Korea National University of Arts (K-ARTS) Film Department Admission Experience (2025 Full Scholarship, Hannah Joy)

Getting into the K-ARTS Film Department has been my number one goal for a long time. The reason I came to Korea to study was to achieve this very goal. Even when I was living in South Africa, K-ARTS was always on my mind. However, preparing for the application was overwhelming—learning Korean, creating a portfolio, writing essays and a personal statement, and preparing for the Korean interview… there was so much to do.  

At first, I didn’t know where to start. Then, a friend who had an older sister already admitted to K-ARTS recommended **Humanitas Academy & HU film company**, saying her sister had prepared there for over a year and highly recommended it for its meticulous guidance.  

When I checked out their website, it didn’t feel like a typical academy’s homepage—it felt more like a film production company’s platform. The global atmosphere, with content available in English, was refreshing and unique. I spent a long time exploring their website, searching for more information. It became clear to me that Humanitas Academy was not just about getting students into universities but also provided internship opportunities, career advice, and real-world experience in the film industry.  

While attending a language school and doing part-time content production work, I began my K-ARTS film department application preparations. Determined to succeed this year, I thoroughly researched my options. I realized that many academies followed a rigid, factory-like teaching style, which I felt was not suitable for K-ARTS, where creativity is a key factor.  

After meeting the friend’s sister who had been admitted, I understood that rote learning would never lead to success at K-ARTS. I carefully examined how feedback was given, how diverse artistic interests were encouraged, and how students were trained to adapt even if the test format changed.  

One thing that reassured me was that the director of Humanitas Academy, Renée, had lived abroad for a long time and was fluent in English. This made communication much smoother.  

A New Way of Learning 

When I first visited Humanitas Academy, the experience was intense. The teaching methods were unlike anything I had encountered in South Africa. As I interacted with other students, I learned that René had been teaching creativity-based courses for 15 years. In fact, many other well-known film academies had adopted elements of René’s approach.  

I gained confidence in the application process after learning about **observation methods, causal reasoning, and narrative construction**—all specialized creativity-building techniques. Looking at the list of past admitted students, I was amazed by the impressive results.  

At the academy, students researched classic film directors, compared their philosophies with their own, and presented their findings, leading to in-depth discussions. Initially, I was only focused on interview preparation, so I had no knowledge of film directors or film theory and wasn’t even sure about my favorite genre.  

But here, the approach was completely different. Instead of just preparing for the interview, we analyzed classic films and examined their impact on modern cinema. This writing and discussion-based preparation was a fresh experience for me. Most importantly, I learned K-ARTS’ way of thinking, which helped me realize how narrow my approach had been.  

### **Portfolio Creation – My Biggest Challenge**  

As I adapted to the academy’s environment, portfolio creation classes began. I assumed that the Special Admissions track would involve analyzing past exam questions and practicing responses, but I was completely wrong.  

The first assignment was Life Timeline—something I had never deeply thought about before. Each week, we had assignments like **transcribing great stories, writing essays, creating narratives, and drafting screenplays. The problem was that I wasn’t used to expressing my own story.  

This made the assignments incredibly difficult for me. Sometimes—actually, quite often—I failed to submit my work. Seeing my classmates complete their tasks effortlessly made me feel even more discouraged. At one point, I even told my teacher,  

"I don’t have anything to write about. I’ve never had any special experiences. My life has been ordinary."  

But my teacher firmly responded:  

"None of your classmates wrote about special experiences. You have plenty of material within you."

That made me reflect on my experiences from a new perspective. Eventually, I crafted my personal statement based on my own story, and I used that same story in my interview responses.  

Through this process, I also wrote a screenplay, directed, and even acted in a short film—bringing out a narrative from within myself.  

Overcoming the Hardest Moments 

One of the toughest moments in my journey was the mock interview, just three weeks before the actual exam. During the Special Admissions mock test, I completely froze, unable to answer questions properly, and ended up crying.  

The pressure of having to answer everything in Korean felt overwhelming.  

Fortunately, I quickly regained my composure. With my teachers’ help, I practiced more, refined my answers, and received constant feedback.  

Even aspects like **hairstyle, makeup, and outfit selection** were carefully checked by René—her attention to detail was truly impressive. Thanks to rigorous practice with expected and surprise questions, I was able to handle the actual interview well.  

René had an uncanny ability to pinpoint exactly what I was struggling with. Looking back at my mock interview, I realized that the questions weren’t unanswerable—I had simply been too nervous. The interviewers weren’t trying to test me harshly; they genuinely wanted to hear my story.  

That’s when I learned not to be ashamed of myself. René once told me,  

"As long as you have the right attitude, you’ll be fine." 

I finally understood how important **confidence and authenticity are. René also helped me discover my true motivation for filmmaking—not just giving generic answers, but finding something deeply personal. That journey led to tremendous growth.  

Final Success

When I received my acceptance letter, I couldn’t believe it. Just before the interview, I had been thinking, "Just endure this somehow." 

The fact that I not only made it but also received a full scholarship still feels surreal. I know that I owe this success to Renée and Humanitas Academy.  

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t hesitate—I would choose Humanitas Academy again.  

For students preparing for K-ARTS, whether Korean or international, I strongly recommend this academy.  

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Humanitas Academy & HU film company

📍 449-43 Seogyo-dong, Kukil Building, 5th Floor

📞 Direct Consultation: +82 10-7237-2899  IG : hu.academy

📌 Group classes also available in Apgujeong / Sinsa