Dartmouth Launches Korean Language Program

(This article was originally published in the "Inside Arts and Sciences" Newsletter at Dartmouth.)

For Emma Hwang '28, signing up for Korean Language 1 this fall was more than an academic decision—it was a way to reconnect with her roots.

"I'm Korean American, but I never learned Korean formally," she says. "It always felt like something was missing in my life because I wasn't able to communicate with some of my non-English-speaking Korean family members."

This fall, Hwang is among the first cohort of students to enroll in Dartmouth's new Korean language program, a landmark offering launched by the Department of Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages (ASCL).

Made possible by a generous gift from alumni couple James Lau '03 and So Yeon Kim '04, the Korean language program is the capstone to Dartmouth's robust Korean studies curriculum, which already includes courses on Korean history, art, and culture, as well as a thriving exchange program with Yonsei University in Seoul.

"We see the language program as the last missing piece that will cement Dartmouth's status as the premier place for undergraduate Korea studies," says Edward Miller, chair of ASCL and associate professor of history and Asian studies.

The program begins this term with Korean Language 1, taught by lecturer Eun Ha Hwang, who has taught Korean in Asia, Europe, and the United States, most recently at Wellesley College.

A 'golden time' for Korean culture—at Dartmouth and beyond

"Korea has become a real trendsetter in global culture," Miller says, citing the worldwide popularity of films like Parasite, TV shows like Squid Game, music from BTS and Blackpink, and Korean skincare brands.

"This is kind of the golden time for Korean culture," adds Sunglim Kim, associate professor of art history and vice chair of ASCL. "And language is a gateway to go deeper into Korean culture, history, art, literature—everything."

As Korean culture continues to gain global prominence, its influence is increasingly visible on Dartmouth's campus, reflected in a surge of student interest.

When So Yeon Kim first arrived at Dartmouth in the early 2000s as an international student, she recalls being one of the few Koreans on campus—and noticing that most of her peers knew little about her cultural background. Today, Dartmouth enrolls approximately 25 students from Korea each year, and roughly 300 students take Korea-related courses annually.

"It's amazing—surreal even," she says. "I am proud to be Korean and I am so excited and honored to be part of this journey."

Students' growing interest in Korean culture builds on a longstanding relationship between Dartmouth and Korea—one that dates back more than a century.

Alumnus Homer Hulbert, class of 1884 and great-great-grandson of Dartmouth's founder, became a prominent advocate for Korean independence and was honored with two national awards before being buried in Seoul.

Over the past few decades, the institution has steadily expanded its Korean studies scholarship and teaching.

In 2011, Dartmouth recruited Kim and Soyoung Suh, a specialist in Korea's cultural history and the history of science in East Asia.

The department expanded further in the past few years with the addition of professors Miya Xie, a scholar of comparative East Asian literature, and Sujin Eom, an expert in architecture and urbanism, whose research examines connections among race, migration, and built environments across the transpacific region.

More recently, in 2022, Sunglim Kim collaborated with Dartmouth's Hood Museum of Art to curate a major exhibit and lecture series featuring contemporary Korean artist Park Dae Sung, which drew global attention.

Building community through language

Lecturer Eun Ha Hwang envisions Korean Language 1 as a space for cultivating both community and self-discovery.

"Learning another language is identity work," she says. "I can see myself through another's perspective—and vice versa. As a teacher, I strive to create an environment where language learning becomes a meaningful part of students' personal and intercultural growth."

To extend learning beyond the classroom, Hwang plans to introduce community engagement opportunities, such as visits to local Korean-language programs and businesses. She also envisions a peer-supported model, where native and advanced Korean speakers serve as drill instructors for beginning students.

To support the program's growth, ASCL plans to hire two additional instructors over the next three years. These new faculty members will help expand the curriculum to include intermediate and advanced-level courses, allowing students to continue their studies beyond the introductory level.

Looking further ahead, the department hopes to launch a faculty-led study-abroad component in Korea by 2028, modeled after its Japanese and Chinese language tracks." Students in that program would go to Korea for either second- or third-year Korean," Miller says. "They would go abroad for the term, continue their studies, and come back at a higher level."

For students like Hwang, the program marks the beginning of a deeper journey into language, culture, and family connection.

"There are a lot of subtleties in the Korean language that are not present in English," she says. "Once you understand the language, you pick up on these social cues. I think I'll be able to connect with my family members on a level that I can't in English. I'm really excited to start learning and be more in touch with my Korean roots."