The Fellows Program seeks to stimulate and support undergraduate students' interest in exploring various topics about Korea and welcomes students who are invested in studies on Korea, interested in cultivating the Nam Center Fellows community, and committed to becoming an active member of the Nam Center for Korean Studies. A few highlights of the fellowship include: conducting research on Korea, presenting research papers at U-M USC Undergraduate Fellows Conference, and acting as liaisons between the Nam Center and the campus community.
Join us for an information session on Wed April 24, 2013 describing the benefits and requirements of the program and meet with this year's fellows! Read about the program, including the application procedure here or contact Do-Hee Morsman for more information.
Chuseok Dae Party!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
1:30pm - 4:00pm
School of Social Work Building
1080 S. University Ave.
Ann Arbor MI 48108
Free and open to the public
In Korea, around the Autumn equinox every year, the whole nation takes a three day holiday to return to their hometowns and reunite with family. The Nam Center invites you to join our family in celebrating the harvest moon this year. Filled with programming for all ages, guests can watch traditional and contemporary Korean music and dance performances by U-M students and sample some of the media culture that is making such waves all over Asia and globally. As with any thanksgiving celebration, traditional cuisine takes top-billing and guests from the young to not-so-young can try Songpyeon (traditional Chuseok rice cakes) and sample dishes that are served on this occasion. Those with a competitive streak can challenge others in a variety of games such as Korean Jacks, Top Spinning, Tuho (Arrow tossing) and Yutnori (a traditional Korean dice game). Children will be given the opportunity to a variety of cultural crafts, in a special Korea for Kids area! Make sure you catch the student-produced parody music videos of PSY's viral hit "Gangnam Style" screened throughout the party. So bring your friends and family and enjoy the festivities as you are immersed in Korean hospitality and culture.
By annaboot, Nam Center for Korean Studies August 22, 2012
The Nam Center welcomes U-M undergraduate students who are interested in various topics of Korea and in being an active member of the Nam Center for Korean Studies.The Nam Center Undergraduate Fellows Programwas formed to stimulate and support undergraduate students’ interest in various topics of Korea. The fellows are encouraged to participate in various programs that the Nam Center hosts, and to conduct research on Korea. The fellows, once selected, will be given many opportunities and privileges including hosting distinguished visitors and acting as liaisons between the the Nam Center and the campus community. Please click here for further information.
By annaboot, Nam Center for Korean Studies March 27, 2012
Leading experts explore the intersection of Hallyu and social media
The event will be free and open to the public.
DATE: 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., April 6, 2012.
EVENT: Hallyu (the Korean Wave), is a term coined to describe the widespread popularity and regional/trans-regional influence of Korean cultural products. It has become a subject of increasing interest among academics who have primarily focused on its impact on Korea’s national image and domestic economy.
This conference breaks new ground by exploring the intersection of Hallyu and social media and the explosive growth it has made possible in the distribution of popular Korean media to regions where even traditional media—theatrical distributions, TV networks, and DVD/VCD sales—had not reached before. Korean films, TV shows, online games, and popular songs are consumed in cyberspace at an unprecedented pace. The Hallyu 2.0: The Korean Wave in the Age of Social Media conference seeks to comprehend and interpret the meaning of this new and powerful cultural industry and features leading scholars from the U.S. and abroad to untangle this intricate web of contemporary media ecosystems.
PLACE: Rackham Amphitheatre, 915 East Washington, Ann Arbor, MI 48019
SPONSORS: Nam Center for Korean Studies, Academy of Korean Studies, U-M Departments of Communication Studies, Asian Languages & Cultures, Screen Arts and Cultures
The Nam Center is proud to announce the recipient of the 2012 KAFE Travel Grant is Ann Marie Borders. Mrs. Borders is a first grade teacher at Logan Elementary in Ann Arbor.
