Korea’s Secret Christians
BY : Rachel Cohrs
South Koreans proselytize in the adamantly atheist country using thousands of illicit radios smuggled over the border. The Far East Broadcasting Company transmits gospel-centered programs every day of the week.
READ MORE / The Atlantic
Seoul's Trendy Cafe Churches Cater to Korea's Youth
BY : Tommy Brooksbank
Coffee grounds, an electric bass guitar, and the Gospel? It's an uncommon set up for a church. But Rev. Ahn Min-ho's church seems to embrace the unconventional when it comes to worship.
READ MORE / Christianity Daily
The Outlaw Buddhist Art of
a Korean Tattooist
BY : Paulina Cachero
Pitta’s style is a refreshing contemporary take on traditional Korean religious art, reminiscent of the brilliant patterns and motifs that decorate Korean Buddhist temples
READ MORE / Tricycle
Military vehicles and propaganda are facts of life in a DMZ village
BY : Aziza Kasumov and Ryan Thompson
Tongil Chon is a mile away from the most heavily guarded border in the world, the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Nowhere in South Korea is the threat of war more imminent, but residents have learned how to keep their calm.
READ MORE / GroundTruth
About The Project
In March 2018, USC Annenberg’s J585 Reporting on Religion class went to Seoul to report on the role of religion in South Korean society. Were Seoul’s megachurches still a political force? Were young people there, as in the US, rejecting organized religion? Did Korean evangelicals support Trump? And were religious leaders involved in the big news of the day: the clash between North and South over nuclear weapons? To prepare for the trip, students reported in SoCal’s dynamic Korean community, which we learned was more religious and conservative than its counterpart in Seoul. During our time in South Korea, we reported on anti-and-pro US demonstrations, North Korean refugees, expat Latino Catholics, activist Buddhists and a pro-marijuana pastor. This year’s partnerships with KPCC and GroundTruth were augmented by publications in outlets ranging from Tricycle to Christianity Daily and the Atlantic to Radio France Internationale.
READ MORE / About The Project
Additional Stories
Life on Seoul’s ‘Muslim Street’
/ GroundTruth
An unlikely advocate for medical marijuana legalization
/ GroundTruth
Latin-American Catholics in Seoul/Angeles
/ GroundTruth
Amid economic and political tensions, shamanism regains popularity in South Korea
/ GroundTruth
Amid anti-gay sentiment, LGBT-affirming churches provide fellowship and advocacy
/ GroundTruth
PREVIOUS WORK: / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2017
