Korean Cinema In The Global Context

AY2021/2022 Semester 1

In Korean Cinema in the Global Context you will explore the history and theory of Korean cinema - both South and North through the framework of national/transnational cinema discourse, auteur/genre theory, globalization, the North/South division system, and the problem of nation/state which evokes the question of identity. In this chronologically structured module, you will learn the cinema of Korea through a set of key films, directors, and dominant genres by lectures, screenings, and intensive and engaging discussions throughout the semester. Such critically and historically important films as The Aimless Bullet, The Housemaid, Shiri, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, My Sassy Girl, The Host, and Train to Busan will be screened. Through readings, discussions, in-class screenings, and presentations, our goal is to develop a broad understanding of Korean cinema and popular cultures exploring their wide-ranging impact and asking how they participate in the transnational production and circulation of culture, ideology, modernity, politics, and tradition in both regional and international contexts. It is not necessary for student to have prior knowledge of Korean cinema, and all are welcome.