Performers in May last year at Lincoln Center in New York take to the stage in the event "K-Pop Dance Night" hosted by the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Big Apple. (KCC in New York)

By Cao Thi Ha

Four public middle and high schools in Los Angeles will offer K-pop as an elective course.

This is expected to offer an opportunity for American students to learn about Korea, a global culture power, by exploring the global phenomenon of K-pop.

The Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles on April 12 said it signed an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District to help launch K-pop courses.

Under the deal, the two sides will offer a plan on opening this fall a regular elective course on K-pop at four middle and high schools under the district's jurisdiction.

The consulate and the district had worked on this objective from last year. The district-approved plan awaits final certification from the University of California's admissions system as a recognized elective.

The courses will cover six units like the history of Korean pop and K-pop, development of K-pop marketing and related industries, and analysis of K-pop acts, music genres and dance.

Once the curriculum is finalized, the consulate plans to disseminate it across the U.S. through the e-library kasonline.net to educate teachers about Korea's development.

shinn11@korea.kr