Welcome

The USC Korean Studies Institute (KSI) celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a dynamic hub for interdisciplinary research and academic exchange in Korean studies at USC and beyond. The Institute supports research and teaching on globally relevant issues within the Korean context through its research-oriented initiatives and student-centered programs.

The KSI Event Calendar

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Faculty-Led Research Initiatives

The institute supports a range of research initiatives that include global Korean history, language and literature, politics, media and performance arts, technoscience, urban studies, and environmental humanities.

Koreatown and the Korean American Experience

The March First Symposium on History and Democracy

Korean Language, Literature, and Translation

Korean Media and Performance Arts

Technoscience, Environment, and Culture

The U.S-Korea Network in Economics, Policy, and International Relations

ZERO WASTE — Exploring South Korea’s Recycling Activism with Filmmaker Danny Kim

April 18, 2025 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

School of Cinematic Arts (SCA), 110
900 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

Join KSI and filmmaker Danny Kim for an evening of discussion about recycling practices in South Korea, with a screening of the eco-documentary ZERO WASTE and a conversation to follow with experts in the field. Hosted in conjunction with environmental humanities scholars from across USC, this event aims to bring together all like-minded individuals who are concerned about the future of planet Earth and who want to know more about what human action can be taken to ensure a more sustainable future. Following the stories of artists, activists, and individuals in the South Korean context, ZERO WASTE provides a look into the way people are trying to address the waste problem in their national context, and it offers all viewers a chance to contemplate what actions they could be taking in their local communities to join the “zero waste” movement for a greener future. This event is organized by USC Postdoctoral Fellow, Lindsay Jolivette. See the full program here.

Call for Papers

Technoscience, Gender, and Cultural Transformations in Korea

This conference seeks to advance the growing interdisciplinary field of cultural studies of science and technology in Korea by examining the dynamic intersections of technoscience, gender, and culture. Notably, the number of South Korean women in STEM fields has more than tripled since the 1990s, a trend that underscores women’s expanding roles beyond traditional STEM careers, spanning science fiction writing, science communication, and other technology-based cultural innovations. Hosted by the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California, the conference will foster dialogue across disciplines and methodologies to deepen our insights into both the gendered impacts of contemporary technoscientific developments and the ways in which embodied perspectives inform technoscientific practices and cultural imaginaries. The application is due by July 10, 2025.

Click for CFP

Korean Studies Programs at USC

  • East Asian Languages and Cultures: Majors and Minors
  • Korean Language Program
  • East Asian Studies Center: Korean Studies Minor

East Asian Languages and Cultures: Majors and Minors

The core requirements for the EALC major and minor allow students flexibility in designing their own course of study. Majors typically select one language and cultural area (Chinese, Japanese, or Korean) in which they do most of their course work. Students are encouraged to explore beyond their individual language focus by enrolling in the full range of EALC courses available in literature, film, history, media, and other aspects of East Asian cultures. Learn more.

Korean Language Program

Being able to speak another language simply provides you with better opportunities as well as personal enrichment. Or you may want to pursue that interest in K-pop or Korean TV dramas. These are just a few reasons to learn Korean. Whatever your motivation, the Korean Language Program at USC will help you to achieve your goal of acquiring linguistic and cultural competence in the Korean language.

East Asian Studies Center: Korean Studies Minor

The Korean Studies (KRNS) minor is intended for students who are interested in the political, economic, social and cultural changes of the area, and draws upon courses from departments across the social sciences, humanities, and professional schools. The East Asian Studies Center also offers majors and minors in East Asian Area Studies.

Our Community

Graduate Students

Graduate Students can organize the annual USC Conference in Korean Studies, participate in the Bridging Asia Conference, and receive the Summer Fieldwork Grant.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Students are invited to join the KSI Fellows Program and participate in the Joint Conference with the Nam Center of Korean Studies at the University of Michigan.

Visiting Scholars

KSI annually hosts visiting scholars from academia, government, and private organizations. Visiting scholars are welcome to take active part in the institute’s activities.