K-Pop Worlds: Exploring the Global Influence of a Korean Phenomenon

K-Pop’s multidimensional identity - as a local pop with a global reach, and also as a hyper-capitalist industry entwined with alternative youth cultures - makes it a fascinating case of contemporary popular culture.

This exhibition explores K-Pop as a multidimensional cultural movement. The posters document the global rise of Korean pop artists, including BTS, in the 21st century, and describe K-Pop’s unique approaches to production, aesthetics, representations, and fan practice. The exhibition also showcases K-Pop memorabilia housed in the University Library, enriching our understanding of a pop music genre that is much more than music.

This creative project marks an exciting collaboration between staff and students from the School of East Asian Studies and the University Library, with support from The Centre for Korean Studies, the University's own Western Bank Library, and the National Library of Korea in line with the Window on Korea project.