ARTH 62.21 K-Pop and Global Korea: Art, Aesthetics, and Hallyu
This course examines the global rise of Korean culture through the visual and aesthetic dimensions of K-pop, contemporary art, film, and media, situating Hallyu within longer histories of cultural exchange and global modernity. While often discussed as a recent pop-culture phenomenon, we situate Hallyu within a longer historical continuum of East-West cultural exchange, tracing a lineage from 18th-century Chinoiserie and 19th-century Japonisme to the 21st-century Korean Wave. How has the Western gaze upon the "East" evolved, and how has Korea reclaimed and reconstructed its own image for a global audience?
We will analyze a diverse array of media including contemporary art, cinema, webtoons, and K-pop, treating them not merely as entertainment but as complex objects of visual and material culture. Students will investigate how distinctively Korean sentiments and aesthetic elements are visualized, circulated, and consumed globally. Furthermore, the course critically explores the material consequences of these aesthetics, examining how K-beauty standards have influenced global cosmetic trends, tourism, and nation branding. By decoding the visual language of Hallyu, we will uncover how Korea is reshaping the definitions of beauty and soft power in the digital age.
Department-Specific Course Categories
Art History