September 7, 2014 - Panel discussion with faculty, and directors of “Comrade Kim Goes Flying” at the 2014 USC Korean Film Festival hosted by the USC Korean Studies Institute, School of Cinematic Arts, and co-sponsored by the East Asian Studies Center. Panel moderation by KSI director Professor David Kang (International Relations, business), with CKGF directors Nicholas Bonner &amp; Anja Daelemans, UCSB Professor Suk-Young Kim (theater, dance), and USC Professor Youngmin Choe (East Asian languages and cultures).

2014 KSI/SCA Korean Film Festival: Comrade Kim Goes Flying

The Korean chokpo, or geneology books, have been used to preserve family lineages in Korea since the Koryo dynasty of the 10th century. Korean social, political, and business life is organized around the family clan, and keeping track of family generations has been a central element of Korean culture and life since that time. Understanding and explaining the role of family and family lineage in Korean life provides a window on Korean history, politics, and helps explain contemporary Korea as well.Hildi Kang is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley with a life-long interest in Korean history. Her publications include “Under the Black Umbrella, Voices from Korea 1910-1945” (2001) and “Family Lineage Records as a Resource for Korean History” (2007). Her historical fiction book, “Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan” (2011) won a national American Library Award for 2013. Kang's lineage record book is the only book in English to have the background and explanation of the chokpo.Ms Kang is a member of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars and the Association for Asian Studies and has presented her work at several of the association’s conventions; she also enjoys serving as guest lecturer in various Korean studies classes. An active traveler, Ms Kang goes often to Korea, has hiked in Switzerland, biked across southern France, and explored the ancient trade routes of China and Uzbekistan. She lives with her husband in Livermore, California.(www.hildikang.com)

The Korean chokpo, or geneology books, have been used to preserve family lineages in Korea since the Koryo dynasty of the 10th century. Korean social, political, and business life is organized around the family clan, and keeping track of family generations has been a central element of Korean culture and life since that time. Understanding and explaining the role of family and family lineage in Korean life provides a window on Korean history, politics, and helps explain contemporary Korea as well. Hildi Kang is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley with a life-long interest in Korean history. Her publications include “Under the Black Umbrella, Voices from Korea 1910-1945” (2001) and “Family Lineage Records as a Resource for Korean History” (2007). Her historical fiction book, “Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan” (2011) won a national American Library Award for 2013. Kang's lineage record book is the only book in English to have the background and explanation of the chokpo. Ms Kang is a member of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars and the Association for Asian Studies and has presented her work at several of the association’s conventions; she also enjoys serving as guest lecturer in various Korean studies classes. An active traveler, Ms Kang goes often to Korea, has hiked in Switzerland, biked across southern France, and explored the ancient trade routes of China and Uzbekistan. She lives with her husband in Livermore, California. (<a href="http://www.hildikang.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hildikang.com</a>)

Keeping Track of Family: Korean Lineage Records Then and Now

A hallmark of the Obama administration’s foreign policy has been the so-called “Pivot” or “Rebalance” to Asia. The terminology has sparked both praise and criticism from scholars and foreign policy experts. Some see it as the beginning of a new era of U.S. grand strategy. Others see it as the last efforts of a great power in decline to hold on to its position of prominence. And yet others see it as a policy driven largely by domestic politics. What are the origins of the pivot to Asia? And what are the prospects for the future in the sectors of politics, security, and trade? Scholar Victor Cha will offer his insights on these questions. He will argue that the pivot or rebalance as a policy has unique and distinct causes that were determined more by dynamics in the region than by inside-the-Beltway politics. Professor Victor D. Cha (Ph.D. Columbia, MA Oxford, BA Columbia) is director of Asian Studies and holds the D.S. Song Chair in the Department of Government and School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. In 2009, he was named as Senior Advisor and the inaugural holder of the new Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.He left the White House in May 2007 after serving since 2004 as Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council. At the White House, he was responsible primarily for Japan, the Korean peninsula, Australia/New Zealand and Pacific Island nation affairs. Dr. Cha was also the Deputy Head of Delegation for the United States at the Six Party Talks in Beijing, and received two Outstanding Service commendations during his tenure at the NSC.

A hallmark of the Obama administration’s foreign policy has been the so-called “Pivot” or “Rebalance” to Asia. The terminology has sparked both praise and criticism from scholars and foreign policy experts. Some see it as the beginning of a new era of U.S. grand strategy. Others see it as the last efforts of a great power in decline to hold on to its position of prominence. And yet others see it as a policy driven largely by domestic politics. What are the origins of the pivot to Asia? And what are the prospects for the future in the sectors of politics, security, and trade? Scholar Victor Cha will offer his insights on these questions. He will argue that the pivot or rebalance as a policy has unique and distinct causes that were determined more by dynamics in the region than by inside-the-Beltway politics. Professor Victor D. Cha (Ph.D. Columbia, MA Oxford, BA Columbia) is director of Asian Studies and holds the D.S. Song Chair in the Department of Government and School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. In 2009, he was named as Senior Advisor and the inaugural holder of the new Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. He left the White House in May 2007 after serving since 2004 as Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council. At the White House, he was responsible primarily for Japan, the Korean peninsula, Australia/New Zealand and Pacific Island nation affairs. Dr. Cha was also the Deputy Head of Delegation for the United States at the Six Party Talks in Beijing, and received two Outstanding Service commendations during his tenure at the NSC.

