International Art Seminar: The Art of Korea
8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday
Aug. 14 through Sept. 1, 2017
(Reception from 4 to 6 pm Monday, Aug. 21, 2017)
MSSU Spiva Art Gallery
Admission: free
A group exhibition of artwork created for the course, International Art Seminar: The Art of Korea, as the culmination of the Department of Art and Design’s study abroad trip to South Korea this summer. The eight-day immersion into the art and cultural sites of Korea included several Korean national treasures and UNESCO World Heritage Sites and was sponsored by the MSSU Institute of International Studies. While primarily based in Seoul, the MSSU group also visited Suwon and then in conjunction with the 2017 Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Gwangju and Icheon. The featured works are inspired by objects, architecture, aspects and/or experiences from the trip. The exhibition includes artwork by art majors Danielle Davis (B.F.A. graphic design candidate), Sarah Clark, Makenzie Paden, Carla Rea (B.F.A. studio candidates), and faculty trip leader, Frank A. Pishkur.
11 am Thursday, August. 31, 2017 
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
This lecture promises to be a fascinating introduction to Korea. Encompassing both North and South, this ambitious presentation celebrates one of the most outstanding lands and peoples on earth. Penetrating – and yet necessarily concise – this overview distinguishes “all things Korean”: the people, history, politics and culture. It guarantees intriguing revelations into what really makes Koreans tick.
There is a reason why Korea has been chosen to be the primary focus of attention for our Fall semester. Currently, the Korean Peninsula is one of the world’s most significant and vital regions on our complex and ever-changing planet. Korea’s dynamism and vibrancy is matched only by its propensity to hold the global spotlight for being the world’s most dangerous flashpoint.
Get ready for a wild ride throughout all the Korean Peninsula to see that Korea is where the action is.
Gary Wintz has traveled to more than 220 countries, colonies, and territories in the last 40 years, researching, writing, photographing, and lecturing about distant lands and cultures. He has worked on NGO projects in Indochina, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, and has contributed his knowledge to development projects in Ethiopia for UNICEF. In 1981-82, he taught at universities in both China and Tibet and lectured for the Soviet Academy of Sciences in 1989 and 1990. Wintz has also lectured on cruise ships, including ones ported in Busan, Korea, and private jet tours and for the National Geographic Society at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. He has lectured also in the presence of the Dalai Lama. Wintz is a longtime member of the Mongolia Society, the Association for Asian Studies (including Korea Studies), the American
Institute of Afghanistan Studies, and the Central Eurasian Studies Society. As a tour leader, he has been a longtime leader of citizen diplomacy exchanges, including pioneering “Peace Trains” on the trans-Siberian.
Gary Wintz will be the first one to tell you that he is neither an academic nor a scholar. But because of the breadth of his work and travels, and from the depth of his exploratory spirit and real life experiences – particularly in Asia – he has shared his expertise by guest lecturing at such universities as Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Indiana, and the University of Western Australia. His first travels to both North and South Korea began in 1975 and have continued to both countries through the decades. He has visited Korea six times in just the past three years, including twice this year.
9 am Friday, Sept. 1, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Our speaker’s first visit as a tourist to North Korea was 42 years ago – in 1975. In recent years, as a tour leader, Gary Wintz has been guiding American groups on tours all over the North: from the ski slopes near the Chinese border, to the industrial cities along the Russian border, to the DMZ bordering with the South. Equally remarkable is the stunning beauty of the ethereal landscapes, virgin forests, alpine, crater lakes, and photogenic coastlines. But, perhaps, most striking of all, is the “Workers Paradise” showpiece that is the capital of Pyongyang, with all its iconic and unforgettable monuments and architecture. But above all, the people are beautiful, even if uncommunicative, except for genuine, expansive smiles – perhaps the only communication they dare to express.
Wintz says that every curious tourist with whom he has traveled to North Korea arrives to the exact, same conclusion: it is an inexplicable experience that is far more fascinating than anyone could have ever imagined. Though elements of what the tourist sees are clearly staged and contrived, not to mention sometimes just a facade, this immersion into the home of the last remaining totalitarian, Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist state ideology on earth, is in itself, a unique experience never to be duplicated again (hopefully!)
