£2M Korean Media Professorship! SOAS Makes Shocking Move!

London's prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is about to get a major boost to its Korean Studies program, thanks to a generous £2 million gift from the Korea Foundation (KF). This isn't just another donation; it's an endowment, establishing a permanent professorship focused on the fascinating world of Korean digital media. Think K-pop, cutting-edge online culture, and the booming creative industries – all under academic scrutiny.

£2M Korean Media Professorship! SOAS Makes Shockin...

This new chair, the first of its kind at SOAS, represents a significant strategic shift. Instead of just focusing on traditional Korean history and language, the university is now diving headfirst into the digital age. The agreement, finalized last December, sees KF and SOAS splitting the funding 50-50. The university will cleverly use the investment income from the endowment to keep the professorship going, ensuring its long-term presence within the School of Arts. Korean art history professor Charlotte Horlyck, who heads the department, will be overseeing the new initiative. I imagine she's quite excited!

The timing couldn't be better. SOAS recently launched an undergraduate program specifically in Korean digital media, so this endowed chair will be the keystone, the central figure, for teaching and research into all things K-content, digital culture, and the creative industries. This applies to both undergrads and doctoral students. You can see the university is really investing in the future of this field.

SOAS Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib clearly understands the significance of this gift. "The Korea Foundation’s impact has been significant in many areas of our work at SOAS," he noted, adding, "We very much look forward to advancing Korean Studies at SOAS with the Foundation’s support.” His words are a testament to the long-standing, fruitful relationship between the two institutions.

And that relationship is definitely something to highlight. KF has already established two tenure-track professorships at SOAS – one in Korean literature back in 2002, and another in Korean studies in 2011. They've also been a consistent supporter of the SOAS Centre for Korean Studies, which, interestingly, is the oldest dedicated Korean studies institution in Britain. Plus, countless SOAS postgraduate students have benefited from the KF's Graduate Studies Fellowship. Clearly, KF is deeply committed to nurturing Korean studies on a global scale.

Since its inception in 1991, the Korea Foundation has established a staggering 177 Korean studies professorships at universities around the globe. That's a serious investment in knowledge and cultural exchange! "This endowed chair in Korean digital media will broaden the scope of Korean Studies to encompass contemporary digital culture, while further strengthening academic collaboration between Korea, the U.K. and Europe,” said KF President Song Gui-do. He went on to emphasize their ongoing commitment to supporting leading universities and fostering the next generation of scholars, all in an effort to expand the reach of Korean studies research and education worldwide. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved.