Learn about K-pop and Korean Culture at Barnard
As one of the most popular music genres in the world, K-pop makes people fall for not only the music but also the food, beauty, history, language, and every other aspect of Korean culture. I was first exposed to K-pop when second generation idol groups like SUPER JUNIOR and BIGBANG were often on Chinese variety shows, and later I became more and more interested in all kinds of music produced by Korean artists. Coming from East Asia to the states for college, I didn’t expect that there would be so many resources at Barnard and Columbia for me to better learn about Korean language and culture inside and outside of the classroom. In this post, I want to highlight some related courses, programs, and events available to Barnard students, so read on if you are a K-pop fan who wants to know more about what you like!
1. Learn the Korean Language
The Korean Language Program at Columbia has been providing quality language courses with a proficiency-based approach since 1962, and these courses—like almost all other courses at Columbia—are open to all Barnard students. The courses range from Introductory Korean teaching basic expressions up to Fifth Year Korean for Ph.D. students in Korean Studies. For this year, I am taking Third Year Korean where fourteen of us meet four times a week, and I never regret fitting this course into my schedule because I have learned so much every week about the language and I met my best friend and many other K-pop friends here as well.
2. Pursue a Major/Minor in East Asian Studies
Because of their interests in the arts, language, and history of Korea, many students at Barnard may consider majoring or minoring in East Asian Studies under the Asian & Middle East Cultures Department at Barnard. By taking courses on East Asian cultures and societies, you will study the region in an academic context and be able to pursue a variety of related careers. As someone minoring in East Asian Studies, I enjoy taking all my required courses, and I often find inspirations when bringing the perspective of East Asian Studies to other academic areas that I am pursuing.
3. Study Abroad in Korea
Featured as approved programs at Barnard Study Abroad, semester and academic year programs at Ewha and Yonsei University provide Barnard students opportunities to spend time in Seoul taking academic courses and experiencing the culture. Both Ewha and Yonsei universities are located at the heart of Seoul, and convenient public transportation makes it very easy to explore the city and to travel around. Barnard students are encouraged to study abroad, so the application process is not complex and course credits could be transferred easily because of the partnership between the schools. I spent a summer at Yonsei University and I am thinking about spending another semester there in my junior year to further my learning in Korean and East Asian Studies.
4. Go to Concerts in NYC
Living in New York means that all the K-pop artists and groups come to you whenever they have a world tour, and nothing is more exciting than going to a concert of your favorite group with friends. From January 2019 to now, more than twenty K-pop artists had their concerts here in New York including but not limited to WINNER, Red Velvet, BLACKPINK, NCT, Stray Kidz, DAY 6, and BTS. I also had the chance to go to GMA with my friend when BTS was there, and I can never imagine this happening if I was not living in New York!
These are some of the great resources I found on campus that helped me to learn more about the rich and unique culture of Korea while enjoying K-pop, and I hope the post can be helpful for those who hope to learn more about K-pop and Korean culture!