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N A M C E N T E R FOR K O R E A N S T U D I E S University of Michigan 2014-2015 Newsletter Hallyu 2.0 volume Contemporary Korea: Perspectives on Minhwa at Michigan Exchange Conference Undergraduate Korean Studies INSIDE: 2 3 From the Director Korean Studies Dear Friends of the Nam Center: Undergraduate he notion of opportunity underlies the Nam Center’s programming. Studies Scholars (NEKST) will be held on May 8-9 of 2015. In its third year, TWhen brainstorming ideas, setting goals for an academic or cultural the 2015 NEKST conference will be a forum for scholarly exchange and net- Exchange program, and putting in place specific plans, it is perhaps the ultimate grati- working among Korean Studies graduate students. On May 21st of 2015, the fication that we expect what we do at the Nam Center to provide an op- Nam Center and its partner institutions in Asia will host the New Media and Conference portunity for new experiences, rewarding challenges, and exciting directions Citizenship in Asia conference, which will be the fourth of the conference that would otherwise not be possible. Peggy Burns, LSA Assistant Dean for series. The Nam Center’s regular colloquium lecture series this year features he Korean Studies Undergraduate Exchange Conference organized Advancement, has absolutely been a great partner in all we do at the Nam eminent scholars from diverse disciplines. jointly by the Nam Center and the Korean Studies Institute at the Center. The productive partnership with Peggy over the years has helped This year’s Nam Center Undergraduate Fellows program has signifi- T University of Southern California (USC) gives students who are interested open many doors for new opportunities. It cantly been expanded and enhanced. Fourteen students have been selected in conducting original research on Korean studies the opportunity to for- was recently announced that Peggy would by application as undergraduate fellows, and the fellows program is malize their ideas in a paper presented to other undergraduate students. leave her post in mid-October to become administered as a seminar with classroom sessions and academic require- The conference is held annually and the location alternates between Ann the Senior Vice President for Philanthropy ments for credits. As part of the seminar, students are eligible to present a Arbor and Los Angeles. This year, the conference was held on February 8 for the Henry Ford Health System. Peggy research paper at the Korean Studies Undergraduate Exchange Confer- in Ann Arbor, and some of the students who traveled to Michigan from certainly deserves many congratulations ence to be held at the University of Southern California Korean Studies California experienced falling snow for the first time in their lives as well N for this transition, but all of us at the Nam Institute on February 14, 2015. The Summer in Korea program will go into its as other, more intellectual, activities. Center will terribly miss her guidance, lead- third year. This popular study abroad program has become so competitive HIGA ership, and friendship. that the Nam Center started implementing personal interviews as part of C Report by Nathaniel Schmall I The Nam Center continues to be a gate- the selection process. Summer in Korea is funded by the generous gift from “The Undergraduate Fellows Conference was a wonderful opportunity to M Nojin Kwak way for cutting edge scholarly and cultural Chairman Dae-Won Moon. conduct research on Korea with the help of the Nam Center staff and affil- programs in Korean studies. Now underway Following on the success and popularity of the Minhwa at Michigan iates. My paper, entitled “Gay Identity and South Korean Film,” was the are the preparations for the three conferences that the Nam Center hosts past academic year, the Nam Center will present another multi-faceted most in-depth research I’ve yet to accomplish during my entire academic I T Y O F annually. On November 7 and 8, the 4th International Conference of program on Korean traditional culture on February 5-8, 2015. Two promi- S career, and it is currently working its way through the publication process. Perspectives on Contemporary Korea will be held. This year’s Perspec- nent scholars and players of traditional musical instruments, Kyoung Sun Not only was conducting the research and writing the paper intellectually tives conference is themed, “Cultures of Yushin: The 1970s in South Korea,” Cho (Geomumgo, Seoul National University of Education) and Seungmi Suh IVER stimulating, but presenting my results before an audience of USC and Nam and will feature as the keynote speaker Professor Myong Kwan Chi, who is (Daegeum, Gyeongin National University of Education), will offer lectures, Center faculty, staff and fellows was rewarding and unforgettable. Un a former editor of Sasanggye and