11 am Friday, Sept. 1, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Did you know:
This presentation will offer insights into the amazing and peculiar, historical evolution of religion in both North and South. Since ancient times, Koreans have been known for their
passionate and strong religious traditions and devoted spirituality. Even its first religion, animism, still finds a myriad of expressions in contemporary beliefs, practiced yet today. This talk will also reveal how a variety of the world’s religions, over time, have taken hold deeply, and become an essential part of the ever-evolving religious character and consciousness of the Korean people. (This is especially true of Buddhism and Christianity, with all their resplendent manifestations of differing sects.)
Perhaps even more interesting than this history will be hearing about what is going on today – such as the dynamic ebb and flow of some of the Christian churches. Especially the new Christian “prosperity” mega churches which were the fastest growing, and now are the fastest declining – just in the past few years (2014) – thanks to scandals by some of its millionaire leaders. This is even not to mention in recent years, the violent, physical, hand-to-hand battles between opposing Buddhist sects!
One thing for certain about religion and spirituality in dynamic Korea: change is the only constant.
Our lecturer, Gary Wintz, has toured Buddhist temples in North Korea, prayed in Christian churches in the South, experienced “involuntary baptism” by overly zealous Soto sectarians, made pilgrimage climbs to shamanist shrines at holy Mt. Seoraksan, and studied meditation in remote and ancient Zen temples – imported from Japan. Part of this lecture will include some stories from his own personal, spiritual searches in the Holy Land of Korea. Having just returned from Korea this past April, Wintz has his hand on the contemporary pulse of spirituality on the Peninsula today.
9:30 am Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Sheena Chestnut Greitens, co-director of the Institute for Korean Studies at the University of Missouri, will discuss current developments in North Korea and their implications for American national security. Dr. Greitens is also an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for East Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, and an associate in research at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. Dr. Greitens holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University; an M.Phil from Oxford University, where she studied as a Marshall Scholar; and a B.A. from Stanford University.
Dr. Greitens’ research focuses on East Asia, security studies, and the politics of democracy and dictatorship. Her work on China and North Korea has appeared in academic journals and edited volumes in English, Chinese, and Korean, and in major media outlets. Her first book, Dictators and their Secret Police: Coercive Institutions and State Violence, was published in 2016 by Cambridge University Press, and she is currently writing a book on the resettlement of North Korean refugees and defectors in democratic countries around the world.
Established in January 2017, the Institute for Korean Studies is the central hub for MU faculty, students, and affiliates to come together for the study of Korea and to explore the world of
Korean studies through teaching, research, campus programming, and public engagement. Central to IKS’ mission is to highlight MU as an interdisciplinary center of research excellence on Korea. MU faculty and students are engaged in cutting-edge research in Korean Studies across the university’s schools and departments.
10 am Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Most native English speakers are so used to the languages based on the Roman alphabets that they have a phobia for languages with different writing systems such as Arabic and Chinese. These languages may look more like pictures rather than words in the eyes of a native English speaker.
Even though Korean writing can look intimidating to native English speakers, it can be quite simple to learn its writing system. In fact, it is so simple to use that some African tribes have adapted the Korean alphabet as their writing system for their oral-based languages. The Korean alphabet has 24 letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. The letters are combined together into syllable blocks. In this presentation, the Korean writing system will be introduced and taught in an exciting and interesting way using the images and the memory technique called “memory palace.” After one hour, you should be able to read Korean phonetically and write your own names (or almost any words for that matter) in Korean!
Yoojin Jo is a Korean instructor at Missouri State University. She received her B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles and her master’s degree from Missouri State University. She was born and lived in South Korea until the age of 18. Jo taught Korean language and culture in the Los Angeles Unified School District for several years while working as a Korean translator before moving to Springfield. She also has been teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) at Missouri State University since 2003.
12 pm Friday, Sept. 8, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Asians view themselves more as part of a larger whole than individuals. In this presentation, through various examples and exercises, Yoojin Jo will examine how this difference is expressed in our languages. For example, even the way we introduce ourselves to a stranger reveals how we view ourselves in relation to our communities and societies at large. By seeing the world through a different linguistic prism, we can not only broaden our multi-cultural awareness but also deepen our awareness of ourselves.
10:30 am - 1:30 pm Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
Lion's Den
Admission: free (while supplies last)
Korea is known for its beautiful scenery; there are many historic buildings with unique architecture as well as pristine views of beautiful mountains and landscape. Celebrate the Korea Semester with the Campus Activities Board as we take your picture in front of the beautiful wonders of Korea. You do not want to miss this keepsake from the Korea Semester.
