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The Korean Wave and Keeping Cultures Open: Towards a Cultural Security Approach

by KRC Visiting Scholar, Assistant Prof Liew Kai Khiun 

Time: Friday 15 Dec 2023 from 1.30 - 2.30 (Perth)

Venue: Online Seminar via Webex (see information and registration links below)

Please see attached a notice below about the next seminar being hosted by KRC with the visiting scholar, Assistant Prof Liew Kai Khiun from Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

Dr Khiun's Bio

Dr Khiun is a scholar of transnational Cultural Studies researching on contemporary popular culture flows between East and Southeast Asia, including the regional projection and reception of Hallyu. Amongst his recent publications include that of the reception of K-pop in Southeast Asia in my co-edited book “Women We Love: Femininities and the Korean Wave”. His current projects in this field covers that of the transnational screen cultural representations in film locations of both Singapore and Korean productions. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Metropolitan University. Dr Khiun is currently a resident visiting fellow at KRC.

Seminar Abstract: The Korean Wave and keeping cultures open: Towards a cultural security approach

This seminar seeks to position the international flows of Korean popular culture products in the Korean Wave (Hallyu) as part of a broader interpretation of cultural security based on a broader principle of rights and freedom of cultural access. Hallyu is part of contemporary globalisation with the circulation of its popular media and entertainment alongside the movement of related peoples as dependent on the access to open markets. In this respect, Hallyu helped fostered significantly more active cultural interactions and identifications around the world for the past two decades. However, within the trends of global decoupling characterised by increasingly nationally and regionally assertive populist authoritarian regimes appropriating cultural security as part of the cultural ringfencing of entire societies, the once taken for granted access of Hallyu products is increasingly under threat. Successive South Korean governments have however regarded Hallyu more as a soft power “feather on a hat” accessory to foreign diplomacy and national security instead of part of its strategic interests in defending an ideally rights-based liberal democratic global order. As such, against the increasing more defensive notions of “protection”, this topic calls for a need to propose a more liberal interpretation of cultural security as protecting a cosmopolitan notion of cultural liberty based in the sacrosanct freedom to negotiate, relate and shape one’s identity.

Please find the attached flyer for more information.

Best Regards,

Korea Research & Engagement Centre

Curtin University