Introduction to Korean Popular Culture

3 units

This course explores the production, circulation, and consumption of popular culture in Korea from the early twentieth century to the present. Using a compilation of scholarly works as our guide, this course will explore advertisement campaigns by conglomerates, the origins of South Korean rock music, and challenges to the concept of popular culture in North Korea, as well as better-known phenomena such as South Korean dramas, films and K-Pop idol groups. By examining primary sources discussed in each chapter of the scholarly compilation along with the issues and critiques offered in the chapter, the course aims to 1) hone analytical skill in reading representations while 2) contextualizing culture and popular culture within the globalized twenty first century. Through close readings and engaged in-class discussions, we will ask: What are some implications of K in the K-Pop and K-Drama? What defines a cultural phenomenon as belonging to popular or sub-culture? How have perceptions of popular culture changed over time within and beyond Korea? All readings will be in English, and films will be shown with English subtitles.