The University of Michigan Nam Center for Korean Studies is now accepting applications for its 2012 travel grant for Michigan educators to attend the Korea Academy for Educators seminar in Los Angeles CA. The Korea Academy for Educators (KAFE) is a private, non-profit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to informing educators about Korea’s history and culture and the Korean American experience in order to promote cross-cultural understanding. This five-day program, located in the heart of the Korean community in America, immerses participants in all aspects of Korea, its culture, history and people. If you are looking to develop and deepen your knowledge of Asia, your understanding of Korean-American relations, and to reach out to the Korean students in your classroom, this workshop will provide you with the materials and resources to understand this nation at the crossroads of East Asia. (For additional information, please see the seminar flyer and schedule).
The Nam Center for Korean Studies will award, on a competitive basis, one grant to cover the costs associated with attending the Korea Academy for Educators Workshop in Los Angeles CA, from July 29th to Aug 4th, 2012. The grant will include air travel, lodging, a stipend ($150) and most meals. Applicants must be an educator currently teaching at a public or private K-12 school in Michigan to be eligible. Previous participants at Nam Center Educator Workshops will be given preferred consideration. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2012. The application must be completed in full and mailed to:
Mary Connor
505 Plymouth Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Hallyu 2.0: The Korean Wave in the Age of Social Media
April 6, 2012
University of Michigan, USA
Hallyu (the Korean Wave), a term coined to describe the widespread popularity and regional/trans-regional influence of Korean cultural products, has recently come into its own as a subject of academic inquiry and broad intellectual interest. However, while much attention has been paid to the impact of the Korean Wave on Korea’s national image or domestic economy, as well as its implications for transnational cultural flow, there has been little discussion about the impact of new communication technologies, such as social media.
Hallyu is indeed entering the new age of social media. For the last few years, Facebook, Twitter, youtube, cyworld, and myriad social networking websites have boosted the dissemination of Korea’s popular media contents to regions where the traditional media-- theatrical distributions, TV networks, and DVD/VCD sales-- had never reached before. Korean films, TV dramas and variety shows, online games, comics, and popular songs are now being shared, distributed and consumed in cyberspace at an unprecedented pace.
“Hallyu 2.0: The Korean Wave in the Age of Social Media” conference seeks to comprehend and interpret the meaning of this new and powerful cultural industry. The conference will stage interdisciplinary dialogues among scholars of cinema, media, and visual studies, and of area studies and communication studies, by implicating multiple approaches in deciphering the intricate web of contemporary media ecosystems.
Examples of topics to consider:
Social networking culture
American/Asian American reception of Korean TV dramas and K-pop
K-pop idols and cyber fan cultures
Youtube, Hulu, and other web-based media streaming services
Government digital policy
Mobile media
Online Games
Anti-hanryu activities in Japan, PRC, and Taiwan
Twitter, blogs, mini-homepages, and podcasts
Interested scholars should submit a CV and 400-word abstract by e-mail to Sangjoon Lee (leesangj@umich.edu). The conference is open to graduate students. The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2011. The authors of accepted submissions will be notified by December 15. A full paper of 7000-8000 words will be requested by March 15, 2012. Participants will receive accommodations and travel grants. Conference organizers plan to have selected papers published in an edited volume or a special issue of a journal.
Organizers:
Sangjoon Lee (Nam Center/Department of Screen Arts and Cultures, University of Michigan), Abe Markus Nornes (Department of Screen Arts and Cultures, University of Michigan), and Nojin Kwak (Nam Center/Department of Communication Studies, University of Michigan)
Sponsor:
Nam Center for Korean Studies, University of Michigan
Academy of Korean Studies, Korea
Co-sponsor:
Department of Communication Studies and Department of Screen Arts and Cultures, University of Michigan
* Please note: This conference may continue through the following Saturday depending on the number of submissions accepted.
