Korea Initiative
The IFA has a distinguished history in Korean studies beginning with notable alumnus Won-Yong Kim (1922-1993), regarded as the father of modern Korean archaeology and museum studies. Kim was the first Korean to receive a PhD from the IFA, and went on to establish the Archaeology and Art History Department at Seoul National University, which remains a leading department of art history in Korea and East Asia today.
Courses
Fall 2025
The Korean Empire and the Practices of Everyday Life (ca. 1897-1910) examines the visual and material culture of Korea's imperial period through objects like clothing, furniture, and flags. Students collaborate with Met curators preparing the exhibition Fragile Empires: Cultural Exchange between Korea and France, c. 1860-1910.
Spring 2026
Revisiting Ink Painting in Premodern Korea (ca. 1400–1800) explores Korean ink painting through recent scholarship, investigating international dimensions, relationships to other media, and connections to class and gender through discussions, museum visits, and specialist meeting
Special Programming
November 2025 features a special workshop and lecture on modern Korean architecture by Hyungmin Pai, a leading architectural historian and curator who curated the Golden Lion-winning South Korean pavilion at the Venice Biennale.