Codification of Hallyu experiences. Intersubjectivity and bodily connection through K-pop dance practice

GRIT KIRSTIN KOELTZSCH

Paris

Simposio; 10th Anniversary Symposiums for Hallyu Studies; 2023

The World Association for Hallyu Studies

Bodily aspects, physical posture, body language, and gestures are of utmost importance in Korean culture. The awareness of the body and the related characteristics have been codified by centuries of Confucianism (Joinau & Dornand de Rouville, 2015). Hayllu reinforces the embodied relations of active cultural practices as it includes the exploration of food, tastes, fashion, music, dance movements, among others, but it also includes the construction of affection and empathy as it has shown the recent mobilization of K-pop fans after Moon Bin’s death, member of the boyband Astro. In this paper, I propose to develop a methodological tool for empirical studies which I denominate the “codification of Hallyu experiences” in order to register bodily perceptions and knowledge of people who re-appropriate Hallyu in their daily lives. Within this framework, Hallyu practitioners are considered active subjects with perceptions, feelings, and cognition, engaged in an intersubjective relationship with other bodies, whether humans or non-humans. Empirical data were collected through ethnographic fieldwork in different Latin American countries by conducting personal interviews, focus group interviews, and surveys, working with K-pop fans especially engaged with dance, thus examining dance practice as a multisensory expression, which are also socio-cultural narratives. This cross-cultural research considers multiple languages that frames the whole body, including that of the researcher, and applies strategies of visual-digital ethnography.