Korean Studies around the globe

Indonesian Korean Studies studenta at graduation (Yonhap News)

Korean Studies, which focuses on different aspects of Korean culture, economics, politics, history and other subjects, are an important part of how people around the world learn about and understand Korea. From Southeast Asia to Europe to North America, Korean Studies programs are a way for students and communities to connect with Korea and pursue studies while increasing ties between Korea and people around the world.  Meanwhile, Korean Studies forums, conferences, symposium and publications bring a wider view of Korea to both academics and non-specialists.

Korean Studies programs, like many other area studies, emerged primarily after the Second World War, when people around the world started to realize the importance of having interdisciplinary academic programs to study and understand other countries and cultures. 

Although the term itself dates back to the 1940s, most Korean Studies programs were several decades later. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates a wide variety of academic disciplines including sociology, economics, folklore, literature, art, history and others subjects, it strives for a holistic and complex view of Korea.

Often part of broader East Asian studies programs, Korean Studies have expanded dramatically over the past few decades, reflecting Korea’s increasingly prominent role in world affairs. Most of the best-known programs are in the United States and Europe, but more and more programs, lectures, and opportunities in Korean Studies are opening up in new parts of the world like Africa and Southeast Asia.(Right:  Prof. McCann of Harvard University gives a lecture on sijo (Yonhap News))
In 1991, the Korean government established the Korea Foundation to help promote academic and cultural exchanges worldwide, and affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They have invested heavily in Korean Studies programs around the world, and offer a variety of scholarships and grants, as well as organizing forums, conferences, exchanges and publications related to Korea.

The United States and Canada have some of the world’s oldest and most respected Korean Studies centers and programs.  The University of Toronto has the oldest Korean Studies program in Canada, dating back to 1976, but is only one of dozens of universities across Canada with active programs concentrating on Korea. The University of Hawaii has one of the largest and oldest Korean Studies centers in the world, having been established in 1972 and home to the largest concentration of Korean scholars and resources outside of Korea itself.  Meanwhile, Harvard, Columbia, UCLA and the University of Washington are home to some of the most respected academic programs dealing with Korea in the world.

Europe can boast several world-renowned programs as well, including at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, the Universities of Sheffield and Leeds.  Germany and France both have several universities with programs that allow students to specialize in Korean language and culture.  Korean Studies programs have also begun to spring up in other parts of the world, including the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia in response to increased ties between Korea and the rest of the world.

Like many academic programs and disciplines, Korean Studies as a field has experienced setbacks in funding and other areas, but it has also shown remarkable growth over the course of just a few short decades.  It has also proven itself an important area of study for people around the globe, reflecting Korea’s changing international status and academic importance as a discipline.  Korean Studies conferences, forums, programs and publications continue to flourish and expand as Korea’s role in the world increases.

Scholarship for Females to study in Korea@ Ewha Womens University

EGPP(Ewha Global Partnership Program) Scholarship
The Ewha Global Partnership Program(EGPP) is a global initiative that selects and educates promising females from developing countries on full scholarship at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with an aim to nurture them into top professionals and global leaders of the 21st century. This is a program designed under the goal to share Ewha’s 120 years of accumulated academic excellence with females from other parts of the world.

Read more: http://scholarship.bursa-lowongan.com/egppewha-global-partnership-program-scholarship-2011/#ixzz1CDERHatk

Eligibility
A female student from a developing country who has been recognized as a potential leader, and who applies for admission to the undergraduate or graduate program of Ewha Womans University through the special admissions process for international students
Scope of Scholarship
The scholarship covers the recipient’s tuition, on-campus dormitory fees, stipend plus airfare. The Ewha Global Partnership Program Steering Committee may reduce or revoke the scholarship award upon review, should the recipient fail to fulfill eligibility requirements for reasons such as inability to continue attendance at the university or conducts unbecoming a student of the university.
Duration of Scholarship
Undergraduate freshman: maximum four years Undergraduate transfer: maximum two years Master’s: maximum two years Doctoral: maximum three years
?The scholarship is granted on condition that the recipient maintains her degree program and major.
Application (Form 4)
A completed Application Form should be submitted along with the application for admission.
Selection
Recipients will be selected through a comprehensive evaluation of her ability and potential as a global female leader, based on submitted documents.
Others
For further information, please e-mail to egpp@ewha.ac.kr or refer to the Office of Admissions website(http://home.ewha.ac.kr/~eenter/english/index.html).

