Korean studies diversify, expand, thanks to hallyu Posted : 2021-01-08 08:57 By Kwon Mee-yoo Global superstar boy band BTS not only captivated fans in Korea and abroad, but also brought about fresh attention to Korean studies around the world. It is not difficult to find academic papers on the boy band as seen in papers like "'You Can't Help But Love Them': BTS, Transcultural Fandom, and Affective Identities" by Courtney McLaren and Jin Dal-yong and "Performed intermediality and beyond in the BTS music video 'Idol': K-Pop idol identities in contemporary Hallyu" by Yeogeun Yonsue Kim. As hallyu or the Korean wave breaks through more than ever before with the dual success of K-pop and Korean cinema abroad, the number of schools offering courses on Korea is on the rise. Scholars' research fields have expanded and diversified into various other aspects of the country.