Clans have played a significant role in Korean society for centuries. Even in contemporary times, they maintain their relevance by affording people social, political, and economic capital. Despite their emphasis on legitimate bloodlines, however, clans are also imagined communities as kinship in Korea is more often than not based on claims of spurious nature. Thus, … [Read More]
Venue: SOAS
10 Thornhaugh Street | Russell Square | London WC1H 0XG | [Map]
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SOAS Kimchi Festival
Kimchi is Korea’s most iconic traditional dish, made from fermented vegetables and a variety of spices. With its distinctive flavour and deep cultural roots, kimchi is not only a symbol of Korean cuisine but also an important part of everyday life in Korea. To recognise the cultural and nutritional value of this unique food, Kimchi … [Read More]
An introduction to North Korean art — and challenges in assembling a collection
North Korean art is tied to the genre of socialist realism, producing works of blatant propaganda as well as those with more subtle allegorical story lines. All artists work for the DPRK state, producing artworks which typically portray loyal citizens marching in the vanguard of the revolution, vanquishing enemies and fulfilling quotas. However, within this … [Read More]
Korean culture workshop series at SOAS
Join SOAS and the KCCUK for a series of special events introducing Korean traditional culture, organised by the Centre of Korean Studies, SOAS University of London, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre UK and the Korea Tourism Organization London Office. Samulnori: Korean traditional percussion workshop Key information Instructor: Dr Cholong Sung Date: Thursday, 6 … [Read More]
Bridging Media Art and East Asian Philosophy in the AI Era
Part of the Korea Foundation’s LAB Series in collaboration with SOAS University of London, this lecture by leading scholar and media artist Dr Jinjoon Lee explores ontology in the post-digital age, where myth and his tory, memory and data, identity and anonymity converge. As a “data gardenist,” he investigates the liminoid experience of utopian space … [Read More]
SOAS seminar: New office revolutions
Tropes and technologies for open talk in South Korean offices since the 1980s 1980s South Korea saw many reports promising a ‘new office revolution’ or a ‘new wind’ that would dramatically change South Korean work life through automation (자동화 – jadonghwa). Drawing on newspaper archives from the 1980s and 1990s, this presentation looks at some … [Read More]
SOAS seminar: Fashioning the National Body through Patchwork
A mystic curator, ‘manga kewpies’ and fantastical super-pigs are pieced together in this history of Korean patchwork. Commonly known in South Korea as jogakbo, the national histories of the form arise from a period of cultural preservation under government policy. The written record of the textile that is composed of fragments sutured together can be traced … [Read More]
SOAS–SKKU Symposium on Korean Philosophy and Society
The first symposium organised by jointly the SOAS Centre of Korean Studies and Sungkyungwan University will offer an opportunity for both established academics and PhD students from the two institutions to present their current work on topics related to Korean Confucianism and the roles of women in Chosǒn society. Time Description 1:00pm-1:15pm Opening remarks 1:15pm-3:00pm … [Read More]
Kor;East: Exploring the Reciprocal Impact of Korea and Its Neighbours
Kor;East is a one-day Early Career Researchers Conference showcasing postgraduate and emerging scholars whose work illuminates the complex exchanges between Korea and its regional neighbours. From historical cultural flows and diplomatic relations, to artistic collaborations and diasporic experiences, the programme reveals how Korean history and identity have been shaped by and have in turn shaped … [Read More]
Korea Foundation Korea Studies Forum at SOAS
This forum, jointly organised by the Korea Foundation and SOAS University of London, will bring together scholars and experts in Korean Studies, creating a platform to discuss current trends across various disciplines, considering the future of collaboration and partnerships between the UK and the Republic of Korea (ROK). Session 1: Korean Studies in the UK: … [Read More]
Remembering ‘Comfort Women’: Politics of memory and international perspectives
Co-hosted by SOAS and the Northeast Asian History Foundation, this conference brings together prominent scholars on the “comfort women” issue and broader topics of wartime sexual violence, along with expert discussants from a variety of relevant fields. In an era where historical revisionism and political tensions increasingly shape narratives of the past, this event provides … [Read More]
SOAS seminar: Recording memories of human rights violations in North Korea
The human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea or DPRK) is exceptionally challenging to address externally, as the population remains isolated from the international community and lacks an independent civil society to advocate for people’s rights. Despite these difficulties, the situation has been captured and documented primarily through the ‘voices’ … [Read More]
SOAS seminar: The techno-sublime of media spectacle – Screen and space in Seoul’s DDP
The contemporary city increasingly manifests as an urbanscape where digital screen and architectural space converge to create new forms of cultural experience. Seoul, with its high degree of media saturation, exemplifies a city interwoven with advanced digital technology that articulates distinct combinations of corporeal, emotional, and spatial perceptions. Within the context of the convergence of … [Read More]
SOAS seminar: Bestselling and beloved – Korean literary treasures
The SOAS Centre of Korean Studies is delighted and honoured to welcome Dr Seunghye Sun and Jaemin Cha, the two minds behind the “Bestselling and Beloved: Korean Literary Treasures” exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) UK. They will speak about this special exhibition that delves into the heart of Korean literature, showcasing both its … [Read More]
The Postdevelopmental State: Dilemmas of economic democratization in contemporary South Korea
Dr Doucette will introduce his recently published book on the politics and political economy of contemporary South Korea – a book that is even more topical in the current political crisis the country is facing. This book is a major contribution to both Korean and East Asian Political Economy across a number of different disciplines. … [Read More]
Confucianism and disaster: Floods, lightning and cosmology in Eighteenth-Century Chosŏn Korea
This presentation explores Chosŏn-period (1392-1910) Confucian responses to disaster. This was a period in which Confucianism not only was the state ideology, but also guided interaction in local communities socially and economically dominated by local elites sharing the ideas of this ideology. The Confucian convictions of this elite dictated how they, as leaders of communities, … [Read More]