As K-pop is gaining popularity around the world, it is changing the topography of Anglo-American uni..

detail

*It has been translated using AI

As K-pop is gaining popularity around the world, it is changing the topography of Anglo-American universities and academia. According to statistics published by the American Modern Language Association (MLA), most major foreign language students, including German (-33%), Arabic (-27%), French (-23%), Chinese (-14%), and Japanese (-4%) decreased in U.S. universities between 2016 and 2021. On the other hand, the number of Korean students increased by 38% during the same period. It was almost the only growth among major foreign languages. Even when I was a professor in New York State, I was asked by three nearby universities to introduce Korean instructors for just six months.

However, it should not be judged that Korean studies have already exceeded Japanese or Chinese studies due to the popularity of the Korean Wave and the surge in Korean language students. In the previous statistics, despite the decrease in Japanese and Chinese students, there were still about 65,000 Japanese students and 46,000 Chinese students, two to three times more than Korean students (about 19,000 students). In major universities such as Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford, the size of Japanese and Chinese faculty is still several times larger than that of Korean studies. In many European university libraries, it is often seen that Korean books are not classified as independent collections, and Japanese books are housed in corners.

The problem lies in this institutional gap. Compared to the popularity created by the Korean Wave, there is still a lack of institutional support that can lead to academic interest and professional manpower training. Most unfortunately, even if foreign university students who became interested in Korea through K-pop try to learn Korean or major in Korean studies, they lack professors and programs to teach them. As a result, they choose to study Japanese or Chinese studies to eat mustard, and eventually grow into experts in Japan or China. The younger generation of the world is approaching Korea with interest, but we have not been able to provide enough institutional space to receive that interest.

Therefore, in order to establish the Korean Wave as a long-term cultural influence, government and corporate investment must be further expanded. Since the 1970s, Japan has steadily fostered overseas university Japanese studies programs with the support of various private companies such as Toshiba and Fuji Bank. The establishment of Japanese studies as a solid academic field at major universities in the world today is not an overnight result.

Korean Studies already has a similar case. Support from the Korea Foundation (KF) played an important role in the growth of Korean studies in Anglo-American universities such as UCLA. It is known that the support of the Korean Culture and Arts Commission (ARKO) and companies has been a great help to establish Korean Studies at Oxford University in England. These examples show that systematic and continuous investment goes beyond a university’s program and can cultivate Korean experts in the long run and accumulate knowledge and interest in Korea all over the world. The water is coming in. We need more boats and social workers.

Most Read News

• 1<img src="https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202610/13/news-p.v1.20261013.a1f4d98fbe6b4a7d9280e825b4302632_T1.png” alt='”My wife won the lottery again”…The identity of the couple who felt sorry for “God” too’>
  

  A couple who won more than 2 billion won by winning the first prize in the lottery eight years ago e..

• 2
  

  44 central administrative agencies (ministry) in the Seoul metropolitan area, including the Ministry..

• 3
  

  In the appeal trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was accused of publishing false informati..

• 4
  

  In the Gangbuk area, where lease prices were relatively cheaper than in the Gangnam area of Seoul, d..

• 5
  

  A woman in her 20s who collapsed and died during a marathon in downtown Seoul is known as A, a gradu..

• 6
  

  It was found that 63 leaks of defense-related data have occurred since 2021. Of these, about 75% wer..

• 7
  

  Concerns are growing that the impact of a rate hike could have a greater impact on the elderly in th..

• 8
  

  Regarding the financial crisis in Gyeonggi Province, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said, “Th..

• 9
  

  A man in his 60s wielded a weapon at a large supermarket in Incheon, injuring several people. One of..

• 10
  

  Eight people were injured when a man in his 60s wielded a weapon at the Incheon Homeplus Guwol branc..

Actress Fan Bingbing takes part in a Q&A at a press conference for ‘She Said,’ held at BIFF Hill..

A photo event for the brand Hourglass was held on the morning of the 6th at the Lotte Department Sto..

The 2026 Porsche Vibe Seoul Preview event was held at Oil Tank Culture Park in Seongsan-dong.Actress..

Jang Won-young of IVE showcased her lovely charm.Young classic brand ROLAROLA unveiled its first lin..

Anton of the group RIIZE has been appointed as the new ambassador for French luxury fashion house Sa..