K-Culture and Korean Philosophy

Jun-tae Kim

Domestic/International College Students, General Public

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Humanities

General Education

This course uses today’s globally noted K-culture and Korean cultural content as subject matter to introduce Korean philosophy and Korean ways of thinking embedded within them. Recognizing that Korea’s unique philosophy has provided the foundation for its culture to be both universal and original, we seek to explore the role of Korean philosophy in the continued development and global spread of K-culture.

1. After completing this course, learners will be able to identify the universality and uniqueness of K-culture and explain how Korean philosophy contributed to it.
2. After completing this course, learners will be able to verify Korea’s historical, geographical, and cultural characteristics and broaden their understanding of Koreans’ values.
3. After completing this course, learners will reflect on how “tradition” can still “live and breathe” in our times through the relationship between K-culture and Korean philosophy.

Week 1

Opening

1. What kind of country is Korea?
2. Introduction to a database of Korean philosophy and culture
3. Background knowledge, terminology, events
4. Lecture plan

Week 2

K-Culture and Korean Mythology

1. What is a myth?
2. Characteristics of myths
3. Myth and content
4. Korean myths

Week 3

Korean Legends and Shamanism

1. Korean legends
2. Korean shamanism

Week 4

Seeing Korean Political Thought and an Ideal Leader Through Historical Dramas

1. What is a historical drama?
2. “Namhansanseong”
3. Ideal leadership — Admiral Yi Sun-sin
4. Ideal leadership — King Sejong
5. Power structure

Week 5

Symbolic World of Korean Culture

1. What is a “symbol”?
2. Korean symbols — Taeguk and Five Elements
3. Korean symbols — numbers
4. Korean symbols — flowers, birds, animals

Week 6

Korea’s World Heritage

1. Jongmyo
2. Changdeokgung
3. Seokguram and Bulguksa
4. Mountain Temples in Korea
5. Seowon in Korea

Week 7

Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

1. Ganggangsullae
2. Arirang
3. Intangible heritage of Buddhism
4. Haenyeo (female divers)
5. Namsadang Nori (folk performance)
6. Cheoyongmu
7. Pansori
8. Others

Week 8

Korea’s Documentary Heritage

1. Palman Daejanggyeong (Tripitaka Koreana)
2. Uigwe
3. The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty
4. Diaries of the Royal Secretariat
5. The Records of Daily Reflections
6. Hunminjeongeum Haeryeboni> (Explanations and Examples of the Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People)
7. The Records of Daily Reflections
8. War Diary of Yi Sun-sin
9. Joseon Tongsinsa ((Joseon Diplomatic Mission to Japan)
10. Woodblocks of Korean Confucian Academies
11. Joseon Royal Seals and Royal Protocols
12. Documentary heritage after the 20th century

Week 9

Keywords for Understanding Korean Culture and Koreans’ Way of Thinking (1)

1. Religion
2. Outlaws and Messiahs
3. Coups and Legitimacy
4. Women

Week 10

Keywords for Understanding Korean Culture and Koreans’ Way of Thinking (2) / Closing

1. Honest advice
2. Love and Separation
3. Relationships — Marriage
4. Summary

Philosophical Ideas in Korea’s UNESCO Heritage

Jun-tae Kim, Eunyoung Kim, Byoung mok Kim, Il-Beom Choi, Sun-Young Lim

Domestic/International College Students, General Public

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Humanities

General Education

This course aims to learn about Korean history and culture through UNESCO World Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Documentary Heritage in Korea, and to understand the values and philosophical ideas of Koreans projected onto those cultural heritages. Particularly, focusing on Confucian-related cultural heritage that had a huge impact on Koreans’ mindset, we also offer on-site experience-based lectures that learners can use for their own field trips. Through these UNESCO-designated cultural heritages that simultaneously contain local uniqueness/diversity and universal qualities, we will also explore the content value of Korean traditional culture.

1. After completing this course, learners will be able to confirm the uniqueness, diversity, and universality of Korea’s cultural heritage and explain Korean philosophical ideas projected onto them.
2. After completing this course, learners will check Korea’s historical and cultural features and broaden their understanding of Koreans’ worldview and values.
3. After completing this course, learners will distinguish the characteristics and roles of “World Heritage,” “Intangible Cultural Heritage,” and “Documentary Heritage,” and be able to organize their knowledge of Korean cultural heritages inscribed in each category.

