Understanding K-Pop

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course examines a history of and issues in popular music cultures of contemporary Korean society. For this examination, the course surveys the development of various genres of Korean popular music, from sinminyo (new folksong) in the early twentieth century to the recent K-pop. Also, this course aims to situate these musical genres in a variety of the Korean contexts, including modernization, Westernization, industrialization, urbanization, democratization, globalization, the Korean currency crisis, the Korean Wave, fandom, and gender and sexuality. Drawing upon abundant music and video clips, the course will incorporate lectures and in-class discussions on weekly topics. Through this course, students will learn: 1. How to approach contemporary Korean society and its history especially in relation to popular music cultures. 2. How to study a history of Korean popular music. 3. How to analyze K-pop socio-culturally, socio-historically, socio-politically, and socio-economically. 4. How to listen to K-pop more critically and analytically. 5. How to discuss K-pop-related social issues by means of music, music videos, and musical performance. This learning will then enable students to better understand K-pop as a culturally, socially, and politically inclusive phenomenon, as well as to explore contemporary South Korea from diversified perspectives.