Main Events of this Month

• Korea Grand Sale(www.koreagrandsale.or.kr) 
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Visit Korea Committee hosts a ‘Korea Grand Sale 2011’ with approximately 14,000 business participants including the ‘BIG 20 (A strategy selecting a group of franchise businesses favored by foreigner who visit Korea and offer discounts)’s for fifty days. On weekends various events are offered for customers. 
- When: Mon. 10 Jan 2011 ~ Mon. 28 Feb 2011 - Where: Seoul, Busan, Jeju and other local governments nationwide 
* Weekends Special Street Events (Hours 13:00~16:00) 
- Sat. 15 Jan ~ Sun. 16 Jan 2011: Myeongdong Theater - Sat. 22 Jan ~ Sun. 23 Jan 2011: Dongdaemun Hello APM - Sat. 28 Jan ~ Sun. 30 Jan 2011: Yongsan, IPark Mall Event (Floor 4) - Sat. 12 Feb ~ Sun. 13 Feb 2011: Lotte Department Store (Main Branch) outside 

Would you like a bowl of Ttukbaegi?

Onggi, a traditional Korean pottery has a significant role as a container preserving food in Korean food culture. In fact, among this time is when we remind of the rows of kimchi and doenjang (soybean paste) jars that used to be stored in the house yard. Nowadays as plastic and stainless containers became popular and the housing environment has changed Onggi lost its popularity in daily life of Koreans. However, recently the cultural value and identity of Onggi has been acknowledged. Books written in English to promote a global use of Onggi have been published followed by attempts of contemporary interpretation on the traditional pot. Let’s take a closer look.

Onggi, traditional Korean pottery of daily life

Onggi, in Korean means earthenware or pottery with a dark brown glaze, which is a native Korean pottery of daily life. Often used as a kimchi jar, for its cheap price and long-durability has been generally used by Koreans. Onggi Folk Museum in Ssangmun dong, Seoul, possesses a variety of Onggi; the big ones mostly used for preserving soy sauce, doenjang, kimchi and water and others used in a more wide range of use e.g. chimneys, candle bottles, lamp-oil containers, Gi-wa(roof tile) and tea pots.

The common use of Onggi can be explained with the characteristics of the Korean food culture. Onggi perfectly suits to preserve fermented food. Made from coarse sand-mud, its breathing holes allows air to enter but block water out that helps the preservation of the food for a longer duration. It also removes toxic substance of foods and reduces the smell. By enabling effective flow of air that helps the fermentation and preservation of the food, Onggi is perfect to store doenjang, soy sauce, kimchi and Jeotgal (salted seafood) keeping it fresh until the following year.

Especially, Onggi is a ‘pot from nature,’ that when cracked or broken to be thrown away it is simply back to earth as soil. The pot is made of soil, water, fire and wind that are harmless to our body. It is eco-friendly but also has traditional Korean scientific logics embedded, no surprise it was selected as one of ‘100 Cultural Symbols of Korea.’ Last year ‘Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea, 2010’ was hosted by Ulsan Oe-gosan Onggi village, the biggest Onggi trading center of Korea.

‘Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea, 2010’ under its theme ‘Onggi the Mirror of the Future’ introduced Onggi featuring the meanings found in its materials and decoration technology and also offering events to experience the difference between Onggi and other potteries from the world. It was the first international expo on traditional Onggi and especially its event for visitors to make their own Onggi was a great success.

CHA publishes an English edition book on Onggi

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea published a book entitled as ‘Onggi’ written in English to introduce the Onggi culture to the world. In order to help the orientation of foreigners lots of visual images are included for explaining the production process of Onggi. The process is introduced by three themes – earth, fire and spirit, which are the essential elements for making the pot throughout the history. Among the three, spirit is the most critical that contains the heart of the artisan who made the pot.

This book will be distributed overseas through Korean Culture and Information Services and other related organizations. Also the PDF version will be available at the (NRICH) homepage (www.nrich.go.kr). In addition, NRICH based on their research on intangible cultural heritage of Korea, will continue to publish other English books for foreigners.

