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Unit of study_
ASNS2004: Korean Popular Culture
2025 unit information
This unit presents multiple aspects of popular culture in South and North Korea, from K-pop to blockbuster movies, popular literature, internet culture, video games and socialist mass culture. It approaches Korea's cultural industries historically and critically, questioning their relationships to colonialism, militarism, social hierarchies, national identities, and economic globalization. Primary reading materials are drawn from a variety of genres and media to reflect the diversity of popular culture in the two Koreas. All reading materials are available in English translation and no knowledge of Korean is required.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Asian Studies |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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12 credit points from Korean Studies or 12 credit points at 1000 level from Asian Studies |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Gain in-depth knowledge of how Korean popular culture is produced, distributed and consumed globally
- LO2. Reflect about the specificities of Korean culture and its relationships to other cultures around the world
- LO3. Develop critical thinking skills to be able to assess the economic, social and political aspects of contemporary cultural industries
- LO4. Learn about concepts from the fields of art sociology, economics of culture, cultural studies and critical theory and apply them to the study of works of popular culture
- LO5. Conduct research, weigh evidence and work critically with primary and secondary sources
- LO6. Structure an academic essay and write clearly and concisely to make persuasive arguments
- LO7. Develop oral presentation skills and learn to communicate ideas effectively
Unit availability
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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