Winter 2027 Global Humanities Lab
Constructing North Korea in the Western Imaginary: Media, Memory, and Geopolitics in Seoul
HUM 310-0 / ASIAN_AM 303
Fulfills FD-SBS / Social and Behavioral Sciences
Instructor: Helen Cho, Visiting Assistant Professor in Asian American Studies
- This is a winter 2027 course on campus in Evanston, followed by field research travel to Seoul, South Korea during spring break 2027
- This course is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Course description
Constructing North Korea in the Western Imaginary: Media, Memory, and Geopolitics in Seoul
How do we know what we think we know about North Korea? Join an interdisciplinary exploration of one of the world's most discussed yet least accessible countries through an immersive field experience in Seoul, South Korea. Building on work in Asian American Studies and media studies, students will investigate how narratives about North Korea are created, circulated, and contested across media, museums, tourism, and public discourse. The trip includes a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), tours of The Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) and the War Memorial of Korea, a walking tour of Itaewon and the site of the former Yongsan Garrison, and conversations with journalists from major international news organizations. Students will also engage with academic scholars and peers to examine South Korean perspectives on North Korea and compare them with dominant Western narratives. Designed for students interested in media, politics, culture, history, and international affairs, this experience challenges participants to think critically about knowledge production, representation, and the power of storytelling in shaping global understanding.
This is a winter 2027 course which ends over spring break 2027, when we will travel to Seoul, South Korea.
Course enrollment
Course enrollment is by application only—see instructions below. Students must attend the 2027 spring break field research trip and complete the corresponding quarter-long course to receive full course credit.
Costs and financial aid
Roundtrip airfare from Chicago, as well as shared room lodging, meals, activity fees, and ground transportation will be provided directly by Northwestern. Students will be responsible for covering the costs of passports, travel visas, incidentals, and other expenses associated with the trip.
Required travel documents
Students must have a valid passport to make this trip. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end date of the trip. Students are responsible for obtaining any special documents or permissions (i.e., Electronic Travel Authorizations, standard visas, etc.) required for travel in and out of the United States and to any Global Humanities Lab destinations.
Commitment to the course
Please note that the Kaplan Institute considers the act of applying to this course a binding commitment to participate in the spring break class trip and the corresponding winter quarter course. If a participant is accepted and enrolls in a Global Humanities Lab course and later drops, or drops out of the trip—except under extreme medical circumstances—that student will be responsible for reimbursing costs related to their travel, including airfare, lodging, and any other related expenses.
How to apply
The deadline to apply for this course is Friday, October 30, 2026. We will inform applicants of decisions by November 13. If you are accepted into the course, we will provide you with a permission number to enroll in the course.
In the application portal, please complete all fields including the names and email addresses of two (2) Northwestern faculty references. NOTE: for the faculty references, a letter is not needed, though the committee may email the faculty member to ask them a question about your engagement in class. You will also be asked to submit the following application documents:
- Current resume or CV
- Unofficial Northwestern transcripts
- SHORT ANSWER (max. 100 words): What is the last thing you heard/saw about North Korea? Think broadly—on TikTok, Instagram, your news feed, YouTube videos, through friends, etc. What questions do you have about what you heard/saw? What do you want to know more about?
- SHORT ANSWER (max 100 words): Name the last museum or cultural site you visited. What struck you as most interesting? What's one thing you learned?
- SHORT ANSWER (max. 100 words): What is one question you have about North Korea that you hope to explore through this class? During our field study trip, you may be asked to engage in observation. What should we be mindful of as we "enter the field" (aka, go to Seoul)?
- SHORT ESSAY (max. 300 words): Why are you interested in taking this course? How does it relate to your current course of study or future goals—professionally and/or personally? Tell us about one course you've already taken at Northwestern that prepares you for this experience; what did you learn in the course that you still carry with you?
Application link
Criteria for selection
Criteria for selection include qualities of intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and maturity. This opportunity is open to sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates in any major. Decisions will be made by the instructor and Kaplan review committee.