Korean Studies

We offer an engaging and interdisciplinary environment for the study of Korea’s history, culture and society within regional and global contexts. Our teaching and research explore Korea’s complex historical trajectories and contemporary transformations, with particular attention to questions of identity, memory and transnational connection. We encourage comparative and regional approaches that situate Korea within broader East Asian and global frameworks.

Active research projects include:

• Hematopolitics: Blood Donation and Contested Belonging in East Asia, a research project that examines the symbolism and politics of blood donation in Japan and South Korea from the mid-twentieth century to the present, drawing on archival, ethnographic, and social media research.
• Japan’s imperial discourses vis-à-vis Korea during the late 19th and early 20th century:  how they shaped international understandings of Japan’s imperialist agenda on the Korean peninsula and the legacy of these discourses in historical and contemporary Japan-Korea relations.

Our undergraduate teaching in the field of Korean studies offers students opportunities to explore Korea’s dynamic history, society, culture and politics within a global and East Asian context. Innovative collaborative online international learning (COIL) methods connect Leeds students with universities in Tokyo and Seoul, exploring collaboratively contested historical narratives surrounding Japanese colonial rule in Korea and deepening understanding of global justice, historical memory, and regional reconciliation.