Korean universities are racing to globalize, yet budget shortfalls and the absence of reliable data on international students continue to limit their progress. Korean institutions often lack the resources to bring in distinguished scholars from overseas or to properly reward professors producing world-class research. The shortage has fueled a brain drain, with even elite institutions like Seoul National University losing talent as academics pursue opportunities abroad, further eroding the competitiveness of Korean higher education. Recruiting international students has been considered the first step in Korea's higher education globalization drive. For many international students, a lack of accessible information adds to the challenges of studying and building a future in Korea.