Belgium | Call for papers on Korean Popular Culture

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the European Union, the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) Center for Korean Studies invites paper proposals for the international symposium “Before, Behind and Beyond the Wave: Korean Popular Culture in Perspective” to be held in Leuven, Belgium, on 24 November 2023.

Held in cooperation with the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels, the symposium aims to shed light on three relatively under-investigated aspects of Korea’s popular culture through the following sessions:

Session #1: “Before the Wave”

This session aims to identify and connect older forms of Korean popular culture with the current Korean Wave. Disciplines include: Art History, Cultural History, Cultural Studies, Performance Studies, Media Studies, and more.

Session #2: “Behind the Wave”

This session aims to shed light on what is usually kept out of the spotlight by providing a behind-the-scenes look at forgotten, hidden or under-researched aspects of the current Korean Wave. Disciplines include Sociology, Anthropology, Media Studies, and more.

Session #3: “Beyond the Wave”

This session is an open invitation to imagine what the Korean Wave will be like in the coming years. It is open to writers and artists who are invited to submit a short text on this theme in Korean or in English. The selected texts will be read by their authors during the session.

Practical information

The symposium will take place in Leuven, Belgium
Presentations (20 minutes) are to be given in English
Travel expenses (within Europe) and accommodation costs (2 nights in Belgium) will be covered for all selected speakers
The organisers plan to publish an edited volume with a selection of the papers presented at the symposium

Deadline for proposals submission: 31 July 2023