This study explores changes in the motivation of international graduate students learning Korean through reflective interviews using motivational timeline charts. The narratives of four participants were categorized as “constantly getting back up”, “enjoying life in the real community”, “investing in learning Korean”, and “dynamically changing motivations”. The analysis of these narratives reveals the following findings: 1) Korean popular culture not only initially serves as the primary motivation for international graduate students to learn Korean but also continues to exert influence on their language learning throughout their graduate studies; 2) social relationships and support from peers and instructors significantly impact the language learning experiences of Korean as a Foreign Language (KFL) learners; 3) variations in academic adaptation and language learning motivations are observed between graduate students who pursue their studies in Korean and those who opt for English-medium programs