U.S. college students to learn Korean with Bong’s movies

Four films directed by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho will be used as lecture materials at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Tech was ranked No. 5 in the list of 2020 Top Public Colleges & Universities released by the U.S. News & World Report.

According to the News And Post, a U.S.-based media company for Korean-Americans on Friday, Georgia Tech opened an advanced Korean language class named, “Korean films: Bong Joon-ho special,” for senior students this year.

Those who take the class will study four major films by Bong – “Parasite,” which earned the director the Palme d'Or in Cannes in May 2019, ”Memories of Murder,” “The Host,” and “Mother.” Registration for the class is accepted from January 3 through 10 and open to non-Georgia Tech students as well.

Korean language courses at the university were first launched by South Korean students in 2002. As they grew in size, four-year programs for foreigners and online classes for freshmen were added. They have become an official minor subject as of now.

“This is the first time to use films for a class to study South Korean modern and contemporary history,” said Professor Kim Yong-taek who teaches Korean language classes at the university. “Bong who received the Palme d'Or and is nominated for the Academy Awards is garnering students’ attention more than ever,” he explained the reason to open the class.

“Parasite” is on the list of contenders for the international film and original song awards of the 92nd Academy Awards to be held on February 9.


abro@donga.com