4:30 - 7 pm Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 
Mayes Dining Hall
Admission: $8.41 plus tax
Sponsored by Fresh Ideas
Join us for a full Korean meal prepared by the Fresh Ideas chef. The menu includes bulgogi barbecue, kimchi, gyeran-ppang with siracha mayo, tteok-bokki with fresh cilantro, dakkochi chicken skewers with a sesame brown sugar glaze, Korean ground beef rolls, tempura veggies, a ramen station, rice bowls, hotteok (sweet pancakes with pear butter), waffles, and ice cream with assorted toppings.
Afterwards, join us for a showing of the Korean film My Sassy Girl at 7 p.m. in Cornell Auditorium in Plaster Hall.
6 - 9 pm Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017*
Dance studio in Mayes Student Life Center
Admission: free
Do you like to dance? Would you like to try something new and different? Or maybe you have been wanting to try K-POP dancing for a long time, but haven’t had the opportunity to? The wildly popular K-POP (Korean-Pop) music scene is taking the world by storm with upbeat and catchy songs, awe-inspiring music videos, and unforgettable dance moves.
At the K-POP Dance Workshops, you will get everything from the basics of K-POP dancing to specific choreography, as well as a rare insight into Korean pop culture. We will teach the choruses of two songs/dances and one surprise song! The workshop is open to anyone and everyone. Don’t forget to bring comfy dancing shoes, a water bottle, and a towel!
*to be repeated on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
10 and 11 am Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free 
The name Taekwondo is derived from the Korean word “Tae” meaning foot, “Kwon” meaning fist, and “Do” meaning way of. So, literally Taekwondo means “the way of the foot and fist.” Martial arts have existed in Korea since the earliest ages, although they were lost for a time during the 20th century. Much of Korea’s martial heritage disappeared during the 1910-45
Japanese occupation of Korea, during which time the Japanese forbade the practice of Korean martial arts. After the Japanese occupation, new Korean martial arts like hapkido and taekwondo blossomed, and interest in Korea’s own ancient martial arts traditions grew. Today, taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea.
Taekwondo is one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the world. It is one of two martial arts represented at the Olympics (judo is the other one). As with many other martial arts, taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy. It developed after the end of the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1945 and quickly spread throughout the world after the Korean War, which ended in 1953.
Taekwondo distinguishes itself from martial arts such as karate by its emphasis on kicking instead of the reliance on hand techniques of other martial arts. Taekwondo practitioners believe that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation. Taekwondo as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one’s strength.
Kang Dong Won, a 9th degree grandmaster in taekwondo, began teaching martial arts in Tulsa in 1971. A native of South Korea, from the town of Mokpo in Jeollanamdo Province, he arrived in the U.S. with a degree in movie directing from Han Yang University in Korea and as a graduate of the International Taekwondo Federation’s Instructor Trainees. Master Kang quickly wowed the Oklahomans with demonstrations of sheer mental and physical willpower, breaking ordinary stones and boulders with his bare hands and large stacks of bricks with edge of his heel. Demonstrations of fundamental taekwondo techniques such as the “knife-hand,” the “side kick,” and “fore fist punch” are trademark specialties of his demonstrations.
11 am Friday, Sept. 22, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
Meat lovers! Did you prepare yourself for this new style of delectable Korean BBQ and bulgogi, which is thinly-sliced marinated grilled meat? Sushi lovers! This Korean sushi, gimbap, is filled with whatever your heart craves. Korean dining is healthy, vibrant, and friendly. Joyful Korean food leading the entire culinary field significantly in the United States stimulates your appetite and takes ahold of your five senses.
If you’ve ever wondered about any Korean food culture or the magical secret of Korean recipes, Jay Jung, owner of Jin’s Korean Grill in Springfield, may be able to answer your questions. He will certainly share his insight into the techniques and tastes of contemporary Korean cuisine and how they are shaping our Midwestern table. All this discussion of food is bound to make you hungry, so he will prepare some bulgogi, gimbap, and japchae (sweet potato noodles with sesame seeds and vegetables) during his talk for everyone to experience.
Jay Jung, owner of Jin’s Korean Grill in Springfield, was born in Korean and has worked in the culinary business since 2011. He is currently managing three international restaurants: Jin’s Korean Grill, Hula Hawaiian Kitchen, and Omo Japanese restaurant in Springfield. Based on his fluent knowledge and working experiences about Korean food, Mr. Jung is extremely passionate to promote the Korean food culture and educate about how healthy and rich Korean cuisine is to satisfy food-lovers and enthusiasts of all ages in the Joplin and Springfield areas.
