Cultures in Korean Society: Filmic Dramatisations of History

From 2027, the course title will be updated to “Cultures in Korea: Language, Music and Film.” 2026 Theme: Language. The Korean Wave currently sweeping over the globe continues to raise considerable interest in contemporary South Korean popular culture. This course seeks to examine core components of this culture as they reflect and shape contemporary Korean society and its recent past. Topics include the original triptych of K-pop, television drama, and film, as well as creative industries behind the production and marketing of mass culture, language as a mirror of society, derivative consumer products, and transmission channels such as advertising and online media. Together these facets of South Korean culture facilitate understanding of the country as a whole. This course is taught on a rotating basis by different instructors, allowing students to benefit from each instructor’s area of expertise.