Documentary Film & Talks – South Korean Pop Culture
This week ADI and the Department for Cross Cultural and Regional Studies welcomes Associate Professor Stephen Epstein from the University of Wellington New Zealand.
On Thursday 27 April at 10:30, Stephen Epstein shall present the documentary film "Us & Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-Pop World" which he co-produced with Timothy Tangherlini. Everyone is welcome to watch the documentary in room: 11A. 1.07 on South Campus.
The documentary follows several of Korea's most well-known indie bands as they embarked on their first US tours. The spotlight lands in particular on Crying Nut, the endearing godfathers of Korean underground rock; the stylish RockTigers, Korea's most successful rockabilly band; and Whatever That Means..., a melodic punk band led by a married couple--bass player Trash and her American guitarist husband. The documentary's compelling portrait of the Korean indie scene offers sharp insights into a society that is in the midst of frequently dizzying change.
On Friday 28 April at 10:30 CET, Stephen Epstein will give a talk on "North Korea in South Korean Pop Culture: Comedy, Communism & Crash Landing on You". Everybody is welcome to watch at the Southern Campus, University of Copenhagen - KUA2, 15A.1.13 or on Zoom. This talk examines how South Korean images of North Korea have evolved in recent years. How does South Korean popular culture reflect that evolution and, in turn, shape ongoing transformations in the understanding of its neighbour? These questions have significant policy implications especially amidst the turbulent dynamics that characterise relations between the two countries: is the South Korean imagination making room for an inclusive but heterogeneous identity that accepts both parts of the divided nation? Or, is a hardening of mental boundaries emphasising cultural/social difference? In examining these questions, the talk will consider some important cultural texts in which South Korean imaginations of North Korea have expressed themselves, such as recent spy films, entertainment shows involving defectors, and the hit Netflix drama Crash Landing on You.
Bio: Associate Professor Stephen Epstein is a member of the Asian Languages and Cultures Programme at Victoria University of Wellington. His research focuses on contemporary Korean society and popular culture, and he has translated several works of Korean and Indonesian fiction. Recent books include the co-edited volumes The Korean Wave: A Sourcebook, (Academy of Korean Studies Press, 2016, with Yun Mi Hwang) and Popular Culture and the Transformation of Japan-Korea Relations (Routledge, 2021, with Rumi Sakamoto). His translation of Intan Paramaditha’s novel The Wandering: A Red Shoes Adventure appeared on Harvill Secker in 2020. He has also co-produced two documentaries on the Korean underground music scene with Timothy Tangherlini (Our Nation: a Korean Punk Rock Community, 2001; Us and Them: Korean Indie Rock in a K-pop World, 2014) and served as the 2013-14 president of the New Zealand Asian Studies Society.