Powering the Korean Wave at PSU

The Korean wave is going strong at Portland State University. As the global popularity of K-pop, K-movies, K-dramas and Korean food has surged over the past decade, PSU has seen a parallel rise in interest from heritage and non-heritage students alike. Annual enrollment in Korean language courses now averages around 100 students, and summer classes on Korean pop culture and K-Pop Academy consistently fill to capacity. That demand led PSU to launch a Korean minor last fall.

It's the first step in a broader vision championed by sociology professor and chair Hyeyoung Woo to build a comprehensive Korean Studies program at PSU.

"I see tremendous opportunities for PSU to become an impactful hub in the Pacific Northwest through Korean Studies programs," said Woo, who also serves as director of PSU's Institute for Asian Studies. "I believe PSU is uniquely positioned to connect local communities with a rapidly changing and increasingly influential part of the world."

As an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), PSU is well-suited to foster that connection.

PSU's ability to introduce more language classes, host public lectures and organize cultural events is in no small part thanks to philanthropic and community support. In 2017, the Korea Foundation awarded a three-year grant to support Korean Studies instruction, matched by contributions from the local Korean-American community, allowing PSU to host a visiting professor in Korean history for several years.

Since becoming IAS director in 2022, building meaningful partnerships with community organizations has been one of Woo's biggest priorities. She says the Korean Society of Oregon - of which she's now on the council - showed the strongest interest in PSU's academic programs and appreciation for her efforts to develop Korean Studies.

"Since then, I have invested significant time and effort in cultivating this partnership and creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration," she said. "Just like any other relationship, it takes heart to build the relationship and it only shows by time."

Her intentionality and collaborative approach in stewarding transformative support for PSU has not gone unnoticed. Woo was recognized with PSU's Philanthropy Partnership Award this year and will be honored during Convocation.

And those efforts continue to bear fruit. Recently, donors Peter and Helen Chun generously made an endowed gift - the largest ever for Korean Studies at PSU. Driven by a desire to give back to the university and the Portland community, the Chuns made the investment to give leaders like Woo the resources to expand their impact.

"This kind of support to develop exciting programs and this kind of curriculum, research and culture exposure is really important for our students, and can make a huge impact on their education and future career as well as the community in the greater Portland area and Oregon," Woo said. "We have that goal and vision aligned."

With that support, Woo was able to launch the Korean Outreach, Research, and Education (KORE) Initiative last fall. Two undergraduate fellows worked together, under Woo's mentorship, on a project related to Korean immigrants and the implications in Oregon. And three faculty fellows worked to expand the Korean Studies curriculum by developing new courses exploring Korean culture, society or related topics. Woo, whose own research as a family demographer uses Korea as a case study, says she wants to see more Korean courses offered in the humanities and social sciences.

The year ended with a celebration featuring performances by the PSU student K-Pop Dance Club, an award ceremony and a guest lecture.
Woo is exploring ways to expand KORE's reach. Working with several faculty members and community partners, she is developing a Korean language teacher training program for K-12 schools, and preparing to host an international conference.

Woo's dream is for KORE to grow into a Korean Studies Center and for PSU to offer more academic programs in Korean Studies. Additionally, she envisions scholarships and fellowships for students to study abroad in Korea, partnerships with local businesses and organizations to offer internships, support for faculty pursuing Korean-related research projects, and continued collaborations with community partners to offer cultural events that are a draw for the community at large.

"It's three pillars: students, faculty and community," Woo said. "We can brand PSU as the only place in the Pacific Northwest that offers such programs with strong global connections."

To learn more about supporting Korean Studies at PSU, visit the PSU KORE Initiative.