A Korean expert is born in the UK… Active majoring and research in Korean studies at local universities

Delivery time2024-10-20 07:30

Activities for majors to advance into various fields… Faculty also serve as cultural diplomats to promote Korea

‘Han River Translation’ Karlsson, Director of Korean Studies at SOAS in London, “Plays a role in establishing Korean studies around the world”

‘Korea Day’, a local festival linked to the Korean Cultural Center UK university

(London = Yonhap News) A calligraphy experience event is being held at the ‘Korea Day’ festival held by the Korean Cultural Center in England in Sheffield, England on May 1 (local time). [주영한국문화원 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]

(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = Deborah Smith, the ‘Vegetarian’ translator who put Nobel Prize winner Han Kang on the international stage, completed her master’s and doctorate in Korean studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

Likewise, it is not uncommon for British people to major in Korean studies and enter various fields after graduation.

The University of Oxford, the University of Sheffield, York St. John’s University, and the University of Central Lancashire offer bachelor’s or master’s or doctoral programs in Korean language and Korean studies, and many universities also offer liberal arts lectures in Korean studies or Korean language classes.

Among them, SOAS, University of London, plays a leading role due to its large number of faculty and students. There are faculty members who teach Korean history and literature from the Joseon Dynasty to modern and contemporary history, and a professor in the Department of Art and Archeology studies Korean art. There are many cases where non-Korean scholars study Korea.

Professor Anders Karlsson, director of Korean studies at the university, met with Yonhap News on the 18th (local time) and said, “In the past, there were many Japanese studies and Chinese studies students and few Korean studies students, but now Japanese studies and Korean studies are on an equal level.” He added, “The position of Korean studies within the school is important.” “This is a very good situation,” he said.

Professor Karlsson said, “Every year, 50 new students begin their studies. We teach Korean language that can be used for communication and can be applied to various fields, so after graduation, they go into various fields such as academia, companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and media.” “There are students who can advance and want to work in translation,” he explained.

Among the students, there are many from the United States and Asian countries as well as British students. Graduates continue their research activities not only in the UK but also in countries around the world, including Denmark and Australia.

Professor Karlsson said, “I think SOAS is playing an important role in establishing Korean studies around the world. Students from other countries come, get doctorates, and then return to their home countries to work as professors.”

As Korean studies research abroad is conducted in various aspects, including language, history, politics, society, and culture, academic diversity is increasing and international research exchange is becoming more active.

Professor Karlsson and his wife, Director of Korean Studies at SOAS, University of London

(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = Anders Karlsson (right), director of Korean studies at the University of London, UK, and his wife are posing for a photo after being interviewed by Yonhap News on the 18th (local time). Professor Karlsson and his wife, translator Park Ok-kyung, translated Han Kang’s novel ‘No Goodbye’ into Swedish. 2024.10.20 [email protected] (End)

Professor Jo Ji-eun’s research team at the University of Oxford recently began a research project in New Malden, London, Europe’s largest Korean town, to create a ‘Language Map of North and South Korea’ by analyzing and converting the Korean language used by the MZ generation from North and South Korea into data using artificial intelligence (AI).

Professor Han Ye-ji of York St. John University recently received an order from the British National Academy of Sciences to study overheating of English studies in Korea and students’ mental health problems and began research.

Professors and researchers who teach and research Korean studies also play the role of cultural diplomats who take the lead in increasing understanding of Korea in the UK.

Professor Karlsson appeared as a lecturer on the ‘Korean History Special’ for the general public in the UK at the Korean Cultural Center in the UK this fall.

He told the story of King Yeongjo and Crown Prince Sado through the movie ‘Sado’, and questions such as ‘Why did King Yeongjo lock Sado in the back bar?’

On the 16th of this month, when an international symposium was held in London to promote internationally the records of the Jeju April 3 Incident, the background of Han Kang’s novel ‘No Goodbye’, Professor Owen Miller and researcher Nikolai Johnsen of SOAS discussed the importance of the records of the Jeju April 3 Incident from various angles. A presentation was made on the approach.

Professor Karlsson said, “There is a lot of interest in K-pop and K-drama, but we should not focus only on these but give young people the opportunity to learn about other things about Korea. That’s why we also teach interesting thematic classes about traditional Korea.” .

In line with this, the Korean Cultural Center in the UK is holding a local festival called ‘Korea Day’ in connection with universities, focusing on regions where universities offering Korean language and Korean studies majors are located.

Korean Cultural Center UK Regional Festival ‘Korea Day’

(London = Yonhap News) A K-pop dance workshop is being held at the ‘Korea Day’ festival held by the Korean Cultural Center in Liverpool, England on June 1 (local time). [주영한국문화원 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]

In Sheffield, where the University of Sheffield, which has run Korean language and Korean studies courses since 1979, held a K-pop dance, Korean language video contest, and hanbok and calligraphy experience in May of this year, graduates and graduate students of the University of Oxford gathered in Oxford in June to hold the ‘Korean Culture’ event. The theme of ‘future’ was bold.

The Cultural Center plans to hold a ‘Korea Day’ festival in Edinburgh next year as the 32nd Korean Studies in Europe (AKSE) will be held at the University of Edinburgh.

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2024/10/20 07:30 Sent