HANKUK UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES (HUFS)
2014 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SESSION in KOREAN STUDIES
July 18-August 16, 2014
IS 207 KOREAN WAVE: Contemporary Korean Popular Culture
Instructor:
Class Meetings:
Nemo Kim
Mon-Thurs TBA
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces major approaches to the study of globalization of contemporary
popular culture and the formation of Korean identity as expressed by the media.
The course consists of viewing and reading assignments, field trips, guest
speaker/performers, along with analysis and discussions which explore cultural
phenomena of South Korea as presented in media such as K-pop, TV dramas and shows,
films and other products of the Korean Wave.
This course also investigates Koreaness such as familism, fatalism, and customs, from
the perspective of post modernity to contemporary neoliberal era. Limitations, backlashes,
and future prospects of the Korean Wave will also be examined.
There are no prerequisites.
COURSE GRADING AND REQUIREMENTS:
1. Homework assignments – Viewings and field trips
2. Attendance and participation
3. Midterm: Choose one article from reading list or your own
which is related with your major and make it a media presentation
4. Final Power Point research project (individual or a pair)
Topics - related to your major/country in Korean Wave
20%
20%
20%
40%
REQUIRED CLASS MATERIALS:
Course Reader, by Sunny Jung, ed.
Riding The Korean Wave: Contemporary Korean Popular Culture
Audio-visual materials - can be found at Media Room (Mandatory Viewing):
Drama (first &last two epidodes): Winter Sonata (2002), Daejanggeum (2004), My Name is Kim
Sam-soon (2005), Goong(2006), Joomong (2006), Coffee Prince (2007), Boy over Flowers (2009), Tree
with Deep Roots(2011), and The Brain(2011)
Movie: JSA (2000), YMCA The Baseball Team (2002), Empty House (2004),
Welcome to Dongmakkol (2005), The King and the Clown (2005), Haeundae (2009),
Mother (2009), Ajeossi (2010) and Sunny(2011)
CLASS SCHEDULE: (subject to change)
WEEK 1:
Introduction: Globalization of Korean Popular Culture
 Stephen Colbert vs. Rain - Dance Off
Korean Wave at Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, America S. & N. and beyond
 Field Trip to South Gate Market and New World Department Store
 Readings:Cho Hae-joanng:“ Reading the Korean Wave as a Sign of Global Shift”
“Hybridity and the rise of Korean popular culture”
Lee Byoung-Hoon: Globalization and Industrial Relations in Korea
Doobo Shim:
WEEK 2:
K-pop: Post Modernity and Internet
 Why Korean Wave? Ride or take off? Impacts and Effects.
 Rain, “I’m Coming!”, from the Traditional Korean Opera Pansori to Hip Hop
BOA, HOT, Sonyo Sidae, Wonder Girls, KARA, Super Junior, 2PM
 Guest Speaker/ Performer - Pansori
 Field Trip to KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)
 Readings: Kim EM: “S.Korean Culture Goes Global: K-pop and the KoreanWave”
Shin Hyunjoon: “Have you ever seen the Rain? And who will stop the Rain?: The
Globalizing project of Korean pop (K-pop)”
WEEK 3:
Korean Drama: Cinderella Ambassor in the Middle of the Repeating
Recovery of Koreaness: Sentimentalism, Familism and Fatalism
 Winter Sonata, Daejanggum - the cultural ambassador
 Syndromes & Cultural Trades
 Viewing: My Name is Kim Samsoon (in class)
 Field Trip to Kwanghwa Gate and King Sejong Center
 Readings: Angel Lin and Avin Tong: “Crossing Boundaries: Male Consumption of
Korean TV Dramas & Negotiation of Gender Relations in Modern Hong Kong”
Toru Hanaki:“Hanryu Sweeps East Asia: How Winter Sonata is Gripping Japan”
K.Hayashi & Lee EJ: “ Potential of Fandom & the Limits of Soft Power: Media
Representations on the Popularity of a Korean Melodrama in Japan”
WEEK 4:
Korean Wave in Cinema, Games, Fashion, Language, Internet, Food
& Cultural Tourism
 Management of Fans, Psychological Mechanization of Internet
 I am your fan” Confessions of Dignities and Streets
American Billboard Chart, Canada’s Dance genre in K-Pop, Hulu.com’s
separate genre of Korean Drama, Youtube andMBC’s decisions
 Viewing: Bizarre Food by Andrew Zimmen 2009 (In class)
 Readings: Kim BC: “Production & Consumption of Contemporary K.Cinema”
Shin Chi-yun and Julian Stringer: “Storming the Big Screen: Shiri Syndrome”
Han Kyung-koo: “Kimchi War in Globalizing East Asia: Consumption, Gender,
Health, and National Identity”
WEEK 5:
Conclusion: Korean Wave, Its Past Criticism and Future Prospects
Falling? Constant Re-Rising?
The World’s New Contact Zone: Neoliberalism of Korean New Wave
 Field Trip (by students’ vote) and discussion
 Final Project Presentation and Q & A Sessions
 Readings: Dennis Hart, “Advertising in Korea: Articulating the Materialist Culture”
Andronika Martonova, "Contemporary Korean cinema - production, tradition
and ... Kim Ki-Douk"