East Asian Media and Popular Cultures

3–4 credits · Undergraduate

Reality television is often described as "unscripted," yet it relies on highly structured production practices that transform fragments of everyday life into compelling narratives that feel real. This course examines reality television as a key cultural form that exposes the "scripts" through which we understand individuality, intimacy, and public life. Drawing on reality show and documentary examples from Chinese, Korean, and occasionally global media (mainly U.S.), the course introduces students to the idea of "script" beyond written dialogue: as a set of production techniques, cultural expectations, and narrative frameworks (e.g., documentary modes). We will explore how casting, editing, storytelling, and audience participation shape what counts as "real," and how reality television produces emotional investment, moral judgment, and social debate.