Due to the change of housing environments and industrial progress, there are less people who use Onggi in daily life, especially with the invention of kimchi refrigerator in Korea. A significant effort to establish the identity of Onggi culture inheriting its excellence as a traditional container for fermented food, and its historic and cultural value as deriving from the early pottery of human history, should be continued. To develop Onggi suitable for practical use in contemporary life or application to interior design can be one idea. Through a long-term and specific plan, a spread of traditional Onggi culture of Korea across the world is hopefully to be expected.

Sharing Intangible Heritage of Korea with the World

Cultural Heritage can be divided into tangible and intangible heritage. Cultural assets with forms e.g. a palace or ceramics would belong to the former category, while formless assets such as music, dance, drama, and recreations would belong to the latter one. Especially the legacy of intangible cultural assets has been continued by the people throughout history until now, being re-created by time contributing to the diversity of culture.

UNESCO has well acknowledged the importance of intangible cultural heritage. In 1997, at the 29th UNESCO general assembly it has adopted ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ in order to protect intangible heritage which has been under threat to cease to exist by industrialization and globalization.

In 2003 ‘Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage’ was adopted by UNECO and it designated an ‘Urgent Safeguarding List’ and ‘Representative List’ of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. In 2001, 19 assets have been assigned as intangible cultural heritage and the list of it is on increase since then. Last October the food culture of France and Mexico was added to the list receiving lots of attention.

CHA produces DVD on Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Half of cultural assets inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List are those of Korea, China and Japan; Kabuki theater of Japan, the Dragon boat festival and Acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine of China. Korea has eleven assets on the list; the Royal Ancestral Ritual in the Jongmyo Shrine and its Music, the Pansori Epic Chant, the Gangneung Danoje Festival, Cheoyongmu, Ganggangsullae, Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut, Namsadang Nori, Yeongsanjae, as well as Daemokjang (traditional wooden architecture), Gagok (lyric song cycles accompanied by an orchestra), and Falconry the last three recently added to the list.

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea produced contents with foreign language services introducing the eleven assets distributed by this month. A video clip on five assets inscribed on 2009 (Cheoyongmu, Ganggangsullae, Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut, Namsadang Nori, Yeongsanjae) is as well produced in three language editions with Korean, English and French. The clip includes a brief introduction on each relevant item that will be a useful resource for foreigners interested in Korean culture.

To promote active use of it, NRICH will distribute those video clips to relevant organizations and researchers in Korea and overseas, as well as providing online access to the material at NRICH homepage. High-quality contents on the intangible cultural heritage of Korea acknowledged by UNESCO is planned to be developed, produced and distributed every year. Such attempts is expected to improve a worldwide recognition on those heritages of Korea that has been under-promoted, despite of its value and significance representing the history, culture and identity of Korea.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage, the dwelling place for the Korean Spirit

Let’s take a closer look to the five cultural assets featured on the DVD produced by NRICH.
Namsadang Nori is the no.3 important intangible cultural properties of South Korea. Literally meaning ‘all-male vagabond clown theatre,’ it is a traveling entertaining theater troupe consisted of forty to fifty men enjoyed by the common people.

Kkokdusoe (the head of the group) leads the group followed by gombaengisoe, tteunsoe, gayeol, ppiri, and jeoseungpae performing the six sessions of nori (recreation) that are Pungmul, Beona, Salpan, Eoreum, Deotboegi, and Deolmi. Its origin derives from late Joseon. It was to wish peace and wealth for the villages and deliver joy to the common people through various music and performance.

Ganggangsullae, the no.8 important intangible cultural properties of South Korea, is a more familiar traditional recreation of Korea. The tradition comes from the South-western area of Korea performed to wish good harvest and fecundity.

Especially a grand Ganggangsullae used to be performed on the night of Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), which origins back from the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. Admiral Yi Sun-shin lighted up torches on the hill and gathered women to play Ganggangsullae to fake the size of the army to the enemy and later the play continued to sing joys and sorrows of life.

Cheoyongmu is the final dance of Narye and Yeonre, successive national royal events of Korea. It is the only royal dance performed with human face masks. The narrative of the dance is about getting rid of misfortune based on the principle of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. Through its dazzling and confident movements the dance delivers great energy and vigor to the audiences.

