Motives, Means, and Belonging in a Strange Land: Female International Students Navigating a Racially and Ethnically Homogeneous Korean Society

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This is an interesting topic with a proper focus. Using an experiential sample and a qualitative methodology to obtain the data adds interest to the work.

This is an interesting topic with a proper focus. Using an experiential sample and a qualitative methodology to obtain the data adds interest to the work. The only thing that should be improved is the fact of proposing in the methodology an analysis with a gender perspective that is not subsequently developed in the discussion and conclusions.

The authors limit themselves to using a female sample without influencing the gender factors that could have conditioned their experience, such as their role as mothers (do they have the collaboration of the couple?). The improvement of the analysis would be necessary. Likewise, it can be considered that the amount of sample used could be improved since a single individual is not representative of a group.

Author Response

Please check the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting study looking at cultural adaption for female international students in Korea.  I think this is a very important study with an appropriate methodology for the research.  I have two main concerns.  First, the conclusions are based on an extremely small sample size of 9.  This makes any inferences from the interviews problematic, but I think the study is sufficiently robust to provide initial observations that begin to explain the female migrant experience in Korea, especially where commonalities exist across cultures.  However, the study would be more powerful if the sample size was increased.  

My major concern is the lack of literature survey in producing your research questions.  Your research relies on a small amount of previous scholarship and does not include a sufficient literature review that helps inform the research and survey questions.  I know there is a vast literature focusing on migrants' experiences.  I would be interested to see how your project informs the existing literature.  

Also, please take a look at the article's grammar, style and usage in an effort to help readability.  There are several capitalization issues of country and national names.  Also, some of your word choices lead to confusion as I read the manuscript.  For example, on page 2, you use the term, "in a long shot."  This term does not generate confidence in your conclusions.  If you can find a native English speaker to proofread your article, I think it will help improve the quality of your arguments and the readability of the article.  

Overall, I really enjoyed the article and your approach.  I think this could significantly add to the literature on migrant experiences.  I would like to see a larger sample size, if possible, and a more significant review of the literature.  I believe the literature review is a more significant concern than the sample size.  Thank you for the opportunity to review the article.  I really enjoyed it.  Best of luck!  

Author Response

Please cheeck the attached file. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Thank you for addressing my comments on the paper.  I feel this is a much improved draft of this very interesting topic.  I think you shown great improvement in situating the research in the literature.  In addition, I appreciate the time you devoted to discussing and situating the results of each of the surveys.  This makes the paper extremely relevant to people outside of Korea who are interesting in some of the general issues surrounding study abroad.  I had one minor comment.  In section 3.2 on page 6, you mention that "the most famous language to study in Mongolia is Korean."  I would suggest you change the word famous to popular.  I'm not sure famous is the correct choice there.  Otherwise, I really enjoyed your paper and I wish you the best of luck in the future.  

Author Response

As suggested in your review,  the word 'famous' is changed to 'popular'.

Thank you for your comments, once again.