Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management (GJEFM) · Research article · Open access
English Learning Investment and Imagined Communities: Three University Students in Jeju
Mi-Sun Kim
5 August 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 8, pp. 274-278
DOI: 10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04
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What is this article about?
English learning is closely connected to learners’ identities, future aspirations, and perceived access to social and professional opportunities. This qualitative case study examined how imagined communities and imagined identities shaped the investment of three university students in English learning in Jeju, South Korea.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 5 August 2026
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 2, Issue 8, pp. 274-278
- ISSN
- 3117-6771 (online) · 3117-6763 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
English learning is closely connected to learners’ identities, future aspirations, and perceived access to social and professional opportunities. This qualitative case study examined how imagined communities and imagined identities shaped the investment of three university students in English learning in Jeju, South Korea. Drawing on Anderson’s concept of imagined communities and Norton’s theory of investment, it analyzed the participants’ journal entries and interviews collected over one academic semester. The findings indicated that their investment in English was shaped by the future communities and identities they imagined. Hyun-Joo associated English with becoming a responsible tourism professional who could contribute to the development of Jeju. Yoo-Na viewed English as a means of overcoming a marginalized learner identity and gaining access to her imagined communities. In-Jung’s overseas language-training experience expanded her aspirations from local hotel employment to participation in international hospitality communities. For them, English functioned as both a communicative skill and a symbolic and practical resource for accessing their imagined communities. This study suggests that English education in tourism-oriented regions should connect classroom learning with learners’ local experiences, professional aspirations, and imagined participation in broader communities.
Keywords: English learning investment, imagined communities, imagined identities, learner identity, English proficiency, Jeju
Cite this article
Mi-Sun Kim (2026). English Learning Investment and Imagined Communities: Three University Students in Jeju. Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, 2(8), 274-278. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04
@article{MiSun2026,
title = {English Learning Investment and Imagined Communities: Three University Students in Jeju},
author = {Mi-Sun Kim},
journal = {Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {8},
pages = {274-278},
doi = {10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Mi-Sun Kim.
Where and when was it published?
In Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, Volume 2, Issue 8, pages 274-278, published by EP Journals Group on 5 August 2026.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Mi-Sun Kim (2026). English Learning Investment and Imagined Communities: Three University Students in Jeju. Global Journal of Education, Finance and Management, 2(8), 274-278. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjefm/V2E8/2026-04
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