Yeongsanjae is a kind of 49 jae (a Buddhist memorial ceremony held on the 49th day of one’s death). It is a ceremony for spirits to attain eternality based on the Buddhist faiths. It cultural value is recognized for reproducing Young-san Hwe-sang, reminiscences of preach Sakyamuni has performed on Vulture Peak Mountain; also called as Young-san jak Bup, a representative providence ceremony of Buddhism.

Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut is a kind of haenyeo gut (haenyeo means female diver, gut is a type of exorcism) that is part of the unique cultural heritage of Jeju along with haenyeo and folk religion. It has a cultural meaning as a cultural festival embracing the local community and encouraging mutual understanding between the people living on Jeju Island.

To preserve these inherited cultural assets of Korea an active promotion on the international stage should be continued. An active support and participation from the Korean people preserving and promoting their cultural heritage should be followed as well.
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KBS와 함께 했던 "우리 말 겨루기"

Cosmopolitan view a key to success

Many perceive globalization as a fairly modern trend, but an expert of 6th-century Korean history said it is not a new concept, a foreign expert on the 6th century Korean history. In fact, it has existed ever since the Silla dynasty. “The Silla dynasty’s cosmopolitan world view had led to the reunification of the three dynasties ― Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla ― and the world approaches of the Silla dynasty much resemble the modern Korea’s world view ―- which made both successful,” Pankaj Mohan, Silla expert and professor at the Academy of Korean Studies, told The Korea Herald. The Indian professor, who has devoted two-thirds of his life to Korean studies and Korean history, said his research about Korea was inspired by a poem by an Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. The enlightening passage he read goes like this: “In the golden age of Asia/Korea was one of its lamp-bearers/and that lamp is waiting to be lighted once again for the illumination in the East.”

Pankaj Mojan says “I just want to make Korea accessible in many ways to the outer world.” (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)

Since then, he has focused on Korea’s influence on other Asian countries and discovered intriguing similarities between the 6th-century Silla dynasty and modern Korea’s development. “Silla scholars studied the outer world, where they got their guiding principles that gave them both originality and creativity. Likewise, in contemporary society, Korea is also prosperous, because they are out in the world learning foreign ideas and creativity while keeping their traditional values at the same time.” “Silla, too, became one of the most advanced and formidable powers in the Korean peninsula because of such traits. A country can become strong by opening the door to the world ― by learning from the experience of other cultures and countries.” As an example, he cited the Silla settlement in the Shandong area of China - much like Koreatowns in other countries these days, “A large number of Silla people settled in Shandong area and had their own temples too,” he said. When he began Korean studies back in 1976 in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, his parents were skeptical about learning the Korean language as a way to build a career. “My parents thought that if I studied English literature or other languages such as French or German, I would have better job prospects.” “But I was encouraged to study this field after meeting with a very good master, Seo Kyung-soo, from Dongguk University, who had established Korean history for the first time in New Delhi.” Through Seo, he had developed a firm belief that Korea would prosper, just as Tagore foresaw in his poem. “The lamp has been lit up,” he said. “I was convinced at that time that Korea is the country of the future. Small as it may be, it is a dynamic economy with lot of potential.” He also found the study of the Korean history insufficient. “It was like a well kept secret, not properly explored, I wanted to be the frontier.” Many scholars in the west tend to study Chinese or Japanese history rather than Korean history, he said but pointed out that by understanding Korea, one can understand China and Japan with clarity. “Korea’s influence and transformation have greatly affected their histories.” “I want to highlight the role of Korea in introducing the Buddhist culture to Japan and the ways in which the Koreans adopted the Chinese culture to their situation.” In recognition of his contribution to the development of Korean studies at home and abroad, Seoul City recently gave him honorary citizenship. “When you see a well, you should think about people who worked hard to dig that well. Likewise, the honorary citizenship makes me think about ancestors of Seoul, those past leaders who worked hard to make the capital a beautiful city. I feel a great responsibility to do something to add to its dynamism and to make Korea and Seoul better understood to the outside world.” Currently, Mohan is a faculty head at the academy and also a professor at Sydney University in Australia. He is on a three-year leave from the university, which he is spending in Korea.