Yogyakarta, 28 November 2025 — INAKOS, in collaboration with the Korean Language and Culture Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada, held the third online public lecture on Friday, 28 November 2025. Supported by grant funding from the Korea Foundation, this final session concluded the series of public lectures conducted throughout November 2025. The lecture featured Professor Chae Ho Seok from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, who presented a talk titled “Literature and Literary History: Literature, History, Memory.”
Professor Chae opened the lecture by raising the question of why much of Korean literature centers on themes of sorrow. He then discussed how the development of Korean literature has been shaped by major historical events in Korea, including Japanese colonial rule, the Korean War, various revolutions, industrial reform, and the nation’s democratization movements.
During the session, Professor Chae also presented examples of representative Korean poems that continue to appear in school textbooks, as well as poems that have been removed due to the authors’ backgrounds being considered at odds with government perspectives. The lecture concluded with his message highlighting the importance of reading Korean literary history and comparing different books to gain a broader understanding.
The lecture was attended by approximately 24 participants and moderated by Febriani Elfida Trihtarani, S.S., M.A., a lecturer in the Korean Language and Culture Program at UGM. Participants were given the opportunity to ask questions about the material and broader topics related to Korean literature.
Looking ahead, it is hoped that more public lectures and seminars on Korean literature will be organized to deepen the knowledge of students and the general public about Korean literary studies.
Written by : Febriani Elfida Trihtarani
Edited by : Eunike Serafia N.S
