The 33rd Annual Hahn Moo-Sook Colloquium (2025)

The rise of K-dramas as a global streaming phenomenon has transformed the politics of entertainment--bridging cultural divides and fostering cross-cultural exchanges. This colloquium explores the transcultural dimensions of K-dramas, focusing on how they present, represent, and translate various cultures, peoples, and languages across diverse streaming platforms (i.e. Netflix, Hulu, and podcasts). Our presenters will examine the evolution of narrative techniques, global circulation of emotions, history of consumerism and product placement, homosocial eroticism, and the impact of these dramas on global audiences. By situating K-dramas within the broader framework of transcultural communication, this year's colloquium underscores their significance in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in an increasingly interconnected world, ultimately aiming to contribute to the discourse on global media, cultural identity, and the evolving nature of storytelling in the digital age.

0:25:00 Welcoming Remarks

Speakers:
Panel 1:
0:16:25 Steve Choe (Associate Professor, San Francisco State University)
0:44:57 Ji-Yoon An (Assistant Professor of Modern Korean Popular Culture, University of British Columbia, Canada)

01:12:40 Discussion + Q&A

Panel 2:
01:37:17 Hyun Jung Stephany Noh (Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi)
02:02:42 Grace Jung (Comedian, Filmmaker, Scholar and Host of K-Drama School podcast)
02:33:23 Anisa Khalifa (Host of Dramas Over Flowers Podcast)

03:02:25 Final Roundtable + Q&A

Moderator: Immanuel Kim (Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures)