May 29-30, 2015

Gerlinger Lounge

This two-day event will explore the globalization of Japanese and Korean popular culture with an eye to major historical movements and media trends. Through case studies of television dramas, video games, popular music, comics, and other media, we will investigate how popular culture, especially trends among youth, has shaped world views, defined artistic genres, and altered commercial landscapes. We will question how this cultural exchange can soothe historical tensions and help lead to better political relations. This is one of the first conferences at the University of Oregon or elsewhere to examine Japanese and Korean popular culture together.