Advanced Topics in Korean Literature and Culture (340-0-20)
Topic
The Rise of K-Culture: Korean Media and Cultural I
Instructors
Dahye Kim
847/491-1350
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge 4-441
Office Hours: varies by quarter, please contact instructor
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
AY 24-25 This seminar on Korean media culture examines the development of media technologies, institutions, and practices that have shaped contemporary South Korean popular culture and led to its global prominence. In a 2021 New York Times article titled "From BTS to ‘Squid Game': How South Korea Became a Cultural Juggernaut," South Korea is described as an undeniable global soft power. However, this present success would have been difficult to imagine in the 1980s, when South Korean society largely viewed itself as a relatively "undeveloped" postcolonial nation, just beginning to recognize the strategic importance of its information and culture industries in the so-called age of post-industrialization. This course begins from that earlier historical moment to trace and understand the rise of South Korea's now-prominent cultural industries. A key question we will explore is the notion of national culture—specifically South Korean culture, which is inseparable from our critical reflection on the concept of national culture itself. In this sense, we can ask, "What exactly is Korean about K-pop or K-drama?" We'll examine how national culture, as a critical issue and a collective endeavor, is linked to postcolonial and Cold War-era nation-building projects, global debates on colonial legacies and U.S. cultural imperialism, and South Korea's push for globalization—shaped in part by U.S. pressure—since the 1990s (or the 1980s, considering earlier structural changes in economic and technological infrastructure). In addition to investigating "Korean culture" as a concept defined in various ways across different historical periods, the course encourages critical reflection on dichotomies such as national vs. global and East vs. West. These reflections are particularly relevant in a globalized context where the production, distribution, and consumption of K-pop and other forms of Korean media frequently transcend national boundaries, often engaging with and mediated by diasporic communities.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the class, students are expected to:
1. Acquire proficiency in key concepts within cultural studies, encompassing cultural production and consumption.
2. Develop familiarity with pivotal discussions and debates in hallyu (Korean Wave) studies, including soft power, national culture, global culture, cultural imperialism, cultural appropriation, and cultural hybridity.
3. Contextualize the historical evolution of the Korean cultural industry against the backdrop of globalization and neo-liberalization since the 1990s.
4. Engage in critical analysis of notions such as national culture and the Western vs. non-Western cultural dichotomy, exploring their political underpinnings and performative functions in international politics and geopolitics.
5. Comprehend the role of media technology in cultural phenomena.
6. Apply their knowledge of the above analytical frameworks and cultural theories to critically analyze individual cultural products, such as K-pop reaction videos.
Teaching Method
Discussion complemented with lectures.
Evaluation Method
Grades will be determined by student comprehension of lectures and readings, discussion, and a combination of smaller and in-depth writing assignments.
Class Materials (Required)
All course materials will be available on Canvas. However, students may be required to purchase one or two films and a Netflix subscription for viewing assignments. If you need financial support, please contact the instructor.
Class Attributes
Advanced Expression
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for students majoring or minoring in Asian Languages & Cultures or International Studies until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable.