Each year, IKS hosts the annual George Washington-Indiana University Undergraduate Research Exchange Program. Through this program, students spend an academic year conducting research on an original project related to Korea. In addition to 3 credits for either the fall or spring semesters, students receive valuable 1-on-1 faculty mentoring through the course of their project which will culminate in an original 15-20 page research project that students have the opportunity to present at a mini-conference each spring.

During March 28th and 29th, IKS will take faculty and staff members along with our four FA24/Sp25 GW-IU Undergraduate Research Fellows to Washington D.C. for this year’s conference at George Washington University.

Our FA24/SP25 Fellows and their project titles are as follows:

Michael Betar IV

Project Title: The Rise and Impact that Computer and Mobile Games Have Had on South Korea Both Socially and Economically. 

Research interests: video games and society, game distribution, game development

Bio: Michael Betar IV is a Game Design Major at Indiana University’s Game Design Program with the Media School. He is also studying Virtual Reality with the Luddy School of Informatics for his Minor. Michael is focused on Game Production and Team Management and is a co-lead (“Crow-Lead”) of his independent game studio, Cozy Crow Studios, where he will release his Senior Capstone game, Decomposition, with this Spring. Although his background focuses on the development and distribution of video games, he is interested in studying how games are perceived and their impact on society. Outside of academics and game development, Michael works with videography for his personal YouTube channel.

Carina Geissler

Project Title: Fishing for (im)possibilities: A deep dive into image-ining Cheon Myeong-kwan’s Whale

Research Interests: visual arts, literary studies, cross-disciplinary studies

Shruti Sivakumar

Project Title: Protesting the Patriarchy: South Korea’s 4B Feminist Activism

Research Interests: culture, gender, and the environment in South and East Asian countries.

Bio: Shruti Sivakumar is a senior majoring in International Studies at Indiana University – Bloomington, with minors in Business, Korean, and Public and Environmental Affairs. She works three jobs as a Paging Assistant at the Lilly Library, a TA for an introductory Human Resources course, and a Research Assistant for the Institute for Korean Studies. Following graduation, she plans on getting her Masters in Public Administration and working in international program management or development. Outside of school, Shruti enjoys learning new cultures, traveling, and hanging out with her roommates.

Jess Smith

Project Title: From Policy to Practice: Gender Bias and Inequality in South Korean Universities

Research Interests: HR development, global businesses, gender in the workplace

Bio: Jess Smith is a 21st Century Scholar and first-gen student from Northern Indiana. She is currently a senior majoring in International Studies with minors in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Korean) and Human Resources Management. After Jess graduates, she hopes to work in an innovative and sustainable corporation, with plans to work abroad as a Global HR professional. Jess loves learning new languages, appreciating different cultures, and she has some experience with both Spanish and Korean. In her free time, Jess loves to read, paint, and try new things.

We congratulate our 24/25 Research Fellows for all their hard work and we wish them a successful conference in a few weeks!

IKS is also now accepting applications for scholars for the FA25/SP26 Academic Year. Interested students should refer to the flyer below or visit our website to find out more information and how to apply.

IKS held their Seollal Celebration on Saturday, February 1st to celebrate the year of the Blue Snake. The event was held on the fourth floor of the Ferguson International Center, from 11am to 1:30pm. Unlike years prior, the event was not a joint venture between IKS and other East Asia related programs, and instead was solely an IKS event, allowing us to focus more fully on the traditions and fun of Korean Lunar New Year while beginning new traditions at IKS.

The event was opened with some short remarks by the IKS director, Dr. Seungkyung Kim about Lunar New Year in South Korea, as well as announcements of upcoming IKS events. Afterwards, participants were given an hour and a half to enjoy the games and activities that were scheduled. Following a rotation card, participants were able to spend an equal and plentiful amount of time to experience the hat decorating activity, play a short game of Yut-nori, and try their luck with our jegichagi competition.

After activities, lunch was served and participants enjoyed a variety of Korean food from local Korean restaurant K-Bap. The lunch menu consisted of kimchi, white rice, Korean fried chicken, dried radish, bean sprouts, dumplings, and kimbap. The event finished with some closing remarks and the announcement of the jegichagi competition winners. There were prizes awarded to the top sixteen spots from the competition, with the prizes ranging from assorted snack bags to speakers or karaoke machines.

IKS would like to thank everyone who came to our event and would like to especially thank all of our volunteers. We could not do events like this without the help of our volunteers, so our deepest thanks to you all. For more information on upcoming IKS events and volunteer opportunities, please subscribe to our email listserv or follow us on social media @iks_iu on X and Instagram.

On Saturday, February 10, the Institute of Korean Studies, along with the East Asian Studies Center, Chinese Flagship Program, National Taiwan University HAYU BEST Program, and the Bloomington Sejong Institute held the Year of the Dragon Celebration in honor of the 2024 Lunar New Year. The celebration went from 12 pm to 2 pm and included various cultural activities, free food, and a prize raffle.

