Studying Korean Studies in South Korea

Korean studies as an academic field

Korean studies is a full academic discipline — degrees that examine Korean language, literature, history, culture and society, often under an 'area studies' framework. It is distinct from simply learning the Korean language for proficiency: Korean studies analyses Korea as a subject of scholarship.

International students take Korean studies at undergraduate and graduate level, sometimes as Korean language and literature, sometimes as history, cultural studies, or interdisciplinary area studies.

This guide covers where such programs exist, what they expect, and how they connect to research. Specific requirements are set by each department and change each cycle — verify them on the official page.

Korean studies vs learning Korean

It is worth separating two different goals. Learning Korean for proficiency is measured by tests such as TOPIK and is often a means to another end. Korean studies is an academic degree in which you research and write about Korea — its texts, history, culture and society — usually in a scholarly setting.

Many Korean-studies programs still expect a working knowledge of Korean, especially for literature and history, because primary sources are in Korean. Others, particularly some English-taught or international programs, are more accessible to students still building their Korean.

Decide which you actually want before applying: a language course, a Korean-studies degree, or both in sequence.

Where English-taught or bilingual programs exist

Several universities offer Korean studies, international studies or East Asian studies programs with English-taught or bilingual components, and some graduate programs are designed for international scholars. Seoul National University, Korea University and others host Korean-studies teaching and research, including specialist institutes.

The balance of English and Korean varies: introductory and interdisciplinary courses may be in English, while advanced literature and history courses often require Korean. Read each program's official course list to judge the real language mix.

Use the Study in Korea portal to find programs by field and language, then confirm details on the university and department pages.

Entry expectations and language

Undergraduate admission usually considers your schooling and grades and a language qualification; English-taught programs accept IELTS or TOEFL, while Korean-taught tracks expect TOPIK at a specified level. Graduate admission weighs your academic background, a statement of purpose and often a writing sample or research proposal.

Because Korean studies frequently uses Korean-language sources, stronger Korean broadens your options, particularly for literature, classical texts and history. Some programs admit students who will build their Korean during the degree.

Requirements differ by department and change between intakes, so treat what you read as provisional and verify on the official admissions page.

Research direction and next steps

At graduate level, Korean studies is research-led. You choose a focus — for example modern Korean literature, pre-modern history, cultural or media studies, or social-science approaches to Korea — and, for a research degree, work with faculty in that area.

Specialist research institutes and libraries at major universities support advanced study, and Korean studies connects to further study and work in academia, translation, cultural work, research and education.

With a focus in mind, compare the design-arts-and-media guide if your interest is cultural production, and the business-and-economics guide if you lean toward Korea's economy and society.

• Korean language and literature
• Korean and East Asian history
• Cultural, media and society studies
• Interdisciplinary Korean / area studies (graduate research)