authored, under the pseudonym, T.K. Sei, hands-on workshops, and concerts at several venues with diverse audiences, the influential column, “Dispatches from Korea,” for the Japanese monthly including the U-M School of Music, the Ann Arbor Public Library, the Uni- “When I look back on my undergrad experience Sekai in the 70s and 80s. The International Conference of NextGen Korean versity Museum of Art, a local high school, and the Detroit Institute of Art. at the University of Michigan, this conference Other cultural programs, including Korean Cinema Now and the Ann Arbor T H E will no doubt be one of the most memorable S Korean Independent Film Festival, build on their established audiences. The CIC Korean Studies e-School is on a solid path. Thanks to the sup- moments for me.” port from the Korea Foundation, twelve CIC member universities participate I’m very grateful to the Center for providing the magnificent dinners and in the course sharing project, and during the current academic year, a total of socializing opportunities as well as part of the conference activities. I got S T U D I E eight Korean Studies courses are to be shared. The Korean Studies e-School N In This Issue to know the Nam Center and the fellows better and I consider these per- is considered exemplary in many aspects and represents a significant portion Korean Studies Undergraduate Exchange Conference 3 sonal connections I have made a valuable part of the experience. Directly of the CIC-wide collaboration on course sharing, accounting for 70% of all Minhwa at Michigan 4 after the conference, I thoroughly enjoyed the Minwha demonstration. Courseshare enrollment. The Nam Center as the administrative hub of the Hallyu 2.0 5 It provided catharsis at the perfect time, and I couldn’t have personally e-School plays a central role. New Acquisition of Painting by Park Su-geun 6 chosen a more relaxing activity after the intensity of the conference. The Korean Studies program at U-M welcomes Jaeeun Kim, the Korea NEKST Conference & U-M/SNU Graduate Student Exchange Program 7 When I look back on my undergrad experience at the University of Foundation Assistant Professor (Sociology), and Hyun-ju Kim, a new KLP fac- Michigan, this conference will no doubt be one of the most memorable Sang-Yong Nam Award & Memorial Lecture 8 ulty member. Professor Sangjoon Lee of Screen Arts and Cultures accepted TER FOR KOREA moments for me.” Perspectives on Contemporary Korea conferences 9 N a faculty position at Dankook University, Korea, and I wish the very best for KLP and Asia Library; CIC Korean Studies e-School 10 next chapters in Professor Lee’s career. This year’s Korea Foundation Gradu- C E Bottom photo: Back Row (L-R): Do-Hee Morsman, Mi-Eun Kim, Gra- Chuseok Dae Party 11 ate Fellow is Minna Lee (Asian Languages and Cultures), and the Academy cie Soignet, Linda Kim, Caroline Koo, Nathan Schmall, David Kang, AM Korea from “A Single Shard” 13 of Korean Studies Graduate Fellow is Joon Sung Lee (Kinesiology). I also Skye Huerta, David Yang, Jay Choi, Sam Yoo, Michael Welch, Chang N Student and Alumni News 14-15 welcome Professors Jung Hyun Kim (Chung-Ang University) and Jae In Cho Soo Song Faculty and Staff Updates 16-17 (Inchon National University) to the Nam Center family as visiting scholars. Front Row (L-R): Isobel Brown,Susan Yang, Patricia Park, Briahna Upcoming in 2014-2015 18-19 Anders, Annes Kim, Jung Ye Nam, Nojin Kwak, Byung-Mo Chung, Nojin Kwak Yong Il Kwon 4 5 Premier volume for Perspectives on Contemporary Minhwa at Michigan Korea in production now his year’s Nam Center signature event, allyu 2.0: The Korean Wave in the Age Korea’s popular media contents to regions TMinhwa at Michigan, featured a short-term Hof Social Media the seminal volume in where traditional media—theatrical distribu- residency by master artists Chang Soo Song and the “Perspectives on Contemporary Korea” tion, broadcast networks, and DVD/VCD Jung Ye Nam. Planned to coincide with a lecture book series is in production now, soon be sales—had never reached previously. South by Professor Byung-Mo Chung, (Gyeongju Uni- available for pre-order, and is expected to Korean films, TV dramas and variety shows, versity) the Nam Center was host to a series of be available on shelves and in e-book for- online games, comics, and popular songs are events celebrating the art and practice of Korean mat by spring 2015 for use in summer and now being shared, distributed, and consumed folk painting from February 6 - 8, 2014. fall classrooms. in cyberspace at an unparalleled pace. Members of the Minhwa Artists Association Hallyu, literally “the Korean wave,” is a Hallyu has recently come into its own generously loaned works of art to the Center for term coined to describe the global popularity as a subject of academic inquiry and broad a week-long exhibit on contemporary Korean folk of South Korean popular culture.