During the event, attendees learned how to play the traditional board game Yutnori, 윷놀이 in Hangeul, which is often played during special holidays like the Lunar New Year or as it’s known in Korea, Seollal. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn how to fold traditional Korean clothing (hanbok) out of paper. Traditional Chinese activities such as Mahjong and New Year scroll writing were available alongside these Korean activities.

Following the activities, it was time for food to be served. The Korean food was provided by local Bloomington restaurant K-Bap, with options such as Tteokbokki, Mandu, and Kimbap available. Chinese food options were also available.

While attendees were eating their food, speakers from HLS, the Chinese Flagship, and IKS welcomed guests and gave brief cultural backgrounds on the event. IKS director, Seung-kyung Kim, introduced Seollal and the unique traditions that come with it.

Speeches were swiftly followed by the prize raffle, where five attendees had the opportunity to win various merchandise from the organizations hosting the event. The Bloomington Sejong Institute provided the prizes for IKS, a tote bag, and a t-shirt.

All in all, the event was a success. There were around 300 attendees, all there to ring in the Lunar New Year. As we welcome 2024, IKS is looking forward to another year of successful events full of new and familiar faces. We hope to see you there! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

Elena Bonitz

MA in East Asian Studies (Korean Studies)

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Program Assistant

Institute for Korean Studies

Indiana University Bloomington

On Saturday, November 11, the Institute for Korean Studies, along with the Bloomington Sejong Institute, held their annual Kimbap Making Day. This event was a time for IU and Sejong students, and Bloomington community members to learn how to make Kimbap. Kimbap is a popular Korean comfort food often found at street stalls and in convenience stores. The literal translation for Kimbap is ‘Seaweed Rice.’ Kim is the name of the specific seaweed used, and bap means rice.  The dish consists of a variety of ingredients (ex. carrots, fishcake, eggs, cucumbers, etc.) wrapped in rice and rolled up in a layer of seaweed.

The event started with the handing out of t-shirts provided by the Bloomington Sejong Institute. After participants received their shirts, they were shown to their seats where gloves and sushi mats were laid out for later. After a brief introductory speech given by director Dr. Seung-Kyung Kim, the Kimbap-making commenced. Led by IKS professor, Dr. Weejeong Jeong, participants learned how to lay out their ingredients and how to properly roll up their seaweed. Afterward, participants had their Kimbap cut by IKS faculty for them to eat. Students could also indulge in some Mandu and Japchae with their Kimbap. All ingredients as well as the extra Mandu and Japchae were provided by local restaurant Korea Restaurant. The event was closed out by group pictures with the Sejong students and then all the attendees.

This year’s Kimbap Making Day was a success. With a full house of 75 participants, there was never a dull moment. Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope to see you again next year and look out for future IKS events!

Elena Bonitz

MA in East Asian Studies (Korean Studies)
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Program Assistant
Institute for Korean Studies
Indiana University Bloomington

On October 27, the Institute for Korean Studies, along with the Korean Foundation, put on their annual conference. This year the theme was South Korea’s Foreign Policy in a Changing East Asia.

The conference commenced after a brief introduction from Dr. Adam Liff, director of the East Asian Languages and Cultures department and a fellow presenter. The first half of the conference dedicated a portion of time to the topic of South Korea’s foreign policy regarding North Korea. After that, our presenters moved on to the main topic of South Korea’s Foreign Policy in a Changing East Asia. At the end of each session, a Q&A was held in which attendees could ask any burning question they might have.

The conference was an insightful experience that pulled in around 50 attendees of faculty, staff, and students. IKS would like to extend a special thanks to presenters Adam Liff, Young-Jun Kim, Ji-Young Lee, Lami Kim, and Terence Roehrig. This conference could not have happened without your expertise.

Thank you to all our attendees as well. We hope to see you at future events!

Elena Bonitz

MA in East Asian Studies (Korean Studies)

Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

Program Assistant

Institute for Korean Studies

On October 9 (Hangeul Day), the Institute for Korean Studies, along with the Bloomington Sejong Institute, hosted their annual Hangeul Day event. This observed holiday was originally created to recognize the impact the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) has had on South Korean society. Nowadays, IKS uses this day as a time to spread Korean culture and raise awareness about Hangeul.

This year, festivities started with tote bag decorating. When participants entered the event, our volunteers would teach them how to write their names in Korean while handing them a tote bag. After which participants had the opportunity to decorate their tote bags, provided by the Bloomington Sejong Institute, with their names as well as whatever their hearts desired. It was a time for their creative skills to shine. While waiting to decorate their bags, participants could grab a bite to eat from an array of Korean staples provided by the local Korea Restaurant.

After dinner was served, festivities shifted to the hallmark event of the night, the quiz. Presented by the Korean Language Program teachers, the questions were made to make participants think deeply about their knowledge of Hangeul and its history. With prizes ranging from an Apple Watch to the BTS Recipe Book, participants were putting their all into the quiz. Proudly, many of the winners were IKS’s very own Korean Language Program and Sejong students. It’s good to know that their programs are teaching them well.

Hangeul Day ended on a high note, with a raffle in which the winners could take home a tote bag of Korean snacks. With ten winners in total, there were a lot of Korean goodies to go around.

