A K-pop performance was held at the University of Oxford's Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities last Saturday, drawing hundreds of visitors including students and local residents, who gathered around a circular stage to watch the unusual, lively event in a traditionally conservative academic space.
The performance featured a string of K-pop songs including Rosé's catchy song "APT." and several tracks from Netflix' hit animated series "KPop Demon Hunters" such as "Golden," "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol."
The atmosphere soon resembled a pop concert, with the audience cheering and responding enthusiastically.
Saturday's event was part of an event marking the opening of the centre, named after Blackstone co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, who donated 185 million pounds (about US$370 million).
The centre brings together humanities departments, libraries, and performance spaces under one roof, with the aim of bridging the humanities and contemporary culture, reflecting the university's broader efforts to make academic spaces more accessible to the public.
Many see this as a pivotal moment for traditionally scholarly disciplines to engage wider audiences through K-pop, suggesting that global popular culture now plays a key role in shaping the modern humanities.
The event was organized in collaboration with the university's Korean studies programs, supported by South Korean energy company Samchully, which has provided 2.5 billion won (about $1.7 million) in funding since last year.
The university is also slated to open a centre dedicated to Korean studies this fall, with plans to hold a week-long event to promote Korean culture early next year.
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