Seoul Tomonkai

About the Seoul Tomonkai

Following the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea in 1965, major South Korean financial groups accepted large amounts of capital and personnel resources at that time to introduce technologies from Japanese companies. Under such circumstances, Waseda University alumni who came to South Korea as expatriates from Japanese companies are said to have established the Seoul Tomonkai to promote friendship among themselves.

Since its establishment, the Seoul Tomonkai has walked through the history of the country, from the nationwide imposition of martial law in 1980, and the 1988 Seoul Olympics, to present-day South Korea. Since the Tomonkai is based overseas and consists mainly of expatriates, our membership does not always stay the same as some members leave and new members join us. Even so, the Tomonkai has endured until 2024. Now, expatriates, residents, international students, Japanese and South Korean people, and men and women of all ages make up a borderless community and interact with each other regularly.

Our main activities include quarterly get-togethers, Waseda-Keio joint events and golf competitions, glamping, New Year’s parties, Christmas parties, and grand year-end “Bonenkai” parties with South Korean people who graduated from Waseda University. We offer various opportunities for Tomonkai members living in South Korea.

The Seoul Tomonkai lists more than 250 members on its roster from 2012 to 2024, while 50 active members are connected online via the Seoul Tomonkai group on the KakaoTalk chat app.
Wonsung Choi（Graduated with a doctor’s degree in 2012, Graduate School of Science and Engineering）
Cooperation: Yoshimi Takahashi（Graduated in 1998, School of Law）

The attractive points of Seoul

The grand Han-Gang River runs gently through the heart of Seoul from east to west. Along the river, there are walking paths and open spaces, making the riverside area look altogether like a large park. An area for rest and relaxation is open to everyone and is often crowded with citizens enjoying a picnic, walking their dogs, riding bicycles, and doing exercises; the location also offers various seasonal events. The entire area is loved by Seoul citizens. You can order Seoul food such as “chicken and beer” from your smartphone and get it delivered to anywhere along the Han-Gang River, and of course, you can pay using your smartphone.

The area north of the Han-Gang River is called the Gangbuk District and the area south of the river is called the Gangnam District. In terms of the characteristics of these districts, in Gangbuk, there are many historical buildings and government offices, and Gangnam is home to new upscale neighborhoods and large bustling areas.

The song “Gangnam Style” by Psy comically depicts the bustling Gangnam area and became a worldwide hit in 2012. Korean entertainment content, such as TV dramas, K-POP music, and films, has grown enormously, leading to the emergence of the boyband BTS in the 2020s. As Seoul continues to grow even today beyond the “Miracle on the Han-Gang River,” the period of high economic growth in the 1960s, the city is attractive and dynamic, attracting attention not only from South Korean citizens but also from people worldwide.
Wonsung Choi（Graduated with a doctor’s degree in 2012, Graduate School of Science and Engineering）

Message from the Chairperson

I have been the chairperson of the Seoul Tomonkai since 2022. Waseda University students are like lone wolves—they do not act in groups or flatter people. This does not change whether they are students, graduates, or living in South Korea. However, when we hold a gathering, around 20 members come and enjoy conversations with each other. We are a community of members of different ages and genders with unique personalities who talk about various topics such as work, hobbies, history, the university, and romance. At the end of the day, however, we sing Waseda University’s anthem “Alma Mater” together and return to our own paths. We are connected distantly and the Tomonkai reminds me of that fact in this place, a little farther from Waseda.

Apart from the Seoul Tomonkai, we have the Waseda University Alumni Association in Korea, composed of South Koreans who graduated from Waseda University. Our seniors, including Cho Suck‑rai, former Honorary Chairman of the Hyosung Group, who died earlier this year, and the late Lee Kun-hee, former Chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., have provided scholarships to support students. Many members of the association were scholarship students who graduated from the university; thus, students and alumni are connected within Waseda’s ecosystem.

Unfortunately, the Seoul Tomonkai suspended activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the period, many members returned to Japan and the Seoul Tomonkai was in danger of being discontinued. However, the Tomonkai resumed activities in 2023 with new members. From now on, we will continually offer opportunities for interaction and communication. Incidentally, we won an overwhelming victory in a golf competition with the Seoul Mita-kai (Keio University’s alumni network in Seoul,) saving our school’s honor here in South Korea.
Ryuichi Masatomi（Graduated in 1989, School of Political Science and Economics）

Messages from the Members

Since I was transferred as a Dentsu Inc. expatriate to South Korea in January 1997, I have lived in Seoul for about 27 years until today. I worked for the company for 13 years and have spent 14 years living in Seoul after retirement. I had no choice when I worked for a company. However, I continue to stay here in my post-retirement life of freedom because I became the chairman of the organizing committee for the “Nikkan Koryu Omatsuri (Japan–South Korea Exchange Festival).” I would like to devote myself to the friendship between Japan and South Korea. I have lived a comfortable life almost every day for the past 27 years. I have not experienced discomfort just because I am Japanese. In my deepest self, I feel attracted to the Seoul blue sky and the memories of Yi Dynasty Korea.
Masashi Tanaka（Graduated in 1973, School of Law Ⅰ）

I have been working for a South Korean company since 2017. The Seoul Tomonkai offers a place where men and women of all ages and backgrounds, such as Japanese company expatriates, international exchange students, Korean people who studied at Waseda University, and people working for South Korean companies, talk with each other. We sing the Alma Mater almost every time we meet. While travelling in Korea, I was greeted with ‘WASEDA!’ by a restaurant owner. She said it was just because I was wearing dark-red clothes, and also told me that her daughter was studying at Waseda university. That is incredible! In Waseda, there is something more than words can convey. It is a bond that I want to treasure all my life.
Daichirou Eguchi（Graduated in 1985, School of Social Sciences）

When I was at the university, I was a member of the university’s basketball club. Since graduating, I have been supporting the club as a member of its alumni association. Since 2022, I have been on my second assignment to South Korea. Yi Sang-baek, our great senior, belonged to the basketball club when he studied in Japan and made a great contribution to spreading the sport after he graduated. In honor of his achievements in both the Japanese and South Korean basketball worlds, Waseda University students were invited to South Korea in 1976, the year that marked the 10th year of his death, and a memorial basketball meet was held. This event turned into exchange games between teams of selected students from both countries and this year marked the 47th iteration of the event. Here in South Korea, I feel a deep connection to my old school through basketball.
Yuzo Kondo（Graduated in 1994, School of Education）

I currently study as an international student at a graduate school in South Korea. When I was a sophomore, the COVID-19 virus broke out. Because of that, I did not have many opportunities to see my seniors when I was at Waseda University. Members of the Seoul Tomonkai gave me, a student, a warm welcome and I have a good time every time I meet them. I feel as if I were spending a real student life here in South Korea. When I talk with my South Korean friends, I am surprised by the fact that they are interested in unexpected things in Japan, such as vending machines, tatami mats, and convenience stores. They have a South Korean word “일본감성,” that expresses “Japaneseness.” I would like to enjoy the cultural differences between Japan and South Korea during my remaining six months in the country. After returning to Japan, I will treasure the ties of Waseda alumni and students.
Mana Hiromatsu（Graduated in 2023, School of Law）

Covered in Waseda Gakuho, October 2024 Issue

Return to Alumni Network World Map