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A Taste of Korea:
Korean Foodways and Culture
AP/KOR 4500 W 2022-23

Course instructor:
Sunho Ko, Ph.D.
Office: Ross S414E
Email: sunhoko@yorku.ca
Virtual office hours: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on Fridays or by appointment
[https://yorku.zoom.us/j/95395172685]

The instructor will try to reply to your email within 24 hours during weekdays. If you do not get
a reply within 24 hours, feel free to send a reminder.

Times and locations:

2:40 PM – 5:30 PM on Tuesdays at HNE 038

Course description:
This upper-level undergraduate seminar
course examines a wide spectrum of the
foodways in 20th and 21st century Korea
with a special focus on food as an index
of power and politics. Food serves as a
nexus to investigate multilayered
meanings of politics at the level of the
everyday life, wherein not only national
states and international organizations but
also ordinary farmers and consumers
compete over what would be a better
management system for the daily
necessities for human survival. Rather
than limited to sheer material concerns, the competition over food revolves around broader
political, social, and cultural topics of global history—ranging from colonialism to the Cold War,
from nationalism to globalization, from industrialized farming to organic food movement, from
peasant labor to consumer desire for taste, from masculinized chefs to feminized housewives,
and from excessive eating shows to fast and famine. By examining Korean food such as rice,
kimchi, soy sauce, and cold noodle with the global issues, this course aims to give students not
only empirical information on Korean food but also critical insights on current food-related

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issues in the world.

No prior knowledge of the Korean language is required.

Required textbook and course materials:

- There is no required textbook for this course. Almost all course materials can be accessed via
York University Library. It is the responsibility of the students to know how to assess the
materials.
- Articles from Korea Journal can be downloaded from the following link:
https://www.aks.ac.kr/cop/bbs/selectBoardList.do?bbsId=BBSMSTR_000000000040&listAll=1
&menuNo=2010124100&lang=kor
- Materials not available online are marked with *. These articles will be posted to the eClass
course webpage.

Grading Components

Assessment Due date Value (% of final grade)

Attendance & participation N/A 10%
Mini-report on supermarkets Jan. 27 5%
Group presentation N/A 10%
Group video report on Mar. 24 10%
restaurants
Take-home exam 1 Mar. 3 30%
Take-home exam 2 Apr. 14 35%

1) Attendance and participation

• You can miss up to one class without any explanations and official documents. From
your second absence, each absence will result in the loss of 1% unless you provide
official documents such as doctor’s note, interview schedule, etc. If you miss four classes
or more, the course grade will be dropped one level (e.g., A+→A), and result in zero
points of attendance and participation.
• Please do not confuse participation with attendance. Full attendance (including one
absence) does not mean that you will get the full mark. If you miss no or one class but if
you hardly participate in class discussions, you will get 7.5 points for your attendance and
participation mark. Participation includes active engagement with the assigned readings
and in-class discussions. Students should be ready to answer the instructor’s questions.
You are also encouraged to come with questions and discussion topics to be shared in
class.
• Out of respect for your fellow students in this class, please refrain from using laptops or
mobile phones for entertainment during class. Do not display any material on a laptop
which may be distracting or offensive to your fellow students. Laptops may be used only
for legitimate classroom purposes, such as taking notes, downloading course information
from eClass, or working on an assigned in-class exercise. Checking social media, email,
texting, games, and other online activities are not legitimate classroom purposes. Such
inappropriate laptop and mobile phone use is distracting to those seated around you.

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2) Mini-report on Korean supermarkets

• You need to visit one or multiple Korean supermarkets such as Galleria, H-Mart, and PAT
and write a short photo essay (800 words) on your visit.
• Please take at least five photos on food items, people, or scenes that you think interesting
and explain your thoughts on the photos. The ideal report should be able to interweave
the photos in a coherent manner with a clear theme. You can choose any theme. The
assigned reading on mother-daughter relationship can be a good example.
• I encourage you to buy at least one food item like Choco Pie and write about your
culinary experience.
• Although this is an individual assignment, I encourage you to visit supermarkets with
your group members, friends, or family members.
• Due: Jan 27, 11 PM.
• Late submissions will result in a deduction of 1 point for each late day.

