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

The Inaugural Conference of the March First Symposium

Colonial Koreans Across Linguistic and National Boudaries

This conference seeks to broaden and integrate existing historical accounts of colonial Korea (1910–1945) with an understanding of Korean diasporic experiences in countries such as the United States, China, and Japan. Bringing together leading scholars of both colonial Korea and early Korean America, the gathering will provoke reflection on personal experiences in the era of global imperialism on both sides of the Pacific. Inspired in part by the publication of Kim San and Nym Wales’ Song of Arirang, conference speakers will address a diverse range of topics, including the transpacific critical reimagining of Korean history, the contributions of diasporic activism to the domestic independence movement, and the effects of colonization on the development of a Korean American identity. This event marks the inaugural March First Symposium on History and Democracy. The popular uprisings on the Korean peninsula of March 1, 1919, represent a foundational moment in the history of both South Korea and North Korea.

Learn More & RSVP
The West Coast US-Asia Scholars Network

Opportunities and Challenges for US-Asia Relations

Join us for a dialogue with distinguished speakers – former Ambassador Cho Hyun and Councilmember Jon Kaji on “Opportunities and Challenges for US-Asia Relations” moderated by Professor Jane Junn (USC).

The West Coast US-Asia Scholars Network is an event that brings together senior scholars and midcareer professionals who study topics related to US-Asia relations with some interest in policy relevance or public intellectual space.

This year’s public event will address topics of importance to US-Asia relations in politics, economy, diplomacy, and technology and is open to anyone interested in the topic.

See Speakers’ Bios & RSVP
USC K-Trail

Steps into History: An Immersive Walk through USC’s Korean Heritage!

Friday, April 11, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

USC Libraries Korean Heritage Library (DML 110C)

This event is designed to visit and discuss notable spaces related to Korean heritage at USC campus and surrounding areas. The walking tour will start with the USC Korean Heritage Library which showcases unique collections on Korean American history, media studies and other Korean language sources. Other sites include the University Club, Ahn House, USC Dive Tower, Korean National Association Memorial Foundation, Hung Sa Dahn and Florence Sherman’s Church. Open to all students with priority given to students taking Korean language and other Korean subject courses as well as students majoring or minoring in East Asia. Stay tuned for RSVP details.

RSVP

Korean Studies Programs at USC

    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.