1 pm Monday, Oct. 2, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free 
Following the Korean War, many children fathered by American soldiers were born to unwed South Korean mothers. Because adopting children outside the father-to-son bloodline is not in accord with traditional Korean values, thousands of these mixed race children ended up in orphanages. After seeing a film depicting their plight, U.S. citizens Harry and Bertha Holt successfully lobbied both houses of Congress to change the law so that they could adopt eight children. Thus began the history of international adoption in America. Although U.S. adoptions of South Korean children peaked in the 1980s, the U.S.-Korean adoptions have provided a model for international adoption for more than 60 years. This presentation will explore the history of international adoption, and the unique relationships among Korean foster families, adoption agency workers, and adoptive families through stories, anecdotes, photographs, and personal experience.
Carl Junction, Missouri native Michael Garoutte received his B.S. in chemistry from Missouri Southern in 1989 and his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in 1995. He has taught general, organic, and biological chemistry (sometimes all in the same course) at MSSU since 1997. Professionally, Dr. Garoutte seeks to use evidence-based active-learning pedagogies to improve student learning. He writes inquiry-based materials for use in the classroom and laboratory, and trains teachers through workshops sponsored by The POGIL Project. Two members of his immediate family were adopted from Korea, and he has four internationally adopted nieces and nephews.
11 am Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
There are many aspects of a country that are important to know, and many things that people just do not know about when looking at foreign countries. Education is one of those things. This presentation will give an overview and in-depth description of the South Korean education system. It will look at the elementary to college experience as they differ and compare them to the American system of education. Personal experience and observations will be included in the presentation to help enrich and better inform on the inner workings of a typical Korean classroom.
Lauren Lant is a senior at MSSU majoring in education with an English minor and qualifications to teach English abroad. Lauren has had a rich education background, from private schooling to public schooling throughout the country, as well as a study abroad experience at Sangmyung University in Seoul in Spring 2016. This has sparked a deep interest in the different techniques of teaching and has inspired her to teach English abroad in the future.
11 am - 1 pm Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017
Webster Hall Room 111
Admission: free 
Join us for an afternoon of traditional Korean games! Do you know “Oppa Gangnam Stye?” Did you know that major K-POP stars like PSY, BTS, and GOT7 play Korean games? What kind of games, you ask? Come on out to Gangnam Style Games Day and find out! This is the perfect opportunity to engage and embrace the Korean culture as well as meet other people who have the same interests as you. There will be many types of games, but if you can’t identify any of these examples, it means that you need to come and join the club: gonggi, ttakji, kai bai bo, and sam yuk gu. Come out for some friendly competition and prizes!
9:30 am Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free 
North Korea is often portrayed as a “rogue state” and “unpredictable,” but like any other state it has a history that has to be taken into account to make sense of its present. Throughout the 20th century, Northern Korea has been on the front lines between empires, and between imperialists and liberators. The end of the Cold War globally has not solved the Korean separation the way it solved the German one, though the ideological rhetoric has changed. North Korean leadership invokes this history regularly to explain and justify its positions, and this has to be taken seriously in any analysis of North Korea’s 21st century development.
Dr. Jonathan Dresner is an associate professor of history at Pittsburg State University. He became intrigued with Japan due to a year abroad in high school, and eventually settled on an historical approach. An interest in international exchange led to a study of Japanese labor migration to Hawaii, which has broadened into the study of labor migration and modernization both in Japan and elsewhere. After teaching in Iowa and Hawaii, he came to PSU, where he directs the history master’s program and teaches East Asian history, specialized courses on Japan, and world history at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
11 am Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
Phelps Theater in Beimdiek Recreation Center
Admission: free
Deborah Smith, translator of recent Korean fiction, including The Accusation by “Bandi” and Han Kang’s best-selling The Vegetarian, will join us live via Skype from Great Britain for a discussion of The Accusation, contemporary Korean fiction and the challenges of translation. Ms. Smith’s talk will be followed by a question-and answer session with Missouri Southern faculty, students and guests. This will be a unique opportunity to learn more about the creation and translation of the collection of North Korean stories chosen by the Department of English and Philosophy as a common reader.
6 - 9 pm Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
Dance studio in Mayes Student Life Center
Admission: free
Do you like to dance? Would you like to try something new and different? Or maybe
you have been wanting to try K-POP dancing for a long time, but haven’t had the opportunity to? The wildly popular K-POP (Korean-Pop) music scene is taking the world by storm with upbeat and catchy songs, awe-inspiring music videos, and unforgettable dance moves.
