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2023 Kyung Hee Fellow Research Category Winner Professor Kyung Hoon Han, Department of Postmodern Music

Professor Kyung Hoon Han of the Department of Postmodern Music has been named a Kyung Hee Fellow (Education) in recognition of his contributions to improving teaching methods and enhancing student capabilities. He expressed his gratitude, saying, "Although I did not teach with the Fellowship in mind, I am thankful that the University has acknowledged my work. This award has given me an opportunity to reflect on my research and teaching."

To enhance student capabilities, Professor Han introduced new courses. One notable addition is the Studio Session Ensemble course, designed to boost students' practical skills. In this course, students record an original song each week, giving them experience in a professional recording environment and helping them develop crucial time management skills required in a professional workplace. Also, the songs they composed and produced during the course can be part of their portfolio after graduation for career opportunities. Professor Han remarked, "We even support students signing up with music source companies to distribute their work, helping them build a career in the music industry and increasing student satisfaction."

In his Computer Music course, Professor Han introduced a hybrid teaching method, combining online and offline lessons. This approach received positive feedback from students. Online classes are provided in advance, with offline sessions available for those needing further explanation. Professor Han explained, "The online classes have now reached a sufficient level as an effective teaching medium, allowing us to offer focused offline components specifically tailored for only those students who are having difficulty with program operation. This has reduced the dropout rate compared to the past when only face-to-face lectures were available."

Professor Han pays close attention to the lives of his students after graduation. Through the Major Exploration Seminar, he invited experts from various fields to help students design career paths. He said, “We use statistical data to make students aware of the realities of the music industry professional artists face, but we aim to instill confidence and the ‘can-do’ attitude rather than sowing frustration and discouragement. By hosting experts for special lectures, we guide students to understand the skills required for diverse career paths in the industry."

He also achieved outstanding results in guiding graduate students. Under his guidance, ten student research papers were published in KCI-registered journals in 2022, and twelve in 2023. He said, “Many of our students tend to lack confidence in academic thinking and writing due to a practical focus during their undergraduate studies. However, we raised the quality of their work through continuous feedback right up until submission deadlines, leading to many successful publications in KCI-registered journals.” This focus on mentorship has led to the appointment of 15 of his former graduate students as full-time faculty members at other universities, a point of particular pride for Professor Han.

Looking ahead, Professor Han plans to raise funds for the development by revitalizing the alumni association and exploring research using the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence. He shared, "During my four years as department head, I worked hard to improve the environment, often relying on alumni support due to the limited departmental budget. I hope to encourage a strong culture of alumni connection and support that will ensure the future development of our department."