On October 29, 2014, students in Modern Korean history class took a field trip to the Korean Cultural Center on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C.  Students had an opportunity to experience Korean traditional culture by trying on hanbok (traditional Korean clothes), sitting in sarangbang (traditional guest room/living room) and sipping green tea, and playing percussion instruments for samulnori (folk music).  The staff at the center offered a very interactive presentation highlighting the impact of traditional culture in modern Korean society.  We also learned how pop singer PSY’s “Gangnam style” was just a part of the tides of hallyu (Korean waves), the increasing popularity of South Korean popular culture throughout Asia and the world.

Dr. Yi’s HIST 497 Modern Korea students try on some traditional Korean costume in D.C.