AP/KOR 4800 3.00

Power of Image: Visual Culture of North and South Korea

This course examines the visual cultural forms and practices of the two Koreas, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the two Korean societies, culture, and history by exploring diverse visual cultural genres-including war museums, mass games, DMZ tours, subway stations, SF films, family photography, street fashion, virtual tour(s), guest speakers, etc. Rather than approach these everyday art forms and practices as another medium witnessing the fundamental differences between the two Cold War competitors, this course pays more attention to the shared features of the two Korean societies. Through this shift of focus, students will be encouraged to engage with the political tensions in the Korean peninsula beyond the Cold War binary framework.