“I Felt Warm, Familiar and Comfortable”: A Case Study of Western Exchange Students Seek Nostalgic Leisure Experiences in South Korea

With the internationalization of Korean culture, choosing South Korea for exchange programs has become a trend among Western students. In exchange programs where Western students adapt to Eastern societies, individuals often encounter various leisure constraints. Leisure nostalgia seems to serve as an emotional support, helping them cope with these leisure constraints. This study utilized purposive snowball sampling to conduct in-depth interviews with eight Western exchange students who experienced leisure constraints in South Korea. It explores how these students use nostalgic leisure experience to overcome limitations in participating in leisure activities in South Korea. The analysis indicates that nostalgic leisure experiences may help Western exchange students escape acculturative stress, establish social connections, and enhance psychological comfort. The study suggests that leisure nostalgia as emotional support may be a strategy for Western exchange students to overcome leisure constraints and promote their leisure participation in South Korea.