Anonymous (1) AY25/26 Sem 1

About the Instructor

Especially in terms of in-class discussions, the class was genuinely enjoyable. Prof would split us into different groups every session, particularly so that we could work with everyone in the class at least once by the end of the semester. The discussion topics were also very interesting (e.g., how masculinity is represented in the given Korean drama and making our own K-POP groups). Because the class itself is based on a more approachable topic (compared to those heavy, science-oriented ones), it was more of an open discussion about our thoughts on the assigned reading. The course mainly covers Korean movies, dramas, and K-POP, so it would be okay without prior knowledge, though it will still make it much more interesting if you are actually interested in Korean culture. Prof. Tyagi also offers helpful feedback during office consultations (every four weeks before each assignment), so I highly recommend starting your work a bit early so that you can ask meaningful questions during that time.

Content (Structure/Organization)

Once again, I felt that Prof. Tyagi made the course very well-organized while still leaving some space for us to chill. It didn't really give off stiff vibes, yet it didn't feel spontaneous at all, despite the course covering various materials over the semester. I personally found the close reading assignment (the first one) the most challenging, as I did not really understand what I was supposed to do (also because it was my first time ever doing this kind of thing). Still, there were a couple of sessions set aside for peer feedback before every assignment was due, and I found this very helpful. We even had a prep presentation the week before the final presentation, where we would do a mini simulation of our final presentation and get feedback from our classmates.

Manageability of Workload

4/5. Since it is an NTW course, it involves a lot of writing, so you must spend a lot of time framing your topic and working on your paper. Still, I found the weekly materials quite manageable, especially because some weeks featured visual or audio materials like movies, dramas, or music videos instead of long articles every single time.

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades

A is achievable as long as you are diligent with your work. I would also say that if you feel you know what you are doing, that feeling is probably right, and you'll be able to get a good grade. I spent quite a lot of time thinking about my research topic (I did this from weeks 2-3) and started early too (I had my research paper almost done in week 11). Just get finished early and clarify your doubts during consults, and you'll be fine.

Learning Value/Recommendation

4/5. I don't think I learned anything new from this course, but to be fair, it is a writing course, so I didn't expect to gain much knowledge. However, I did have the opportunity to interact with my classmates and engage in class discussions quite often, and I also feel that it was good practice for writing a research paper.

Additional Comments

Start your assignments early, put in enough time and effort, and use your consults constructively. If you are interested in Korean culture, it would definitely be fun!