As Korean film, television and music continue to captivate audiences worldwide, Dr. Jane E. Kim, associate professor of English in the Torrey Honors College, saw more than a trend — she saw a defining cultural moment. She invited 13 scholars from various fields to join her in exploring the rise of Korean influence and its deeper implications for society and faith.

Kim’s project, “Through the Lens of K-Drama: How Korean Stories Reflect Our World,” taps into the popular appeal of “K-Dramas,” or Korean dramas, which have become a global phenomenon in recent years. The online series features brief lectures from scholars, many of whom teach at Biola, who use K-Dramas as a vehicle for exploring questions and issues relevant to their academic areas and to culture and their faith.

“In the past few years, I began to have more conversations with students about Korea. In hallway conversations, or while waiting in line at Common Grounds [campus coffee shop], students would tell me about how a love of K-Dramas had led them to take Korean language classes at local community colleges, or how a passion for K-Pop had led them to develop a dream of working someday in Korea,” said Kim. “I realized that Korean pop culture was not just an entertainment preference for students, but was affecting real choices they were making about how to live and interact within their communities and within the world.”

While hearing about how much K-Dramas and Korean culture interested her students, she wondered if they knew that many of their professors were also avid K-Drama and K-Pop fans.

“I began to think of my colleagues who are K-Drama watchers,” said Kim. “I began to think about the potential for a broader conversation about K-Drama and its influence.”

Funded by a Biola grant, the video series features scholars exploring the global rise of Korean culture through music, media and psychology, examining fandom, achievement culture, technology, romance and the hope offered by a Christian worldview. 

image shows Kim and production team
Dr. Jane E. Kim, second from right, with the project's production team

Seven Biola faculty members from five of Biola’s schools contributed to the project. Dr. Maria Wang, associate professor of English in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, examines how non-Korean-fluent fans develop a thoughtful connection with the songs of the major K-Pop band BTS in her video lecture. In her lecture, Dr. Christina Kim, associate dean of the Rosemead School of Psychology, explores the psychological impact of on-screen violence in series, such as Squid Game. Dr. Christi Min, chair of the early childhood department in the School of Education, discusses the cutthroat education system in Korea and the pitfalls of a culture of achievement in her installment in the series. In his video lecture, Dr. Yohan Lee, associate dean of technology in the School of Science, Technology and Health, explores AI and humanity’s need for human connection. Dr. Laurie Wilson, an associate professor in the Torrey Honors College, dialogues with her younger sister about how K-Dramas function similarly to ancient classical dramas and how watching them together has deepened their bond as sisters. Dr. Daniel Kim, associate professor of Old Testament and Semitics in the Talbot School of Theology, shares a conversation with his daughter about the need for a Christian worldview in order to have hope in a hopeless world. In her own installment, Kim discusses the tradition of romance and romanticism in Korea.

The culmination of the online lecture series will be an in-person event, sponsored by the Torrey Honors College, featuring a panel discussion with the Biola faculty contributors and an interactive exhibit on Korean literature, organized by the Torrey students in Kim’s Korean Literature class this semester. The event is on April 20, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. in the Andrews Banquet Room on Biola’s campus.

Kim hopes that the power and beauty of storytelling displayed in her project lead to deeper cultural conversations.

“This public humanities project has been an amazing opportunity to collaborate with my brilliant students and with dear colleagues across the university with whom I don’t usually get the chance to work together, and to delve deeper into stories — those presented through K-Drama, K-Pop, and Korean literature, as well as the stories of each of the project’s contributors,” said Kim. “My hope is that viewers of our project will also gain a deeper appreciation for the beauty and power of stories to translate the human experience, and that the project will also lead viewers to deeper cultural conversations and connections with family, friends and neighbors.”

Watch Kim explain the project in the introduction video. The video series, featuring English and Korean subtitles, will be available on Biola’s YouTube channel starting February 24, 2026. New videos will be posted to Biola’s channel each Tuesday, and to the project’s YouTube channel each Thursday.

Torrey Honors College offers students the opportunity to think deeply and converse in depth about literature, culture and ideas. In pursuit of learning and knowing the Good, the True and the Beautiful, the Torrey Honors College brings together curious, sharp thinkers from different majors and backgrounds from all over the world. Learn more and apply today for the Fall 2026 semester and seize the opportunity to join the conversation.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.