Course Description

We explore Korean culture through the medium of food as depicted in contemporary television dramas, focusing on 식샤를 합시다 Let’s Eat (2013). We investigate how this series intersects Korean food culture with urgent social issues, including 먹방 meokbang, the challenges of living alone, violence against women, and workplace bullying. We also learn the basics of film analysis, aiming to increase our ability to “read” visual texts and narratives.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• Students will need to access 식샤를 합시다 Let’s Eat (2013), which is available on the Tving.com streaming service. All supplementary readings will be provided.

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• We will employ a mix of small group work, whole class discussions, and scene analysis.

Field of Lecture

• Culture

Course Description

Kress and van Leeuwen (2001) emphasize that meaning is conveyed not only through language but also through diverse semiotic resources, including images, gestures, posture, gaze, and colour. This course aims to develop students’ multiliteracies and understanding of meaning by exploring Korean places, language, and culture across different regions of Korea. Through the use of multimodal materials, students will virtually “travel” Korea from the classroom while examining how place, culture, and identity are represented through visual, spatial, linguistic, and digital resources.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• Sources and materials will be prepared by the lecturer and may include digital maps, images, short videos, and guided learning materials. 

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Students will develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through interactive activities such as guided exploration, group discussion, short reflections, and collaborative tasks using a variety of media-based learning materials. 

Field of Lecture

• Culture, Language

Course Description

This course combines theoretical insights from sociolinguistics with practical applications of the Korean language, society, and culture. Tailored for international students in South Korea, the course aims to deepen linguistic and cultural competencies through interactive and enjoyable learning experiences.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• Handouts

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lecture, Presentation, Discussion

Field of Lecture

• Culture, Language, Sociology

Course Description

This course seeks to examine K- pop and Korean pop culture by utilizing music videos as a primary medium for analysis.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• No text book required

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lecture +watching music videos + in-class discussion

Field of Lecture

• Culture

Course Description

East Asia is an important region that includes the second and third-largest economies globally and has four countries in the G20. East Asian countries have achieved remarkable economic success since the post-war period but are facing many endogenous and exogenous challenges. Focusing on East Asia, this course will explore the historical evolution of East Asian regional order and the patterns of economic rise, cooperation, and integration in the region. Topics examined in this course include Chinese tributary-based regional order, Japan’s rise and colonialism, the U.S. pivot and US-China rivalry, nationalism, North Korean conundrum, the unification model of two Koreas, economic development of Japan, Korea, and China, territorial disputes in East Asia, and regional economic and security cooperation.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• All readings will be available online.

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lecture & Discussion

Field of Lecture

• Political Science, International Relations

Course Description

This course examines Korea’s post-war economic development and its evolving foreign relations across different regions of  the  world.  It  explores  Korea’s engagement  with  East  Asia,  ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America, and Latin America, focusing  on  trade,  diplomacy,  energy policy, technology, and cultural diplomacy. The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how Korea has transformed from a war-torn country into a major global economic and diplomatic actor. By analyzing regional partnerships,  energy  strategies,  digital transformation, and soft power, students will develop critical insights into Korea’s role in the contemporary international political economy.

Through  essays,  presentations,  and reading-based  discussions,  students  will strengthen their research, analytical, and writing skills while engaging with key academic  debates  on  Korea’s  global strategy and foreign policy.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• Necessary articles and documents will be provided during the session.

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lecture, Discussion, Presentation

Field of Lecture

• Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Culture

Course Description

Can the European Union (EU) play a greater role in Northeast Asia?

Is North Korean nuclear and missile program a genuine threat not only to the region but also for the European countries?

How effective is EU-Korea Strategic Partnership?

In this course, we examine the existing EU foreign policies with a special focus on Northeast Asia –  the Korean Peninsula. We also investigate the current situation in North Korea in an attempt to position North Korea in the international system and examine how much North Korea is integrated into the international community. We also examine how to solve the most conventionally recognized “issues”  the international community perceives when looking at the Korean Peninsula such as denuclearization or North-South reunification.

To address these questions, we will first equip ourselves with the basic tools of the International Relations research field by learning about concepts, variables, hypotheses, theories, and paradigms. We will then apply these tools to the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the European Union's involvement in the region.

The ultimate purpose of this course is to look at the Korean Peninsula in a non-traditional, holistic, pragmatic way and reflect on "outside the box”, but perhaps feasible solutions not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in general context.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• Basic readings:

• - Babbie, Earl. The Practice of Social Research. 14th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2017

• - Baylis, John, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens, eds. The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

• - Oberdorfer, Don, and Robert Carlin. The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History. Hachette UK, 2013.

• - Cha, Victor D. The Impossible State : North Korea, Past and Future / Victor Cha. London: Bodley Head, 2012.

• - John D.B. The Star of the North. Penguin Random House, 2019. (a novel)

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• A mix of lecturing, class discussion, and students’ presentations

Field of Lecture

• Politics

Course Description

Explore global business and personal branding in this interactive course for university students. Students will analyze how leading Korean and multinational companies—including Samsung, Hyundai, L’Oréal, Coupang, Naver, Coca-Cola, and Patagonia— implement effective strategies in marketing, leadership, CSR, and global expansion.

Through case studies and hands-on exercises, students examine strategic decision-making, leadership, and brand management while developing their personal brand through social media, storytelling, and interview techniques.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

•      Analyze global business and leadership strategies

•      Understand how companies adapt to global markets

•      Apply personal branding strategies to enhance career opportunities

•      Evaluate CSR and ethical practices in global organizations

Required Textbooks/Materials

• PDFs will be provided

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lecture, Discussion, Presentation

Field of Lecture

• Business

Course Description

•     This course acquaints students with the generally accepted ethical standards in the business world.

•     These standards pertain to such matters as conflict of interest, insider trading, price-fixing, employment discrimination, and the ethics of advertising and sales.

•     The goal is to explain the ethical expectations, drawing from the case studies within Korean businesses.

Required Textbooks/Materials

• A coursepack

• Online resources

Method of Instruction/Lecturing

• Lectures & Case studies

Field of Lecture

• Business