Professional Affiliation

Master’s Candidate, Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University, South Korea.

Expert Bio

Kyuhyun is a master's candidate in International Cooperation at Yonsei Graduate School of International Studies. He has earned his bachelor’s degree at Loughborough University majoring in International Relations. Despite having spent his formative childhood and adolescent years in various parts of Europe, his curiosity of East Asia and passion for international relations has led him to further his studies in Seoul, South Korea. Currently, Kyuhyun’s key interests are North Korea and China-Korea-Japan relations. In the close future, Kyuhyun plans to start his own YouTube channel that will focus on highlighting global, social, and local issues in order to raise awareness, and if possible, offer solutions.

Wilson Center Project

The Role of the U.S. Mass Media in Shaping the American Public Perception of North Korea

Project Summary

It is common knowledge that as a citizen living in the United States, North Korean portrayal of the U.S. through its mass media is disparaging to a largely exaggerated extent. However, have scholars ever challenged the notion that the same is being done toward North Korea, i.e. that the American mass media is persistently degrading North Korea without a fair assessment? Studies have shown that negative portrayal of North Korea through the American mass media can lead to hostility, disengagement, and diminishes possibilities for more constructive engagement. In relation to this, Kyuhyun’s research aims to investigate these negative mass media representations and highlight the detrimental effects they could bring to the U.S.-North Korea bilateral relationship.