At the K-POP Dance Workshops, you will get everything from the basics of K-POP dancing to specific choreography, as well as a rare insight into Korean pop culture. We will teach the choruses of two songs/dances and one surprise song! The workshop is open for anyone and everyone. Don’t forget to bring comfy dancing shoes, a water bottle, and a towel!
7:30 pm Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
The Southern Jazz Collective, under the direction of Dr. Phillip C. Wise, will present the world premiere of an original musical work commissioned by the MSSU Institute of International Studies. The work is an original composition for jazz ensemble based on traditional Korean folk music.
The composition is written by renowned composer Bret Zvacek. Mr. Zvacek serves as professor and director of jazz studies at The Crane School of Music, SUNY – Potsdam where he directs various jazz ensembles. He has also served on the jazz studies faculty at the University of North Texas and McGill University in Montreal. He traveled to Helsinki, Finland in 1996 to be featured as guest composer, conductor, and performer with the UMO Jazz Orchestra, Finland’s national jazz orchestra. His music has been performed and recorded by professional groups including the Count Basie Orchestra, the UMO Jazz Orchestra, The Army Jazz Ambassadors, and the Air Force Band of Flight Night Jazz Ensemble.
The composition, which is untitled at the time of this printing, is written for Southern Jazz Collective. Instrumentation includes three saxophones, two trumpets, one trombone, piano, bass, drums, and guitar. The thematic material for the work is quite unique in that it is based around traditional Korean folk music. “Infusing Korean folk styling into the jazz idiom is truly a breakthrough experience,” said Dr. Wise, MSSU director of jazz studies and director of the ensemble.
The concert will also include a myriad of jazz selections performed by the MSSU Jazz Combos including jazz standards, bossa novas, Latin, and swing. Vocalist Bailey Park will also perform with the jazz groups.
10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2017
Corley Auditorium in Webster Hall
Admission: free
The Honorable Jong-Kook Lee, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago,
will discuss how the relationship between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America has evolved over the past 60 years.
Consul General Lee arrived in Chicago in April 2016. Previously, he served as Ambassador for International Cooperation of the Korean Institute for National Unification for three years.
Consul General Lee also has served as the Minister of Korean Embassy in the Republic of Singapore and the Russian Federation, in 2006-09 and 2009-12. From 2012-15, he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Libya.
Consul General Lee’s overseas missions include such posts as New Zealand (1989-92), Egypt (92-96), India (95-96), and the United Kingdom (96-00).
Consul General Lee graduated from Seoul National University with a B.A. in International Relations in 1982. He received his M.A. in International Relations from University of Texas in 1988.
9:30 am Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017
Cornell Auditorium in Plaster Hall
Admission: free
This workshop, presented by Doug Evans, an international trade manager with the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), will cover such topics as U.S. exports to South Korea, Missouri exports to South Korea, and Missouri and federal resources to assist exporters. Evans, the DED’s trade manager for the Central and Southeast Asia region, excluding China, works with Missouri’s foreign trade offices in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore to assist Missouri businesses export goods and services to those countries as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other surrounding nations. He also provides advocacy for Missouri companies in their current and future trade efforts with these countries.
Evans, who earned his undergraduate degree in communication studies from the University of Kansas with a focus in East Asian culture, holds an International M.B.A. in global development from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He started his international trade career with the Peace Corps serving in Zambia. For seven years, he has worked for both the public and private sectors in international aid and trade, and most recently worked in Boehringer Ingelheim’s animal health business in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.
This workshop is hosted by the Missouri Southern State University Small Business and Technology Development Center and The Robert W. Plaster College of Business.
7:30 pm Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 
Taylor Performing Arts Center
Admission: free
The Southern Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Dr. Jeffrey Macomber, presents the premier performance of the well-known Korean folk song Arirang, which is often considered as the unofficial national anthem of Korea. Dr. Macomber wrote a theme and variations piece for piano and string orchestra. He explains: “It is a subdued setting of this folk song that, as is the case with many Asian folk musics, written using the Pentatonic Scale (C, D, F, G, A, in Western pitch identification). Arirang is a folk melody, centuries old, that carries many references from mountain passes, to mountain valleys, and lovers traversing these locations. It has a cultural presence in the folk histories of both South and North Korea.”
