A Special Course for Master's and Doctoral Students Has Been Launched by the Korean Studies Section of the Department of the Far East

Since June 2025, the Department of the Far East (Korean Studies Division) at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University has been running a 5-year project on overseas Korean studies with financial support from the Academy of Korean Studies (06.2025-05.2030; project topic-Creating a database (DB) and a platform for use in Korean studies in the Central Asian region). The Academy of Korean Studies is the largest academic institution under the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, responsible for developing policies and overseeing various Korean studies projects aimed at spreading, expanding, and developing Korean studies in Korea and abroad. The main goal of this project on foreign Korean studies is to improve the educational and research potential in Korean studies at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. 

The project's funds are fully invested in providing scholarships to students, launching new courses, holding Korean language competitions, preparing staff for dual-degree programs, and supporting the research work of teachers and project researchers.

As part of this project, starting from the fall semester of 2025, a special course on various topics of Korean studies for master’s and doctoral students has been opened in the department, and at the moment it is being held in the third semester in the department.

In the first semester, the course was taught by Professor Kim Sangheon from Sangmyung University (Seoul) on the topic 'Korean Heritage and Culture Content.' This course is dedicated to understanding Korea's tangible and intangible cultural heritage in a historical context, as well as analyzing how it is reinterpreted and used in modern cultural content (K-pop, dramas, movies, games, festivals, etc.). Through this, students gained an understanding of the historical value and features of Korea's main cultural assets, and also became aware of how to preserve and use cultural heritage in a digital environment.

In the second semester, Professor Choi Heesoo of Sangmyung University (Seoul) taught a course on "Korean History and Cultural Heritage." The goal of this course is to systematically study the formation and development of Korean society from the perspective of historical and cultural heritage. This course examines key elements of traditional Korean culture, including the economic structure of traditional Korean society, political institutions, social status, homes and tombs, clothing, education, and philosophy. Furthermore, by comparing the history and cultural heritage of Korea with the history and culture of Central Asia and Eurasia, the specificity and universality of Korean culture are simultaneously explored.

This third semester, Seokyeong University (Seoul) professor Bang Meeyoung is teaching a course on “Understanding Korean Literature & Culture.” This course is designed based on four key elements that are of greatest interest to international students studying Korean literature: "archetypes of literature in Korean content," "unique Korean feelings," "Korean history and daily life viewed through the lens of literature," and "the globalization of Korean literature." Instead of complex literary history and academic theories, students will naturally understand Korean literature, society, and culture using a clear approach based on literary works and stories.

We sincerely hope that this project will further increase students' enthusiasm and interest in Korean studies and significantly strengthen the research potential of the department's faculty. Furthermore, we hope that Al-Farabi Kazakh National University will take its rightful place as a global center for Korean studies, extending beyond Kazakhstan.