The US Alliance System in Asia with a Focus on Korea

This video reports highlights from of a three-year research project organized by KSI Director David Kang and Georgetown professor Victor Cha that involved over forty scholars and policymakers and covered a wide variety of topics, from rebuilding the public health system to demobilizing the Korean People’s Army. In contrast to most research on North Korea, this project brought in experts with expertise in particular issues from around the world, and paired them with North Korea experts to explore what lessons might be learned for the North Korean case. Thus, demographers with experience in Africa and Bosnia shared their insights into how and when large refugee flows occur, former policymakers who worked on food security shared their insights into how to rebuild the public health system in North Korea, and experts on East Germany and Russia shared their insights on how the militaries were demobilized or transformed in both those countries.A book that details these findings is forthcoming from Columbia University Press.

This video reports highlights from of a three-year research project organized by KSI Director David Kang and Georgetown professor Victor Cha that involved over forty scholars and policymakers and covered a wide variety of topics, from rebuilding the public health system to demobilizing the Korean People’s Army. In contrast to most research on North Korea, this project brought in experts with expertise in particular issues from around the world, and paired them with North Korea experts to explore what lessons might be learned for the North Korean case. Thus, demographers with experience in Africa and Bosnia shared their insights into how and when large refugee flows occur, former policymakers who worked on food security shared their insights into how to rebuild the public health system in North Korea, and experts on East Germany and Russia shared their insights on how the militaries were demobilized or transformed in both those countries. A book that details these findings is forthcoming from Columbia University Press.

After Unification: Planning for the Long Term

How does Western media represent North Korea? What themes, patterns, and perhaps distortions exist? How can we better understand a country that does its best to remain opaque to outside observers? To answer these and other questions, USC brought together Choe Sang-hun (New York Times correspondent for Korea), Bob Carlin (former U.S. State Department), and Sandra Fahy (USC Korean Studies Institute postdoctoral fellow), for a roundtable discussion moderated by USC Korean Studies Institute Director David Kang.

Media Images of North Korea

North Korea Beyond the Headlines: Society, Culture, and BusinessPART 1: Introducing North Korea: People, Business, and LifeUSC Korean Studies Institute Director and Professor of International Relations and Business, David Kang presented a two-part lecture at USC on January 15, 2013 aimed at providing an introduction of North Korean people, life, and the long-running military challenge it poses to the region.

North Korea Beyond the Headlines: Society, Culture, and Business PART 1: Introducing North Korea: People, Business, and Life USC Korean Studies Institute Director and Professor of International Relations and Business, David Kang presented a two-part lecture at USC on January 15, 2013 aimed at providing an introduction of North Korean people, life, and the long-running military challenge it poses to the region.

North Korea Beyond the Headlines PART 1: Introducing North Korea

Professor John Duncan provides an overview of Korea's long premodern history, emphasizing four key themes. One, Korea has an exceptionally long history as a unified polity; its considerable institutional and organizational capacity was marked by a sophisticated centralized bureaucracy; two, Korea made active contributions to East Asian civilization in arts and thought; three, living in the shadow of China stimulated Koreans to develop a strong sense of local identity; and four, aspects of Korea's premodern experience continue to shape Korean life today.

Myths and Truths about Premodern Korea

North Korea Beyond the Headlines: Society, Culture, and BusinessPart 2: Dealing with North Korea's Military ChallengeUSC Korean Studies Institute Director and Professor of International Relations and Business, David Kang presented a two-part lecture at USC on January 15, 2013 aimed at providing an introduction of North Korean people, life, and the long-running military challenge it poses in the region.

North Korea Beyond the Headlines: Society, Culture, and Business Part 2: Dealing with North Korea's Military Challenge USC Korean Studies Institute Director and Professor of International Relations and Business, David Kang presented a two-part lecture at USC on January 15, 2013 aimed at providing an introduction of North Korean people, life, and the long-running military challenge it poses in the region.

North Korea Beyond the Headlines PART 2: Dealing with North Korea's Military Challenge

Susie Woo, Assistant Professor of American Studies at Cal State Fullerton, shares the struggles of Korean immigrants in the United States and the history that has brought them here. Challenging many myths about Korean Americans, she shares her own story, while discussing the three waves of Korean immigration, their religion, pop culture and Korean-American achievement in a country they have come to call their own.January 30, 2014 at the USC Korean Studies Institute.

Susie Woo, Assistant Professor of American Studies at Cal State Fullerton, shares the struggles of Korean immigrants in the United States and the history that has brought them here. Challenging many myths about Korean Americans, she shares her own story, while discussing the three waves of Korean immigration, their religion, pop culture and Korean-American achievement in a country they have come to call their own. January 30, 2014 at the USC Korean Studies Institute.

Korean Americans: Past and Present

Roy Choi

Roy Choi, founder of KogiBBQ and 2010 "Food and Wine" Chef of the Year, is a fascinating story about Los Angeles, Korean-Americans, and food. A law school dropout, Roy found his calling as a chef, and revolutionized "street food" by combining elements of Korean and Mexican food and serving it on wildly popular food trucks throughout L.A. This conversation ranges from Roy's childhood, to his experiences as a chef, to his views as a Korean-American.

A conversation With Roy Choi

Korean and Korean-American Studies at USC

Lecture presented by David C. Kang, Professor and Director, USC Korean Studies Institute.Given to K-12 educators attending the Korea Academy for Educators workshop on teaching about Korea, this lecture provides a short overview of Korean history, politics, and North Korea. Intended to introduce broad themes in Korean history to a general audience, the lecture emphasizes Korea's historical and contemporary international relations, its dynamic experiences during the 20th century, and a discussion of the people of North Korea.

Lecture presented by David C. Kang, Professor and Director, USC Korean Studies Institute. Given to K-12 educators attending the Korea Academy for Educators workshop on teaching about Korea, this lecture provides a short overview of Korean history, politics, and North Korea. Intended to introduce broad themes in Korean history to a general audience, the lecture emphasizes Korea's historical and contemporary international relations, its dynamic experiences during the 20th century, and a discussion of the people of North Korea.

An Overview of Korea

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