3) Group presentation
• For each week, two or three groups (each group is consisted of six students) are expected
to prepare a 15 to 20-minute presentation on one assigned reading with discussion (15 to
20 minutes).
• Because this course depends heavily on your presentations, students in charge of
presentation should be well-prepared. The group should provide a concise yet thorough
summary and analysis of the reading. You should present what the main argument of the
author is and how the author develops the idea with what evidence and methodologies.
Also you can explain key terms, sentences or paragraphs in the reading.
• Apart from the assigned reading, your group need to read the other article assigned for
the week and think about the readings in comparison. You can read materials beyond the
course reading list, yet they should be used as supplementary.
• The group also needs to offer at least three questions to facilitate discussions. Good
discussion questions require to use critical thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, application
of knowledge, evaluation, etc.).
• Your presentation materials (ppt slides and script) should be uploaded after presentation
within a day under the “Group presentation” module.

4) Group video report on Korean restaurants

• This is a group project.
• Each group (the same group of your presentation) is required to make a video (five to ten
minutes) after visiting Korean restaurants in Toronto. No in-class presentation is required.
• You have absolute freedom to choose the format and theme in the report. For instance,
you can analyze the restaurant menu with a focus on whether the menu emphasizes
authenticity or not. Or you can analyze what kind of customers consume Korean foods
with whom, why, and how. You can choose and explain one food item that is not covered
by this course such as walnut cake, bibimbap, ttokbokki, and Korean-style corn dog. Be
creative! But you are strongly encouraged to interview the chef, the owner, or the

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employees of the restaurant and include their stories.

• You can opt for a written report with photos (1500 words).
• Due: Mar. 24, 11 PM.
• Late submissions will result in a deduction of 1 point for each late day.
• This assignment can be canceled if the covid situation worsens.

5) Take-home exam 1
• The instructor will provide one or two questions with detailed guidelines on Feb. 14.
• Students should choose one question and upload the answer paper to eClass (1300 words,
about 4-5 pages in double-spaced) by Mar 3.

6) Take-home exam 2
• The instructor will provide one or two questions with detailed guidelines on Mar. 28.
• Students should choose one question and upload the answer paper to eClass (1300 words,
about 4-5 pages in double-spaced) by Apr. 14.

Grading Schemes
Your final course grade will be based on the results of the following in conformity with the YorkU
grading scheme. Final course grades may be adjusted to conform to Program or Faculty grade
distribution profiles.

90-100 A+ 9 EXCEPTIONAL
80-89 A 8 EXCELLENT
75-79 B+ 7 VERY GOOD
70-74 B 6 GOOD
65-69 C+ 5 COMPETENT
60-64 C 4 FAIRLY COMPETENT
55-59 D+ 3 PASSING
50-54 D 2 MARGINALLY PASSING
49-50 E 1 MARGINALLY FAILING
0-49 F 0 FAILING

Course Policies:

Important student conduct

Students are expected to conduct themselves properly at all times throughout this course. This means
being respectful and courteous to fellow students and the Course Director and using appropriate
language (no profanity) in communications through the appropriate channels. It also means being patient
and allowing time for course personnel to receive your messages and respond (at least 24 hours). A
statement of the policy and procedures involving disruptive and/or harassing behaviour by students in
academic situations is available on the York website at https://oscr.students.yorku.ca/student-conduct.

Academic honesty and integrity

In this course, we strive to maintain academic integrity to the highest extent possible. Please familiarize
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yourself with the meaning of academic integrity by completing SPARK’s Academic Integrity module at
the beginning of the course. Breaches of academic integrity range from cheating to plagiarism (i.e., the
improper crediting of another’s work, the representation of another’s ideas as your own, etc.). All
instances of academic dishonesty in this course will be reported to the appropriate university authorities,
and can be punishable according to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.

