrive in Atlanta on the same calendar day, May 23, 2026, because of the time zone change when traveling eastward. This date will serve as the official program end date for travel and reporting purposes.

Deadline: 2/15/2026

The application deadline for this Maymester course is February 15, 2026. Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, you are strongly encouraged to submit your materials as early as possible. Please complete and submit the online application form at your earliest convenience.

Cost and Scholarship

Program Deposit: $300 due upon admission
Program fee: TBD

Contact

Hee Lee, PhD
Professor and Program Coordinator
Email: [email protected]