Stephen Epstein

Over the course of his career, Stephen Epstein has had dual specializations in the ancient Mediterranean and in contemporary Korea. His primary intellectual activities, however, start from a fascination with language and a desire to explore the experience of daily life in other cultures. His research focuses on contemporary Korean society, with a particular emphasis on popular culture, and South Korean representations of other nations, including North Korea. Stephen has also published several translations of Korean and Indonesian fiction, and co-produced two documentaries on the South Korean underground music scene. At VUW, he served as director of the Asian Studies Institute from 2003-2008, directed the Asian Studies Programmes from 2009-2016 and the Asian Languages and Cultures Programme from 2017-2022. He has been a recipient of a university research excellence award, a teaching excellence award, and a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund Grant. He also served as the 2013-14 president of the New Zealand Asian Studies Society,