Access/Disability
York provides services for students with disabilities (including physical, medical, learning and
psychiatric disabilities) needing accommodation related to teaching and evaluation methods/materials.
These services are made available to students in all Faculties and programs at York University. Students
in need of these services are asked to register with disability services as early as possible, to ensure that
appropriate academic accommodation can be provided with advance notice. You are encouraged to
contact your professor at the start
of the term to discuss your accommodation needs. This may be done either in person or by e-mail.
Registering with disabilities services and discussing your needs with your professors is necessary to
avoid any impediment to receiving the necessary academic accommodations to meet your needs.
Students who require accommodation must advise their Course Director and/or tutorial leaders at the
start of the course (not partway through), or before an assignment is due, not afterward.
Additional information is available through Counselling & Disability Services at
https://accessibility.students.yorku.ca/ or from disability service providers:
Personal Counselling and Learning Skills Services: N110 BCSS, 416-736-5297
Mental Health Disability Services: N110 BCSS, 416-736-5297
Learning Disability Services: W128 BCSS, 416-736-5383
Physical, Sensory and Medical Disability Services: N108 Ross, 416-736-5140,
TTY: 416-736-52631.
Deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing students may also contact <dhh@yorku.ca>.
Glendon students - Counselling & Disability Services, Glendon Site: Glendon Hall E103, 416-487-6709

Religious Observance Accommodation

https://calendars.students.yorku.ca/2022-2023/religious-accommodation
York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the
community and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. Should
any of the dates specified in this syllabus for an in-class test or examination pose such a conflict for you,
contact the Course Director within the first three weeks of class. Similarly, should an assignment to be
completed in a lab, practicum placement, workshop, etc., scheduled later in the term pose such a
conflict, contact the Course director immediately. Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time
for an examination scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students
must complete an Examination Accommodation Form, which can be obtained from Student Client
Services, Student Services Centre or online at https://altexams.students.yorku.ca/request-an-alternate-
exam .

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Class Schedule
The following presents the anticipated schedule for course topics and reading. The instructor
reserves the right to alter the course schedule at any time. With that said, any changes will, as
possible, be announced well in advance.

Week 1 (Jan. 10): Course Introduction

Week 2 (Jan. 17): How to Define Korean Food in the Globalized World?: Hansik and
Temple Food
• Katarzyna J. Cwiertka, “The Global Hansik Campaign and Commodification of Korean
Cuisine,” in Kyung Hyun Kim and Youngmin Choe eds., The Korean Popular Culture
Reader (Durham: Duke University Press, 2014) (G1)
• * Kyung-Koo Han, “The Kimchi ‘Wars’ in Globalizing East Asia: Consuming Class,
Gender, Health”, in Kendall, L., ed., Consuming Korean Tradition in Early and Late
Modernity (Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2010) (G2)
• Seungsook Moon, “Buddhist Temple Food in South Korea: Interests and Agency in the
Reinvention of Tradition in the Age of Globalization,” Korea Journal 48, no. 4 (2008),
147-180 (G3)

Week 3 (Jan. 24): Visit to Korean Supermarkets in Toronto

• Michelle Zauner, “Crying in H Mart,” New Yorker, August 20, 2018 (accessible online)

No classroom meeting
Mini-report on supermarkets due: Jan. 27, 11 PM

Week 4 (Jan. 31): Decolonization/Nationalization of Flavor: Soy Sauce, MSG, and Cold
Noodle
• Katarzyna J. Cwiertka, “The Soy Sauce Industry in Korea: Scrutinising the Legacy of
Japanese Colonialism” Asian Studies Review 30 (December 2006), 389–410 (G4)
• Keun-sik Jung, “Colonial Modernity and the Social History of Chemical Seasoning in
Korea,” Korea Journal 45, no. 2 (Summer 2005), 9-36 (G5)