The Nam Center for Korean Studies welcomed over 300 visitors to its very first annual Great Chuseok Party (추석 대 파티). The first floor of the School of Social Work Building was taken over by the sights, sounds, and tastes of Korea in a celebration of Chuseok (pronounced choo-sock) this past Saturday. Chuseok in Korea is like American Thanksgiving, where family gather from far and wide to reunite, enjoy special holiday dishes, and challenge each other in friendly competition. Likewise, Nam Center's Chuseok party united Ann Arbor residents with the UM community as they enjoyed the festivities. Volunteers led guests in traditional games of chance, strategy, and skill, demonstrated how to make "songpyeon" (a filled rice cake, special to Chuseok), served guests Korean treats, and helped kids to make and decorate Korean style kites. Performances of traditional and contemporary Korean music and dance exhilarated guests of all ages throughout the event.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
UM Museum of Art Announces Contemporary Korean Ceramics Exhibition on View April 2 - June 26, 2011
ANN ARBOR, Mich---The University of Michigan Musuem of Art (UMMA) is pleased to present the exhibition Life in Ceramics: Five Contemporary Korean Artists, which brings together for the first time the work of five important Korean artists—Kim Yikyung, Lee In Chin, Lee Kang Hyo, Lee Young-jae, and Yoon Kwang-cho—all of whom are represented in major museum collections worldwide. The exhibition will be on view April 2 through June 26, 2011.
Korean ceramics have long been appreciated for their superb craftsmanship and originality, first in China, then in Japan, and finally, since the nineteenth century, in the West. The celadons of the Goryeo (Koryŏ) dynasty (918–1392) and buncheong (punchŏng) and porcelain wares of the Joseon (Chosŏn) period (1392–1910) provide an unceasing source of inspiration for forms, colors, techniques, and designs. Moreover, Korean ceramics are known for the spontaneity of the throwing and firing processes, often resulting in uneven, slightly distorted, and thus “imperfect” wares that evoke a lively, natural feeling.
The five artists in Life in Ceramics create strikingly different and highly individual works, transgressing the border between art and craft through their impressive installations and the monumental, sculptural qualities of their work. At the same time each artist celebrates the utility of the Korean ceramics tradition by making wares for daily use.
As part of the University of Michigan, known for its commitment to Korean studies, UMMA is one of a few university art museums in the country with a standalone gallery devoted to Korean art and counts an important collection of Korean ceramics among its holdings.
U-M Dedicates Center for Korean Studies to Elder Sang-yong Nam and Family
By Maryanne George
LSA Communications
President Mary Sue Coleman and LSA Dean Terrence J. McDonald honored Elder Sang-Yong Nam, his wife, Moon-Sook Nam, and their family on Tuesday at the dedication and naming of the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the International Institute.
Elder Nam, a U-M alumnus, is president and CEO of Nam Building Management Co. in Ann Arbor. He is the largest benefactor of the Nam Center for Korean Studies, having pledged more than $4 million over the years. The Nam family’s gift has made it possible to significantly expand the center’s faculty, which will make it one of the top Korean studies center in the nation, McDonald said at the ceremony.
“Because of Elder and Mrs. Nam’s generosity we are currently seeking top scholars in the field to fill these new positions in the Nam Center,” McDonald says. “The Nam family have my deepest gratitude for their many contributions and unparalleled support for Korean Studies.”
When Elder Nam arrived at U-M from Korea in 1964 as a graduate student in the College of Architecture and Design, he found few books about Korea in the U-M library and a lack of Korean art in the U-M Museum of Art. It became his dream to correct the disparity and make U-M a premier center for Korean studies.
Early hardships had prepared him for the challenge. As a high school student during the Korean War, he witnessed his father’s abduction, leaving him and his older brother to provide for their six siblings. After graduating with a degree in architectural engineering from the Seoul National University, he worked for the United States Operations Mission to Korea, which led him to Michigan.
After earning a master’s degree in city planning in 1966, he and his wife built their real-estate management company and worked to raise support for a U-M Korean Studies Program. “I asked my sons, Andrew and Anthony, to attend U-M so that they would share my vision for Korean studies and carry on my philanthropy and mission,” Elder Nam says.
Both sons attended U-M and were active in the Korean Student Association. As president of the KSA, Anthony Nam spearheaded a petition drive to create a Korean Studies Program. In 1995 the program was established and was expanded to a center in 2007, as a result of continuous fundraising and support by Elder Nam.
