The Korean Cultural Centre UK is supporting this academic trend by organizing “Korea Day” festivals in regions with universities offering Korean Studies programs. (Image courtesy of the Korean Cultural Centre UK)
LONDON, Oct. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – In the United Kingdom, the field of Korean Studies is experiencing a significant upswing, with graduates increasingly finding diverse career paths and contributing to cultural diplomacy.
Deborah Smith, the translator who brought Nobel laureate Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian” to international acclaim, exemplifies this trend. Smith, a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, is part of a growing cohort of British scholars specializing in Korean Studies.
Universities across the United Kingdom, including Oxford, Sheffield, York St John, and Central Lancashire, now offer undergraduate and graduate programs in Korean language and Korean Studies. Many other institutions provide Korean language classes or general courses on Korean culture.
SOAS, with its larger faculty and student body, plays a leading role in the field. “The standing of Korean Studies within the university has become very strong,” said Anders Karlsson, professor of Korean Studies at SOAS.
“We now have about 50 new students starting each year, and the number of Korean Studies students is nearly on par with Japanese Studies.”
The school boasts a faculty teaching Korean history from the Joseon Dynasty to modern times, Korean literature, and even professors in other departments researching Korean art.
Graduates of these programs are finding diverse career paths. “Our students can enter not only academia but also businesses, NGOs, media, and translation work,” Karlsson explained. The international composition of the student body, including Americans and students from various Asian countries, is contributing to the global spread of Korean Studies.
“I believe SOAS plays a crucial role in establishing Korean Studies worldwide,” Karlsson added. “Students from other countries come here for their Ph.D., then return home to become professors themselves.”
This academic trend is fostering multifaceted research in Korean language, history, politics, society, and culture, enhancing academic diversity and international scholarly exchange.
Recent research projects highlight the breadth of Korean Studies in the UK. At Oxford University, professor Cho Ji-eun’s team is creating an inter-Korean language map using AI to analyze the Korean language used by North and South Korean millennials and Gen Z in New Malden, London’s largest Koreatown.
At York St John University, professor Han Ye-ji is investigating the impact of intense English study on Korean students’ mental health, a project funded by the UK’s National Academy of Medical Sciences.
These scholars also serve as cultural diplomats, boosting understanding of Korea in the UK. Karlsson, for instance, recently gave a public lecture on Korean history at the Korean Cultural Centre UK, using the film “The Throne” to discuss the relationship between King Yeongjo and Crown Prince Sado.
The Korean Cultural Centre UK is supporting this academic trend by organizing “Korea Day” festivals in regions with universities offering Korean Studies programs.
In Sheffield, which has offered Korean language and studies courses since 1979, a festival in May featured K-pop dance, a Korean language video contest, and experiences with Hanbok and calligraphy.
In Oxford in June, a discussion on “The Future of Koreans” was held with Oxford graduates and postgraduate students.
“While there’s great interest in K-pop and K-dramas, we need to give young people opportunities to learn about other aspects of Korea,” Professor Karlsson emphasized. “That’s why we also offer interesting themed classes on traditional Korea.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