Week 1

Korea’s UNESCO Heritages

1. Korea’s UNESCO World Heritage
2. Korea’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
3. Korea’s UNESCO's Memories of the World (1)
4. Korea’s UNESCO's Memories of the World (2)

Week 2

Baekje/Gyeongju Historic Areas

1. Baekje Historic Areas_Gongju
2. Baekje Historic Areas_Buyeo & Iksan
3. Gyeongju Historic Areas_Wolseong
4. Gyeongju Historic Areas_Daereungwon
5. Gyeongju Historic Areas_Namsan
6. Gyeongju Historic Areas_Hwangnyongsa and Mountain Fortresses

Week 3

Changdeokgung

1. The king’s “teaching” reaching the people
2. From Donhwamun to Injeongmun
3. From Injeongjeon to Daejojeon
4. The twilight of Joseon’s royal family, Nakseonjae
5. The Huwon already becoming nature itself
6. The Buyongji area
7. The Aeryeonji area
8. Jondeokjeong & King Jeongjo’s politics

Week 4

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty

1. Construction of Royal Tombs
2. King Sunjo’s “Inneung”
3. Why Move a Royal Tomb?_Cheonjang (Relocation/Burial shift)
4. King Taejong’s “Heonneung”
5. King Taejong and King Sejong
6. Various shapes of the mound

Week 5

Three Perspectives on Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon

1. Three viewpoints on Hwaseong (1) Hwaseong & Suwon
2. Three viewpoints on Hwaseong (2) Hwaseong as the best defense facility
3. Three viewpoints on Hwaseong (3) Hwaseong as cultural heritage

Week 6

Seowon

1. The origin, function, and structure of Seowon
2. Seowon in the Joseon Dynasty
3. History of Seowon in the Joseon Dynasty (From the first Seowon to bans on multiple or parallel seowons, and Seowon abolitions)
4. Donamseowon
5. Neo-Confucianism in the Joseon Dynasty (Understanding Rites & Zhu Xi Studies)

Week 7

The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty

1. The King cannot read the Annals
2. What the Annals tell us (1) Straight Remonstrance
3. What the Annals tell us (2) Royal Lectures
4. What the Annals tell us (3) Anecdotes of Royal Lectures
5. Protecting the Annals

Week 8

Daeheungsa and Buddhist Monk Seosan (Hyu Jeong)

1. Geographical setting and history of Daeheungsa (Daedunsa)
2. The meaning of establishing Pyochungsa
3. The life of Seosan Hyu Jeong
4. The poems and thought of Seosan Hyu Jeong

Week 9

Daeheungsa and Buddhist Monk Choui (Ui-sun)

1. The life of Choui Ui-sun and the times he lived in
2. Choui’s relationships with Dasan and Chusa
3. Choui Ui-sun’s Seon (Zen) thought
4. The meaning of Korean Seon tradition in modern times (1) Modern human crises
5. The meaning of Korean Seon tradition in modern times (2) “What is a human?”

Week 10

Cheoyongmu, Talchum, Yeondeunghoe

1. Cheoyongmu
2. Talchum (Mask Dance)
3. Yeondeunghoe (Lantern Festival)

Attitudes for Doing Philosophy in Korea

Yersu Kim, Seok-Gu Song, Cho-Sik Lee, Myung-Hyun Lee, Bong Ho Son, Daihyun Chung, Jungsik Um, Tae-Soo Lee, Han Goo Lee, Samuel Lee(Sam Yul), Kyung-Sig Hwang, Tae-Yong Sung, Heisook Kim, Kyo Bin Kim, Hong-Bin Lim, Sang-Hoon Lee, Jungwon Lee, Sung Min Kim, Se Geun Jeong, Yang Hyun Kim

General

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Humanities

Basic

This course interviews former presidents of the “Korean Philosophical Association,” one of the oldest academic societies contributing to the development of Korean philosophy. By tracing the association’s 70-year history, we learn about the growth of Korean philosophy. From each former president’s perspective, we explore the unique ways that philosophy has evolved in the distinct space called “Korea,” as well as the universal movements that merge Korean philosophy into the global sphere—spanning from the past to the present. Finally, we examine the identity and direction of Korean philosophy through the philosophical postures of Koreans today and pioneers’ suggestions for future researchers.

1. Through events of the Korean Philosophical Association, learners can identify the scholarly contexts of modern Korean philosophy.
2. Learners can articulate perspectives on Korean philosophy by distinguishing the meaning of the “Korea” specificity and the “philosophy” universality.
3. Learners can explain “practicing philosophy” and “communication” in Korea as an idea of how philosophy is pursued.
4. Learners can discover the role of Korean philosophy today and discuss philosophical directions that can be widely communicated and spread.

