The James Joo-Jin Kim Program in Korean Studies promotes interdisciplinary research and teaching across the University community on issues related to Korea. Endowed by a generous gift from Mr. James Joo-Jin Kim in 2011, the Program (originally established in 1997 as Center for Korean Studies) advises the university on Korea-related initiatives, sponsors conferences and lectures by invited speakers, awards grants to faculty members and students, hosts visiting scholars and postdoctoral fellows, and undertakes community outreach effort toward a better understanding of Korea.
The Korean collection at the Penn Libraries is focused on supporting current student and faculty research, as well as Korean language learning at advanced levels. In particular, current research and teaching at Penn include contemporary media and literature, pop culture and hallyu, historical genealogy, sociology, Chosǒn history, colonial Korea, Koreans in the Japanese colonies, and North Korea. The bibliographer also aims to create a strong foundation for research and study of a variety of topics in Korean studies, including history, literature, and the arts in premodern and modern periods.
Current strengths of the collection include:
The Korean Language Program at the University of Pennsylvania offers a complete curriculum in Korean language with 18 classes, covering five full years of Korean language courses.
