▶ People ①
Suh Eunyoung, Dean of Seoul National University Gwanak Residence Halls (Professor, College of Nursing)
With over 6,500 students and 40 buildings, Seoul National University Gwanak Residence Halls is a village as dynamic as its scale suggests. Recently, it reached a new turning point with the introduction of the “SNU style residential college (RC),” a model that goes beyond simple housing to create a shared space for learning and living. Now in her fourth month in office, Dean Suh Eunyoung shares her vision for a happy and safe community.
Is a university residence hall merely a place to sleep? Tracing the evolution of Gwanak Residence Halls (hereafter, simply residence halls) reveals how the meaning of this space has changed. Dean Suh recalled an earlier era: “There was a time when 40 to 60 people crowded into a single room. Some professors even considered it a stroke of luck to be assigned to a 40 person room.” At that time, maximizing capacity was the priority. Later, the residence halls shifted to a two person per room structure that emphasized privacy. Newer facilities include duplex style rooms for international students and the LnL Hall, a community space designed around communication. As residential patterns have changed, so too have the definition and role of the residence hall.
At the center of this transformation is the LnL (Living & Learning) program, Seoul National University’s large scale RC initiative. Planned in 2022, piloted in 2023, and officially launched in 2025, LnL will, by March 2026, include approximately 560 new students—about 17% of the incoming class—living in Buildings 906, 919C, and 919D. Students earn credits through Gwanak Group Lectures and Student Led Seminars while exploring interests through extracurricular activities such as K pop dance, DIY perfume making, and flower arranging. Small groups of about 20 students are supported by a graduate student proctor and an undergraduate mentor, who provide guidance in both daily life and academics.
Why introduce such a program when space is already tight? Dean Suh answered with conviction:
“This place is not merely a place to eat and sleep, but a ‘village’ where people interact and share their lives. Benchmarking RC examples from Oxford, Cambridge, and Singapore, we realized the core element is ultimately the ‘space for togetherness.’ It’s about interacting naturally while discussing, drawing, and cooking together. In fact, the presence or absence of common spaces significantly impacts students’ sense of community and their responses.”
When asked for a specific example, Dean Suh shared a reflection from an LnL student that she had pasted into her notebook: “A shift in attitude toward university life—from aiming to just make a decent living to contemplating how to contribute in an era of immense crisis.” When Dean Suh remarked that this page was more effective than a thousand words explaining LnL’s purpose, I couldn’t help but nod in agreement.
Changes in physical spaces can foster systems that care for the emotional well being of the people who inhabit them. Building 919, which we visited with Dean Suh, embodies this philosophy of “sharing” and “caring.”
“Building 919 features a ‘unit type’ structure where three rooms with two occupants each share a single living room, accommodating over a thousand people. Discussions take place in the spacious common areas, and students cook together and bond in the shared kitchen.”
Behind this lively atmosphere lies an “invisible care” that supports students’ hidden concerns. A key example is the Gwanshim Counseling Center—its name meaning “the mind of the residence hall.” Professional counselors conduct an average of 340 sessions per month to support students’ mental health.
“It’s probably the fastest place on campus to get counseling without waiting. Even if they’re feeling a bit down, those who share meals or exercise with others overcome crises much more easily. Simply ‘being together’ is the start of healing.”
Despite her busy schedule, Dean Suh personally plans events for students. She invited the Kim Chang-ok Show for a lecture and hosted a barbecue party during Hanulje (the residence hall festival), creating joyful memories.
“Next year, we plan to begin rebuilding aging residence halls. To support this, we’re producing commemorative items like magnets, towels, and tumblers. Starting with the parent event in May, we plan to conduct a large scale fundraising campaign throughout the year.”
Her dedication to opening her heart and embracing students was evident throughout our conversation.
“When water holds warm heat, it may not boil immediately, but it will inevitably boil over someday. I believe that if I embrace students with warmth, their lives will hold warmth too. People instinctively know who truly cares for them. I hope these students, who will one day lead Korea, receive abundant positive influence. The energy people give one another truly exists.”
The answer to the question posed at the start—“What should a space that holds students’ lives be like?”—seemed clear by the end of our visit. The residence hall felt unusually warm, and it certainly wasn’t just because of the weather.
“An essential question that addresses
the ‘meaning of life’
rather than blindly seeking to survive
is a human’s most noble struggle
to craft their own unique value.
Only those who constantly ask themselves,
‘Why do I exist?’,
can truly build a world of their own.”