Week 1

Listening to Our Seniors: 26th President of the Korean Philosophical Association, Kim Yeo-su

Listening to Our Seniors: 29th President of the Korean Philosophical Association, Song Seok-gu

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 26th and 29th presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 2

Listening to Our Seniors: 30th President of the Korean Philosophical Association, Lee Cho-sik

Listening to Our Seniors: 31st President, Lee Myeong-hyeon

Listening to Our Seniors: 32nd President, Son Bong-ho

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 30th, 31st, and 32nd presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 3

Listening to Our Seniors: 33rd President, Jeong Dae-hyeon

Listening to Our Seniors: 34th President, Eom Jeong-sik

Listening to Our Seniors: 36th President, Lee Tae-su

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 33rd, 34th, and 36th presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 4

Listening to Our Seniors: 37th President, Lee Han-gu

Listening to Our Seniors: 38th President, Lee Sam-yeol

Listening to Our Seniors: 40th President, Hwang Gyeong-sik

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 37th, 38th, and 40th presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 5

Listening to Our Seniors: 42nd President, Seong Tae-yong

Listening to Our Seniors: 43rd President, Kim Hye-suk

Listening to Our Seniors: 48th President, Kim Gyo-bin

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 42nd, 43rd, and 48th presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 6

Listening to Our Seniors: 49th President, Im Hong-bin

Listening to Our Seniors: 50th President, Lee Sang-hoon

Listening to Our Seniors: 51st President, Lee Jung-won

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 49th, 50th, and 51st presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Week 7

Listening to Our Seniors: 52nd President, Kim Seong-min

Listening to Our Seniors: 53rd President, Jeong Se-geun

Listening to Our Seniors: 54th President, Kim Yang-hyeon

We explore the development patterns of Korean philosophy over the past 70 years and seek future directions, through interviews with the 52nd, 53rd, and 54th presidents of the Korean Philosophical Association.

Communication and Spread of Korean Philosophy

Dai-Hyun Chung, Han-Goo Lee, Si-Cheon Kim, Eun-Su Cho, Jeran Kim, Se-Geun Jeong,  Il-Gyu Chang

International Learners

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Humanities

Advanced

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the traditions and modern transformations of Korean philosophy. It examines the integration and development of Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist thought, while reinterpreting the distinctive modes of Korean philosophical reasoning within contemporary philosophical and social contexts.

1. Understand Korean philosophy from a comparative East–West perspective.

2. Gain knowledge of the fundamental concepts that constitute Korean philosophy.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist philosophies.

Week 1

Yinyang-based Theoretical Ecumene of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism 

1. Task: From Dualistic Philosophy to Syncretic Philosophy

2. Dichotomous Dualism in Mainstream Western Philosophy

3. The Structure and Contribution of First-Order Predicate Logic

4. Critiques of Dichotomous Philosophy

5. Summary

Week 2

Yinyang-based Theoretical Ecumene of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism: Main Discussion

