Nena Choi holds a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Texas Tech University and Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and Language, Secondary Education, and Psychology. She has extensive experience as a Korean language instructor at the Defense Critical Language and Cultural Program(DCLCP) at the University of Montana, where she taught both South Korean and North Korean language and culture. Furthermore, she brings nearly seven years of experience as an English teacher at secondary schools in South Korea. Her research interests are centered on resettlement, language and culture of North Korean defectors, as well as identity, communicative competence from a pragmatic perspective, and intercultural competence. In her Korean language classes, she has implemented project-based learning using K-drama and K-pop, and has creatively integrated acting, singing, and dancing into her Korean cultural lessons.
In her free time, you can find her dancing classic ballet, oil painting, writing novels, and exercising at the gym. She also enjoys meeting new people and talking about diverse topics.