All in all, Hangeul Day was a success. The event brought in an astounding 130+ people from all different corners of campus. Participants were able to interact with peers and professors alike, bringing a wonderful atmosphere to the Hamilton Lugar atrium. Here at IKS, we are still reeling from the event and absolutely cannot wait for next year, when we get to do this all over again!

Elena Bonitz

MA in East Asian Studies (Korean Studies)

Program Assistant

Institute for Korean Studies

Indiana University Bloomington

On September 29, the Institute for Korean Studies, along with the Bloomington Sejong Institute, IU Chinese Flagship, East Asian Studies Center, and the Chinese and Korean Language Programs, put on a cultural session for Chuseok and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The event started with presentations on both holidays by Associate Instructor Jae Hyun Ahn and Chinese Flagship Tutor Weiya Wang. The presentation covered the basic histories of the holidays as well as culturally significant foods and activities put on during the time. Each presentation was informative and engaging, with participants actively listening to our presenters.

After the presentations, it was time for snacks. IKS handed out a variety of Korean snacks, both traditional and modern, while the Chinese flagship provided mooncakes (a staple during the Mid-Autumn Festival. With 86 people officially in attendance, there were a lot of snacks to go around.

Then it was time for the main event. Groups of up to five people teamed up to play our rigorous Kahoot, put together by Lacey Hawkes of the Chinese Flagship Program. They battled it out for a chance to win food prizes such as giant mooncakes and yakgwa. In the end, three teams stood on top as winners, but you could feel the competitive energy throughout the whole auditorium.

All and all, our joint Chuseok and Mid-Autumn Festival event was a success. We would once again like to thank our co-sponsors, Bloomington Sejong Institute, the IU Chinese Flagship, the East Asian Studies Center, and the Chinese and Korean Language Programs.

Elena Bonitz
MA in East Asian Studies (Korean Studies)
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Program Assistant
Institute for Korean Studies
Indiana University Bloomington

The Institute for Korean Studies welcomed Professor Travis Workman on Friday, September 22 as part of our Fall 2023 Colloquium Series. Professor Workman’s talk, “Melodrama and Moods in Cold War Korean Films,” discussed how raw effects can be provoked by melodrama and how emotions produced in film can be used in nation-building and state politics. The talk was followed by an engaging discussion with members of the Indiana University community.

Travis Workman is a professor within the Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies and is the chair of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Minnesota. His new book, Political Moods: Film Melodrama and the Cold War in the Two Koreas, will be available later this month.

Please join us on October 22 for the next event in our Colloquium Series as Professor George Kallender of Syracuse University gives his talk “Violence Unleashed, Violence Restrained: War, Animals, and the Hunt in Premodern Korea.”

Follow us on Instagram or visit our website to learn more about past and future events.

Noah Placzek

Program Assistant, Institute for Korean Studies
Graduate Student in East Asian Studies
Indiana University Bloomington

On Friday, September 8, the Institute for Korean Studies hosted the annual Open House. This Open House is used to introduce IU students interested in Korean studies to the IKS and the resources they have to offer. Students from a wide variety of disciplines but a shared interest in Korean culture were encouraged to come.

Opening the event was a speech from IKS Director, Dr. Seung-kyung Kim, presenting the IKS and its offering to those attending. During the speech, attending faculty also had the opportunity to formally introduce themselves to potential students. With the Open House officially underway, participants could indulge in a light dinner provided by a local Korean restaurant, as they mingle with peers and faculty alike. Free t-shirts were also provided by the Bloomington Sejong Institute.

In a captivating twist, StarPlus Energy, a notable guest, took the stage to discuss internship opportunities, highlighting the dynamic intersections between Korean culture and industry.

The IKS Open House, sponsored by the Bloomington Sejong Institute, welcomed students from a wide range of disciplines who share a profound interest in Korean culture. While some faces were familiar, many new people joined the gathering. The hope is that this event will inspire participants to engage further with the IKS throughout the academic year.

Over the weekend, IU undergraduate students traveled with the Institute for Korean Studies to Washington D.C. to present in the 5th annual GW-IU Undergraduate Research Exchange Program conference.

Each year, a number of undergraduate students at both Indiana University and George Washington University are selected to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor to produce a 15-20 page research paper and a presentation. Throughout the academic year, students meet periodically with their peers and other faculty mentors to share their progress, receive feedback, and practice their presentation skills. At the end of the academic year, IU IKS and GW IKS take turns hosting a the undergraduate research conference where students from both schools meet to present their projects.

IU had four undergraduate research fellows participate in the conference at George Washington University held on April 1, 2023.

Topic: Nuclear Energy in South Korea

Yongxing Tang, BS in Business, (Finance and Marketing Major)

Year: Junior

Topic: Infinite Challenge – Societal lessons behind the Korean reality show

Kaelyn Klatte, International Law and Legal Institutions

Year: Sophomore

Topic: Pessimism: South Korean Youth’s Perceptions of the Likelihood of a Korean Reunification

Lillian Rogers, International Studies

Year: Junior

Topic: K-pop and the Sewol Ferry Tragedy:​ Protest and Activism in K-Pop​

Students interested in this opportunity should visit our website and apply by May 5, 2023.