Week 5 (Feb. 7): Food, Imperialism, and Cold War: Rice and Military Base Stew
• * Tae-ho Kim, “Making Miracle Rice: Tongil and Mobilizing a Domestic “Green
Revolution” in South Korea” in Hiromi Mizuno, Aaron S. Moore, and John DiMoia eds.,
Engineering Asia: Technology, Colonial Development, and the Cold War Order
(London: Bloomsbury, 2018) (G6)
• Grace M. Cho, “Eating Military Base Stew,” Context 13, no. 3 (2014), 38-43 (G7)

Week 6 (Feb. 14): Bulgogi, Mad Cow Disease, and Democracy

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• Lee Kyou Jin and Cho Mi Sook, “The Evolution of Bulgogi over the Past 100 Years,”
Korea Journal 53, no. 4 (2013), 168-194 (G8)
• Jiyeon Kang, “Internet Activism Transforming Street Politics: South Korea’s 2008 ‘Mad
Cow’ Protests and New Democratic Sensibilities,” Media, Culture & Society 39 no. 5
(2017), 750-761 (G9)

Guidelines to Take-home Exam 1 will be provided.

Week 7 (Feb. 21): No Class! Enjoy the Reading Week

Week 8 (Feb. 28): Food, Intimacy, and Family in Korean Diaspora

• In-class film screening: Yakiniku Dragon
• Grace M. Cho, “Kimchi Blues,” Gastronomica 12, no. 2 (2012), 53-58

No group presentation
Take-home Exam 1 due: Mar. 3, 11 PM

Week 9 (Mar. 7): Eating Elegance, Authenticity, and Well-Being: Royal Cuisine and
Jjajangmyon
• Okpyo Moon, “Dining Elegance and Authenticity,” Korea Journal 50, no. 1 (2010), 36-
58 (G10)
• Young-Kyun Yang, “Well-Being Discourse and Chinese Food in Korean Society,” Korea
Journal 50, no.1 (Spring 2010), 85-109 (G11)

Week 10 (Mar. 14): Gender Politics in Food Shows and Coffee

• Jooyeon Rhee, “Gender Politics in Food Escape: Korean Masculinity in TV Cooking
Shows in South Korea,” Journal of Popular Film and Television 47, no. 1 (Jan. 2019),
56-64 (G12)
• Jee Eun Regina Song, “The Soybean Paste Girl: The Cultural and Gender Politics of
Coffee Consumption in Contemporary South Korea,” Journal of Korean Studies 19, no. 2
(2014), 429-448 (G13)

Week 11 (Mar. 21): Visit to Korean Restaurants in Toronto

No classroom meeting
Restaurant video report due: Mar. 24 11 PM

Week 12 (Mar. 28): Mukbang, Excessive Food Consumption

• Antonella Bruno and Somin Chung, “Mŏkpang: Pay Me and I’ll Show You How Much I
Can Eat for Your Pleasure,” Journal of Japanese and Korea Cinema 9, no. 2 (2017), 155-

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171 (G14)
• Yeran Kim, “Eating as a Transgression: Multisensorial Performativity in the Carnal
Videos of Mukbang (Eating Shows),” International Journal of Cultural Studies 24, no. 1
(2021), 107-122 (G15)

Guidelines to Take-home Exam 2 will be provided.

Week 13 (Apr. 4): Industrial Farming, Famine, and Consumer Desire in North Korea
• Chong-Ae Yu, “The Rise and Demise of Industrial Agriculture in North Korea,” The
Journal of Korean Studies 12, no. 1 (Fall 2007), 75-109 (G16)
• Tatiana Gabroussenko, “The Potato Revolution in the DPRK: A Novel Type of Political
Campaign,” Korea Journal 56, no. 1 (Spring 2016), 116-139 (G17)
• “The Real Revolution in NKorea is Rise of Consumer Culture,” AP News, August 18,
2017
• “Crisps and Coffee Shops: North Korea’s New Consumerism,” The Diplomatic, March
2017

Take-home Exam 2 due: Apr. 14, 11 PM