1. The Humanities of Integrative Metaphysics

2. The Yin–Yang Metaphysics of Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist Languages

3. The Yin–Yang Metaphysics of Quantum Language

4. The Yin–Yang Metaphysics of Everyday Language and the Three Metaphysical Frameworks

5.Conclusion

Week 3

Korean Philosophy through the Lens of Universality and Particularity

1. Introduction

2. Defining the Meaning of Korean Philosophy

3. The Synchronization of Korean and Western Philosophy

4. Explanatory Logic

Week 4

Literary Sources of Korean Philosophy, Part 1

1. Introduction

2. The Identity of Korean Philosophy – The Birth of a Korean Philosophical Text

3. The Identity of Korean Philosophy – How Should Korean Philosophy Be Defined?

4. Eastern Philosophy and Korean Philosophy – Literacy and Philosophy

5. Eastern Philosophy and Korean Philosophy

Week 5

Literary Sources of Korean Philosophy, Part 2

1. Introduction

2. The Uniqueness and Placeness of Philosophy, and the History of Philosophy I

3. The Uniqueness and Placeness of Philosophy, and the History of Philosophy II

4. The Scope of Texts in Korean Philosophy and the Problem of Translation I

5. The Scope of Texts in Korean Philosophy and the Problem of Translation II

6. Conclusion

Week 6

Korean Buddhist Philosophy – The Three Kingdoms Period

1. Course Introduction

2. Buddhist Philosophy and Korean Buddhist Philosophy I

3. Buddhist Philosophy and Korean Buddhist Philosophy II

4. The Thought of Seungnang (僧朗): Sanlun Doctrine (三論學) and the Theory of the Threefold Twofold Truths I

5. The Thought of Seungnang: Sanlun (三論, Three Treatises) Doctrine and the Theory of the Threefold Twofold Truths II

6. Wŏnch’ŭk’s Philosophy of Consciousness-Only (Yogācāra) I

7. Wŏnch’ŭk’s Philosophy of Consciousness-Only (Yogācāra) II

8. The Thought of Wŏnhyo: The Philosophy of Mind and Enlightenment I

9. The Thought of Wŏnhyo: The Philosophy of Mind and Enlightenment II

10. Uisang’s Hwaŏm Thought and the Doctrine of Interpenetration (Beopgye Yeongi)

11. Conclusion

Week 7

Korean Buddhist Philosophy II – Goryeo, Joseon, and Modern Korean Buddhism

1. Course Introduction

2. Jinul’s Seon Thought I

3. Jinul’s Seon Thought II

4. The Theory of Harmonizing Confucianism and Buddhism in the Joseon Dynasty – The Case of Deuktong Gi-hwa (己和, 1376–1433) I

5. The Theory of Harmonizing Confucianism and Buddhism in the Joseon Dynasty – The Case of Deuktong Gi-hwa(己和, 1376–1433) II

6. Modern and Contemporary Korean Buddhism I

7. Modern and Contemporary Korean Buddhism II

8. Conclusion

Week 8

The Reception and Critique of Western Philosophy in Modern and Contemporary Korean and Chinese Buddhism

1. Introduction

2. Xiong Shili’s Critique of Western Philosophy – The Unity of Substance and Phenomenon (Che–yong Buri, 體用不二)

3. The Convergence and Critique of Xiong Shili’s Philosophy and Western Philosophy of Life (Bergson) – The Cosmic Life and the “Moral Universe”

4. Liang Qichao’s “Consciousness-Only Buddhism” and the Integration with Kantian Philosophy

5. Liang Qichao’s Reception of Social Darwinism – Nationalist Social Evolutionism

6. Modern Korean Buddhism and the Reception of Western Thought – Han Yong-un’s Social Darwinism

7. Han Yong-un’s Diverse Logics of Engaging Western Philosophy: The Superiority of Buddhism

8. The Reception of Western Thought in Modern Korean Buddhism as Reflected in the Journal Bulgyo

9. Conclusion – The Universality and Particularity of Modern Korean Buddhism

Week 9

Four Types of Modern Korean Buddhism – Four Major Thinkers

1. 1. Introduction

2. The Background of Modern Korean Buddhism – Japan’s Attempted Annexation of Korean Buddhism

3. Song Gyeongheo (宋鏡虛, 1849–1912) – The Zen Thought of a Conservative Traditionalist

4. The Reformist Baek Yongseong (白龍城, 1864–1940) and the Daegakgyo (Great Awakening) Movement

5. The Reformist Park Hanyeong (石顚 朴漢永, 1870–1948) and the Theory of Universal Buddhist Education

6. The Revolutionary Han Yongun (卍海 韓龍雲, 1879–1944) and Socially Engaged Popular Buddhism

7. Conclusion: Toward a New Paradigm of Buddhism and Korean Thought

Week 10

Korean Daoist Philosophy I

1. What Is Daoist Philosophy?

2. The Three Traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism and Their Core Concepts I

3. The Three Traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism and Their Core Concepts II

4. Understanding Daoism I

5. Understanding Daoism II

6. Understanding Daoism III

7. Conclusion

Week 11

The Philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi

1. Understanding Laozi and Zhuangzi

2. Laozi I

3. Laozi II

4. Zhuangzi I

5. Zhuangzi II

6. Joseon Commentators on Lao-Zhuang Thought

7. Conclusion

Week 12

Korean Daoism and the Philosophy of the Future

1. Daoism in Korea and the Philosophy of the Future

2. The Daoist Lineage in Korea I

3. The Daoist Lineage in Korea II

4. Western Philosophical Perspectives I

5. Western Philosophical Perspectives II

6. Daoism as a Philosophy of the Future

7. The Power and Vision of Daoism

Week 13

Choe Chiwon and Ancient Korean Philosophy

1. Opening

2. The Life and Activities of Choe Chiwon I

3. The Life and Activities of Choe Chiwon II

4. The Thought of Choe Chiwon

5. Eastern Philosophy and Korean Philosophy

6. Choe Chiwon and Ancient Korean Philosophy I

7. Choe Chiwon and Ancient Korean Philosophy II

8. Closing