Film & Media Studies

In contemporary cinema and media studies, few concepts are invoked as often the ‘the digital’. Despite our familiarity with the term, the issues associated with it are complex and part of a much longer relationship between media, technology, and production practices. To address these issues from a theoretical and practical perspective, this course explores a range of topics related to digital aesthetics, data, bodies and performers. Across the course, students engage in related practical tasks that provide an experiential form of understanding and encourage embodied reflection on the topics under focus. The tasks offer students increased awareness of the range of easily accessed digital tools, and instill increased confidence when it comes to incorporating such tools into practice-based work.

This course covers Cuban cinema since the creation of the film institute (ICAIC) in 1959. It considers films by Cuban directors, and representations of Cuba by foreign filmmakers and Cuban filmmakers in exile, thus focusing on screenings of Cuba and Cuban topics from multiple viewpoints. Specific aesthetics are studied to contextualize applications of Cuban theoretical texts in relation to imperfect cinema, and the viewer's dialectics. The course explores the effects of non-chronological sequencing and distancing in film; black humour, subjectivity, and alterity; allegorical interpretations leading to censorship; the self and the State, with particular attention to gender and sexuality in relation to law; film autobiography as a genre; auteur cinema; revolution and the creation of the 'new man'; revolutionary national identity 2 and marginality; and diaspora, exile and inner exile, among other topics. Overall, this module studies film as a political medium across modern and postmodern contexts, using theoretical texts and key films to illustrate pivotal turning points in socio-historical contexts specific to Cuba and the impact of its 1959 revolution on all aspects of public and private life.

This course is a specialized AI vertical teaching program tailored for practical audiovisual content production. The core content consists of three parts:

‌1.Fundamentals and Creativity‌ (Development and industry applications of AI media technology, AI video themes and creative thinking).
‌2.Production Process and Basic Software Operations‌ (Full workflow overview and integrated script planning, text-to-image generation and precise control methods, comprehensive practices of text/image-to-video).
‌Advanced Industry Applications‌ (Usage channels of SD tools, explanations of SD FLUX KONTEXT models and Comfyui node-based workflows, AI special effects production methods and related tool applications).

This course examines horror’s aesthetic, experiential, and political dimensions, while investigating why and how it has persisted as one of popular culture’s most vigorous and influential genres. It closely considers a range of classic and contemporary films, TV shows and video games, confronting questions of power, affect, mediation and representation.

This course explores a range of films (popular genre movies and art cinema) from post-war Japan in relation to their historical background (national and international). It examines in particular the international circulation and understanding of Japanese cinema.

This course teaches critical thinking approaches, methods, and techniques for evaluating information and making sound decisions. It examines misinformation, common logical fallacies, and misleading uses of statistics and data visualization, using everyday examples to build practical analytical skills. Emphasis is placed on assessing the credibility and validity of information in an environment saturated with competing claims. By strengthening the ability to identify and challenge misinformation, the course highlights the importance of critical thinking for informed decision-making, scientific literacy, and the functioning of democratic societies.

This course addresses how a happy, intimate relationship requires learning and is a crucial element of a joyful life. Since this topic is not addressed in any university course, it aims to help university students understand love.  
 
The first half of the semester involves watching various romantic films in class, absorbing the life experiences of the characters, while discussing and summarizing the films with classmates. The discussion revolves around connecting with the weekly class theme and the film's plot, encouraging students to think about love issues using both emotion and reason. Through self-awareness and peer discussion, students are encouraged to understand themselves and learn to accept different perspectives. The course also incorporates specific thematic knowledge about love, prompting reflection on how to improve in daily life and ultimately achieve their ideal love. The second half of the semester focuses on applying the theories and knowledge learned in the first half to practical projects.  

This course examines theories of media and popular culture in Western societies and how these evolved in the context of colonial, post-colonial/ postwar, and globalized Korea.

The course covers the history of media in the period 1600 – 1850. Major emphasis is placed on the media system concept and material aspects of early modern print. The course focuses on the breadth in early modern media systems and the interplay between different media such such as rumours, sermons, newspapers and pamphlets. Other themes that are examined are censorship and the emergence of a mediated public sphere. 

This course introduces the fundamentals of design history and key design concepts, along with the basics of scientific research. Students engage in research-related activities through design labs and gain experience with experimental methods. The course also provides an introduction to the structure and purpose of scientific articles.