Teaching
I teach both Korean language and culture courses at Carnegie Mellon University. My courses aim to go beyond surface-level representations of Korea and equip students with critical thinking tools, cultural literacy, and practical skills they can carry into their professional lives.
Culture Courses
Beyond the Korean Wave: A Critical Exploration of K-pop
Fall 2024, Fall 2025
An exploration of K-pop that moves beyond the restrictive lens of the Korean Wave. The course is divided into three parts: learning K-pop, understanding K-pop, and making K-pop. In this technology-driven class, students apply their knowledge of K-pop to collaboratively create their own K-pop group.
Korean Society through Literature and Film
Spring 2025, Spring 2026
This course draws on works by renowned Korean writers and filmmakers to examine key concepts of Korean society. Students gain exposure to contemporary Korean history while critically engaging with — and challenging — simplified or idealized representations of Korea they may have encountered through social media.
Language Courses
Elementary Korean I
Fall 2024, Fall 2025
An introduction to the Korean language, covering the fundamentals of Hangul, basic vocabulary, and essential grammatical structures for everyday communication.
Elementary Korean II
Spring 2025
A continuation of Elementary Korean I, building on foundational skills to develop greater fluency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Korean Media & Professional Communication: Building Career-Ready Language Skills
Spring 2026
A new experimental course taught entirely in Korean, in which students engage with authentic materials — including news, online media, and academic articles — to discuss a wide range of topics. Alongside language development, students design and complete a professional project related to Korea, building a portfolio they can use in their job search and career activities.