By Honorary Reporter Ishani Ghosh from U.S.

Photo= Stanford University

Dafna Zur teaches Korean literature, cinema and pop culture as an associate professor of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Stanford University in Northern California. The following are excerpts from an interview with the Israeli professor on her career and passion for Korean studies.

As a non-Korean, what motivated you to study East Asia and especially Korea? How did the people around you react to this career choice?

I like to say I took an interest in Korea before it was "cool" to do so. I was into martial arts films in middle school, and after a lot of begging, I got my parents to agree to send me to martial arts classes at my nearby community center. Through a stroke of fate, the style taught was taekwondo. I was hooked, and after getting serious about training years later, I dreamed of getting my black belt in Korea and practicing with a legendary master. I had no idea that this would determine the course of my life.

Did people try to dissuade me? Not directly but they were certainly puzzled. When I flew to Korea for the first time in 1993, Israel had no Korean embassy and I had to finagle my way to get a visa. My master's and Ph.D. are technically in area studies, especially Asia, but I focused on Korea from the start.

What challenges did you face while studying Korea?

Since I was my adviser's first doctoral student, we both did a lot of growing during my time in the program. I also studied in Canada, where the graduate student culture is a little different. Because of far less funding for students, we had to hustle quite a bit. Nevertheless, I loved my program.

What are the rewards of being a professor in the field?

I didn't pursue graduate school to become a professor; I just had a profound interest in Korea and wanted to pursue it as far as I could. The reward is that I get to read and write about a country I love, discuss it and think about it in a deep way with brilliant students and faculty. It also enables me to travel all over the world. I recently went to Moscow and Amsterdam as part of my research, and was planning to go to China and Russia this summer when COVID-19 hit.

You were once a professor at Keimyung University in Daegu. Can you describe your experience there and what issues did you have as a foreign expert on Korea?

I taught Korean literature both in English and Korean there. Teaching a 16-semester course in Korean to 120 students was the hardest thing I ever did. It was very humbling and made me appreciate faculty out there teaching in a second language. I had no issues as a foreign expert on Korea except that Korean is an extremely hard language and poses endless challenges.

Why do Korean literature, cinema and pop culture interest you so much?

I'm interested in them because of many reasons. I've always been interested in what Koreans write for children. These days, I'm interested in memoirs. I love teaching stuff about K-pop as well because teaching forces me to keep up with the ever-changing and creative world of Korean pop culture.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment in Korean studies?

I'm very proud to have published a book on children's literature in Korea that will be released in Korean soon. I also get a great sense of satisfaction when students tell me about how something in class inspired them.

What do you aspire to accomplish in this field?

I want to keep writing books. I hope to continue being curious and inspired by my colleagues. I also want to keep inspiring students. Just like my mentors who carried me this far, I want to do the same for my pupils.

What advice do you have for those wanting to become professors in this field?

I know it sounds corny but following your passion is really important. And if you want to become an academic expert on Korean or East Asian studies, talk to your professors. This is a small and cozy field where most of us know each other well and can point students in the directions of their choice. 

chaey0726@korea.kr


*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.