The “Miracle” Narrative of the Korean Cultural Industries: Perspectives from the Middle East
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, Abba Eban Hall, May 7-9 2013
International Conference
In the Middle East, as in other parts of the world, the Korean cultural industries have proved extremely efficient in introducing new images of Korea to new audiences. Known as the “Korean Wave”, TV dramas, Korean pop music, and Korean cinema has been successful not only commercially, but has also left viewers with an image of Korea as a home of a vibrant culture and artistic innovation. This impression has stimulated interest in Korea and its culture, resulting in a rise in tourism and in the establishment of new Korean studies programs in institutions of higher education. Korea has never been so popular and familiar in the Middle East as it is today.
The purpose of this conference is to examine the way Korean popular culture is being appropriated and received in the Middle East, and to examine the social and academic developments it inspires. The conference presentations will attempt to develop an integrative framework to analyze the dynamic relations between cultural industry, cultural consumption, and academic studies through a focus on the experience of the Korean Wave in the Middle East.
In a broader sense, looking at the Middle East allows us to examine how Korean culture is being received outside the geographically and culturally-proximate markets of Asia and outside the major economic markets of North America and Europe. The success of the Korean cultural industries in a geographically distant and culturally remote Middle East may exemplify the resilience and ability of cultural industries to go beyond national and regional boundaries, and reach out to audiences of various nationalities and ethnicities.
The conference will focus on four major issues: (a) Harbingers, industries, agents, and fans involved in bringing the “Korean Wave” to the Middle East (b) Acceptance and integration of the Korean Wave within the local and other imported (American) popular cultures (c) Relations between Korean cultural presence and Korean academic studies (d) Perspectives, images, and stereotypes of Korea in the Middle East.
Collaborating organizations: Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), World Association of Hallyu Studies (WAHS), The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, The Louis Frieberg Center for East Asian Studies, Department of East Asian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Conference Program
7 May 2013, Tuesday
16:30-18:00 Keynote Speech
Chair: Lihi Yariv-Laor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Greetings: Ambassador of Korea in Israel, H.E. Mr. Kim Il-Soo
Nancy Abelmann, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
“Fragile Cosmopolitanism: Hallyu in Korean Studies”
8 May 2013, Wednesday
09:30-10:00 Gathering and Registration
10:00-10:30 Opening Session
Menahem Blondheim, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Academic Director of the Truman Institute
Gil-Sung Park, Korea University, President of the World Association for Hallyu Studies (WAHS)
Nissim Otmazgin, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
10:30-12:00 Panel I: Korea’s Relations and Images in the Middle East
Chair: Yaakov Cohen, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Alon Levkowitz, Bar-Ilan University and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
“Korea’s Middle East Policy: Tilting between Soft and Hard Power”
Guy Podoler, University of Haifa,
“Between Sanjo and ‘Cha Boom’: Korean Culture in Israel in the 1960s and 1970s”
Nissim Otmazgin, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
“Hallyu and the Re-making of Korea’s Image in the Middle East”
12:00-13:00 Lunch Break
13:30-15:00 Panel II: The Globalization of Hallyu: Industry and Policy
Chair: Galia Press-Barnathan, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Ingyu Oh and Gil-Sung Park, Korea University,
“The Globalization of K-pop Industry”
Wonho Jang, University of Seoul,
“Cultural Hybrid and Hallyu”
Jooyeon Rhee, Wittenberg University,
“Locating Home: Assessing Multiculturalism in South Korea Through Hallyu”
15:00-15:30 Break
15:30-17:30 Panel III: Hallyu in the Middle East
Chair: Michal Daliot-Bul, University of Haifa
Sueen Noh, Wheaton College,
“Crossing the 21st Century Silk Road via Social Media: A Case Study of Korean Popular Culture Fans in the Middle East”
Shima Hemati, Frankfurt University,
“Against All Odds: South Korea’s Nation Branding Campaign in Iran”
Limor Shifman and Sulafa Zidani, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
“Middle Eastern Style: Re-makes of Gangnam Style as Identity Practice”
18:00 – Reception (for conference participants)
9 May 2013, Thursday
09:00-11:00 Panel IV: Hallyu in Israel
Chair: Helena Grinshpun, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Dafna Zur, Stanford University,
“Negotiating Culture: Hebrew Subtitles in Korean Dramas”
Liora Sarfati, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University,
“The Benefits and Dangers of Using Popular Media to Teach Academic Classes on Culture and History of Korea”
Irina Lyan, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
“From Holy Land to ‘Hallyu Land’ and Back: The Journey Following the Korean Wave in Israel”
11:30-13:00 Panel V: Korean Cinema in the Middle East and Beyond
Chair: Ronie Parciack, Tel Aviv University
Melis Behlil, Kadir Has University,
“Mirroring Miracles? A Comparative Analysis of Contemporary South Korean and Turkish Media Industries”
Pablo Utin, Tel Aviv University,
“The Humanistic Turn: A Comparison between Israel’s and South Korea’s Cinemas of Conflict”
Christine Yoo, Filmmaker,
“Hollywood and Hallyuwood: A Case Study of Film Production Systems” (TBC)
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
14:30-16:00 Concluding Panel
Eyal Ben-Ari, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Nancy Abelmann, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
19:00 – Dinner downtown (for conference participants)
10 May 2013: Post-conference tour to the Dead Sea/Jerusalem Old City (for conference participants)
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