Korean Roof-end Tiles on Display at the University of Michigan Museum of Art
Chang-Jong Yoo and the YooGeum Museum in Seoul, Korea These historic roof-end tiles are on long-term loan from Chang-Jong Yoo, who received his law degree from UM in 1984 and is currently manager of law firm Shin and Kim's China office. He became interested in roof-end tiles over thirty years ago, and since then, he has formed the largest private collection of Korean roof-end tiles in the world. His collection also includes tiles from China and Japan, where he has stayed on business. Recently a part of his collection was donated to and exhibited in a special gallery in honor of his gift at the National Museum of Korea. He also opened the YooGeum Museum in Seoul with his wife, Key-Sook Geum, to exhibit his vast collection and Geum’s collection of Chinese clay figures.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
On October 1, 2010, the Nam Center for Korean Studies held its annual welcome reception at the University of Michigan Golf Course Clubhouse. It was attended by Korean studies students, donors, faculty, visiting scholars and staff. After a light introduction was given by the center director Nojin Kwak of new and current members, everyone enjoyed the well catered dinner. Speeches were given by Elder Sang-Yong Nam and his son Andrew Nam about family, Korean culture, and the importance of youth in shaping the community. As this welcome reception marked the first academic year under the new center name, it allows the Nam Center for Korean Studies to continue providing educational resources for long into the future.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Honorable Sung-Hwan Son, Consul General of the Republic Of Korea
"US-Korean Economic Relationship and Significance of Korea-US FTA"
ANN ARBOR, MICH., October 29, 2009-A lecture was given by the Honorable Sung-Hwan Son relating to the Korean-US Free Trade Agreement. It was hosted on October 28, 2009, in the Michigan League.
The Honorable Sung-Hwan Son has been Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago since 2007, after posts in Russia, Kazakhstan and other eastern European Countries in a thirty-year career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Director General of European Studies at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security in South Korea from 2005-2007.
The lecture was well received as the Consul General gave an excellent speech highlighting the pros and cons of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and South Korea. He also discussed in detail the current economic situation of South Korea and how it is evolving in the global market. The Center for Korean Studies was very pleased with the talk and is thankful for the Consul Generals contribution.
Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer
Korea Foundation President
Participates in Signing Ceremony Korea Foundation honored for generous support of student fellowships
ANN ARBOR, MICH., March 25, 2009—A signing ceremony for the Korea Foundation took place Wednesday afternoon to honor the organization’s generous support for the International Institute Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan.
Korea Foundation President Sung Joon Yim participated in the ceremony, which praised the foundation’s half-million donation to fund CKS graduate student fellowships. The event was hosted by CKS and U-M’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
“We are extremely grateful to the Korea Foundation for their generous support,” said David Chung, director of the Center for Korea Studies. “The creation of the prestigious Korea Foundation Graduate Fellowship will play an instrumental role in recruiting the best Korean studies scholars from all over the world.”
In celebration of Korean studies at the University of Michigan, the foundation was also honored at a special dinner Wednesday evening for its donation to U-M’s Museum of Art. In attendance was SeAH Steel Corporation Chairman Woon-Hyung. The two organizations, both generous supporters of CKS, each contributed $500,000 toward the development of the museum’s Korea Foundation Woon-Hyung Lee Gallery of Korean Arts.
A delegation of 40 CKS supporters attended the dinner. Special guests included Korean Consul General Sung-Hwan Son, Elder and Mrs. Sang-Yong Nam, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hasenkamp, and President Chung Kook Park of Hyundai Kia America Technical Center, U-M Alumnus Mr. Tae-Sung Lee.
The Nam Center for Korean Studies welcomed over 300 visitors to its very first annual Great Chuseok Party (추석 대 파티). The first floor of the School of Social Work Building was taken over by the sights, sounds, and tastes of Korea in a celebration of Chuseok (pronounced choo-sock) this past Saturday. Chuseok in Korea is like American Thanksgiving, where family gather from far and wide to reunite, enjoy special holiday dishes, and challenge each other in friendly competition. Likewise, Nam Center's Chuseok party united Ann Arbor residents with the UM community as they enjoyed the festivities. Volunteers led guests in traditional games of chance, strategy, and skill, demonstrated how to make "songpyeon" (a filled rice cake, special to Chuseok), served guests Korean treats, and helped kids to make and decorate Korean style kites. Performances of traditional and contemporary Korean music and dance exhilarated guests of all ages throughout the event.
