Grace Jung

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Alison Parsons

A close-up of Grace Jung.

Grace Jung

media release: A Room of One's Own is thrilled to host Grace Jung for an evening of discussion on her book K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry Into Why We Love Korean Television. She will be joined in conversation with Kelly Marie Ward.

This is an in-person event at A Room of One's Own.

About the book

From stand-up comedian and media studies PhD Grace Jung comes a rollicking deep dive into the cultural significance of Korean television. K-Drama School analyzes everything from common tropes like amnesia and slapping to conspicuous product placements of Subway sandwiches and coffee; to representations of disability, race and gender; to what Korea’s war-torn history says about South Korea’s media output and the stories being told on screen.

With chapters organized by “lessons,” each one inquiring into a different theme of Korean television, K-Drama School offers a groundbreaking exploration into this singular form of entertainment, from an author who writes with humor and heart about shows that spur tears and laughter, keeping us glued to the TV while making fans of us all.

Grace Jung is an internationally touring stand-up comedian, scholar, filmmaker, and actor with appearances on NPR, TBS,The Bechdel Cast, and The SteeBee WeeBee Show. She is also featured in Time and Literary Hub. Grace is a former Fulbright scholar and a recipient of the Academy of American Poets Prize. She is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor of Korean Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Kelly Marie Ward is an Assistant Professor in the Gender & Women’s Studies and Sociology departments at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She studies the organizational features of abortion and reproductive healthcare with an emphasis on low status workers. She has published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Contraception, Mobilization, and The Sociological Quarterly. Dr. Ward is a recipient of the National Abortion Federation’s Carole Joffe and Stanley Henshaw Early Achievement in Social Science Research Award and the Society for Family Planning’s Emerging Scholars Award. Kelly is also a full spectrum doula and works with community organizations focused on abortion access and birth justice.