East Asian Studies taster session
This taster session gives you an insight into studying East Asian Studies at university.

The Rise of Game Survival Narratives in East Asian Cinema + Television
You will get an introduction from our undergraduate admission tutor on why the East Asia region is a fascinating and important area to study, followed by a brief overview of The School of East Asian Studies and why you should consider studying with us.
In this short taster lecture we'll look at the cultural manifestations and growing popularity of the ‘game survival narrative’ in East Asian cinema and television. Starting with the renowned Japanese film ‘Battle Royale’ (2000), and moving towards the present day South Korean hit ‘Squid Game’ (2021), we’ll consider how we might use examples from this unique dystopian genre to better understand the social and political landscapes of contemporary East Asian societies.
Participants will also experience language tasters in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
Age group: Year 12 and Year 13
Register your interest
To hear about future sessions, please register your interest and we'll send you details about upcoming dates.
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Schedule
Please note, this is an approximate schedule and is subject to change.
Time | Activity |
---|---|
3.45pm | Log-in & get comfortable |
3.55pm |
Why study East Asia? - Dr Martyn Smith, Admissions Tutor Introduction from our undergraduate admission tutor on why the East Asia region is a fascinating and important area to study, followed by a brief overview of The School of East Asian Studies and why you should consider studying with us. |
4.15pm |
Cultural taster lecture - Gemma Ballard 'The Rise of Game Survival Narratives in East Asian Cinema + Television' Lecture: In this short lecture, we’ll look at the cultural manifestations and growing popularity of the ‘game survival narrative’ in East Asian cinema and television. Starting with the renowned Japanese film ‘Battle Royale’ (2000), and moving towards the present day South Korean hit ‘Squid Game’ (2021), we’ll consider how we might use examples from this unique dystopian genre to better understand the social and political landscapes of contemporary East Asian societies. |
4.45pm | Japanese language taster |
4.55pm | Chinese language taster |
5.05pm | Korean language taster |
5.15pm | Q&A with current students – find out why they chose to study East Asia and why they came to Sheffield. Each student will introduce themselves and talk about why they chose their course and what they find fascinating about the country of study, we'll then open up to questions. |
Contact us
For informal enquiries please email tasterdays@sheffield.ac.uk

Advance Register for Clearing
We have places on our undergraduate courses this autumn. If you've already got your results you can apply now, or if you're still waiting for results get your name on the list by advance registering.