In South Korea, PC Bangs (internet cafes) are a social institution. An exchange student who refuses to play League of Legends or StarCraft is essentially refusing to socialize. In Brazil, Counter-Strike is a religion. By sitting down to play, the student says, “I respect your pastime enough to try.”
With the globalization of media streaming platforms (Netflix, YouTube, TikTok) and transnational pop culture (K-dramas, Latin telenovelas, Turkish dizis), exchange students no longer rely solely on host-country television or news for cultural learning. Instead, they curate hybrid media diets. Objective: This paper investigates how international exchange students engage with entertainment content and popular media during their sojourn, focusing on three dimensions: (1) media as a tool for acculturation, (2) media as a space for coping with homesickness, and (3) media as a social bridge or barrier with local peers. Method: Mixed-methods study with 50 exchange students (aged 18–25) in a European host university, combining media diaries and semi-structured interviews. Findings (expected): Preliminary analysis suggests students use media in three distinct phases: pre-departure (stereotyping host culture through films), early sojourn (comfort re-watching home-country content), and late sojourn (co-viewing local memes/series with host nationals). Notably, algorithmic recommendations on TikTok/Instagram often replace formal intercultural training. Conclusion: Entertainment media functions as an informal acculturation curriculum, yet it can also reinforce stereotypes. The paper proposes a “media literacy intervention” for exchange programs.
The paper reviews three intersecting fields:
For introverted exchange students, physical parties are overwhelming. Gaming servers, however, are a safe haven.
In this deep dive, we explore how exchange students use movies, series, music, social media, and gaming to bridge cultural gaps, avoid social faux pas, and create lasting memories.
Exchange students often experience loneliness. Continued engagement with home-country influencers, podcasts, or soap operas serves as a “transitional object,” reducing anxiety but potentially delaying real-world interaction.
