Why Are "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and "Exhuma" So Popular?... Academia Seeks Answers

Seoul National University to Host "Shamanism and K-Culture" Academic Conference

The Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" has taken the world by storm, the film "Exhuma" has attracted 10 million viewers, and the drama "Revenant" has become a hot topic. The common thread among these is Korean shamanism. Why are shamanism-themed contents gaining such popularity?

The Seoul National University Center for Folklore Studies seeks to answer this question. On December 19, at 4 p.m., an academic conference titled "Shamanism and K-Culture" will be held at the International Conference Room, Building 7, College of Humanities, Gwanak Campus, Seoul National University.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Hong Taehan, a research professor at Jeonbuk National University, who will share his experience investigating gut rituals for over 40 years and shed light on the landscape of Korean shamanism in the 21st century.

The thematic presentations will explore the role of shamans in contemporary dramas and the significance of the main narratives and emotions depicted in K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Following the presentations, Jeong Yeonhak, former director of the National Folk Museum of Korea, will chair a discussion with researchers in folklore, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and Korean literature.

A representative from the center stated, "We will delve deeply into how shamanistic images and narratives are being reborn as global cultural content, and how shamanism is being re-evaluated within Korean society."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.