Leisure as a Pathway to Acculturation and Well-Being: A Qualitative Exploration of Chinese International Students in South Korea

Students from Western countries have been the primary focus of most studies on the acculturation experiences of international students in South Korea. However, relatively little is known about the acculturation of Chinese students studying in South Korea. This study explored how Chinese international students experience leisure engagement in the acculturation process of Chinese international students. A purposeful criterion sampling strategy was employed in this qualitative study. Based on semi-structured interviews with 21 individuals, 5 major themes emerged from the Chinese international students’ leisure participation experiences during acculturation: (a) physical health, (b) psychological health, (c) social health, (d) cultural understanding, and (e) psychological dissonance. The findings indicate that participants perceived leisure engagement as closely connected to their overall well-being and cultural adjustment. However, some students described experiencing psychological dissonance in leisure contexts due to perceived prejudice and discrimination toward China and Chinese people.