KOREAN 305 : Korea through TV Drama and Film

Arts

2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines some of the cultural, social and political issues of contemporary South Korea through a selection of popular TV dramas and films.

Course Overview

With the critical and commercial success of Bong Joon-ho's Parasite (2019) and the megahit of Squid Game (2021) on Netflix, global audiences have refreshed their interest in Korean popular culture. However, a close look at the monumental triumph of Parasite and Squid Game confirms the ongoing contact between Korean media and overseas audiences since the 1990s when Korean films, television dramas, and pop music began the transnational journey beyond borders. The course aims to investigate how a national or local culture advances to globalised mediascape by taking Korean popular culture as a case study. Each week students will study exemplary Korean films or television dramas with historical, socio-economic, political and cultural contexts. This transdisciplinary approach will allow student to understand the complex nature of global soft power in today's media-saturated world. The course's assessment is designed to help students enhance essential skills of analysing media texts with close reference to critical concepts, which will remain useful for their critical thinking of society and culture in future.

No knowledge of Korean language is required.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II in Asian Studies, Chinese, Japanese or Korean or 30 points at Stage II in Media, Film and Television Restriction: ASIAN 202, KOREAN 205

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning and contexts of the globalisation of Korean popular culture (Capability 1 and 4)
  2. Critically analyse a range of Korean media texts in relation to their sociopolitical and cultural conditions (Capability 3 and 4)
  3. Develop and demonstrate the ability to find, read, verify, and interpret diverse academic and non-academic sources in the fields of Korean Studies and Cultural Studies (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
  4. Identify and articulate a range of implications of the globalisation of contemporary Korean culture (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)
  5. Communicate and explain ideas in spoken and written academic style (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
  6. Develop and demonstrate cultural sensitivity when engaging with other societies, peoples, and cultures (Capability 1, 4 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 70% Individual Coursework
Mid-semester Test 30% Individual Test

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course. Students are expected to spend 10 hours per week on each 15-point course that they are enrolled in, including class time, personal study, and completion of assignments. There will be a two-hour lecture class and a one-hour tutorial class each week. Students are expected to prepare for class by reading and watching assigned materials and preparing assignments in their own time. 

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to receive credit for components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

Attendance on campus is required for the in-class closed-book test.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Required and recommended viewing and reading texts will be offered via Canvas.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The assessment structure has been streamlined, reflecting feedback of students from previous years.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 27/10/2023 05:00 p.m.