From K-pop to Pokémon, from Cyber-politics to comic book, this course introduces you to the media and popular cultural scene in one of the most dynamic regions of the world economy today. It gives you the theoretical tool to understand and analyze these media and cultural phenomena. While acknowledging some common defining characteristics of East Asian societies, we will pay attention to the internal diversity, differences and transcultural flow within the region as well as East Asian nations’ connection to the world. The class is divided into three big sections with each focusing one East Asian region: Greater China, Japan, and Korea. In each section, we will start with a brief introduction to the modern history of the region. Then we will examine case studies selected from the region’s media and pop culture realm. Some of the topics include cyber culture and e-commerce in China; Japan’s anime culture and cat café; and Korean popular music and its global fans. By the end of the semester, you should be able to have a basic understanding of East Asian societies and cultures, critically analyze cultural trends and media events using the theories learnt in this class, and be able to engage in productive conversations with people from these societies.