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

KSI Undergraduate Fellows Program

Apply to be KSI Fellows!

The Korean Studies Institute (KSI) Undergraduate Fellows Program is an opportunity for USC undergraduates to produce a research paper on key issues in Korean history, culture, and society in the Fall semester, culminating in presentations at the annual joint conference between KSI and the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan in the Spring semester.

Students will be required to register for KSI 399 (#25813) for 4 units in the Fall semester and participate in the exchange conference in the Spring semester. Both the class and the conference are held in person during the academic year.

If interested, please RSVP for the information session at the Ahn House at 12-1 pm on May 1.

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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
Spotlight: K-trail

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

This annual program 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. See Daily Trojan’s report on this year’s experience. 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.

The K-trail is more than just a walking tour — it is an immersive historical journey rooted in the rich, carefully curated resources of the Korean Heritage Library (KHL). From rare archival photographs and oral histories to community newspapers and government documents, the KHL’s collections provide a vivid window into the Korean American experience. These unique materials form the foundation of this program, allowing us to connect physical spaces with the remarkable stories, struggles, and contributions of the Korean American community across generations. 

See the student report on K-trail prepared by Max Nguyen

Korean Studies Programs at USC

    KSI Undergraduate Fellows Program

    The Korean Studies Institute (KSI) Undergraduate Fellows Program is an opportunity for USC undergraduates to produce a research paper on key issues in Korean history, culture, and society in the Fall semester, culminating in presentations at the annual joint conference between KSI and the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan in the Spring semester.

    Students will be required to register for KSI 399 (#25813) for 4 units in the Fall semester and participate in the exchange conference in the Spring semester. Both the class and the conference are held in person during the academic year.

    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.