Curious about the Korean Peninsula’s past, present, and future? Join us for Two Koreas, a free, five-week virtual seminar that dives into the fascinating history, politics, and culture of North and South Korea. From the rise of the Kim dynasty to modern-day South Korea’s global influence—and how both nations are portrayed in media—this seminar offers essential context and classroom-ready content for educators and lifelong learners alike. Whether you teach history, social studies, or global affairs, this series will deepen your understanding of one of the world’s most complex and compelling regions.

The online seminar includes:

• Video presentations (1 hour/week) that you watch on your own schedule
• Background and primary source readings
• Mandatory online forum participation
• 5 Weekly live online discussion with the specialist for that topic

Benefits:

• 1 salary points for Los Angeles Unified School District.
• For all other districts, 3 Continuing Education Units (processing fee applicable)
• Online resources and materials

Register here! 

Schedule:

The seminar live discussions will be held virtually on Tuesday for the following dates (5/27, 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24). Reading assignments and pre-recorded lectures for each week will be available in an online forum and are to be completed prior to the discussion sessions (approximately 2 hours of work per week). Access and log-in information will be provided upon acceptance into the course. Please refer to the Seminar Requirements Document for details on assignments and course completion.

Week 1: 1945-1994: Kim Il Sung Era

Week 2: 1994-2011: Kim Jong Il Era

Week 3: 2011–Present: Kim Jong Un Era

Week 4: Gender, Youth, and Society in South Korea

Week 5: Depictions of North Korea

Instructor:

Jennifer Jung-Kim received her Ph.D. in Korean History from UCLA. She teaches courses on Korean history in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. She also teaches Introduction to East Asia in the International and Area Studies program.

She is also senior editor of the Korean Classics Library series and serves as assistant director of the Center for Buddhist Studies.