Isaac Taitz

October 19, 2023

Dr. Isaac Taitz, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist, published author, researcher, and speaker specializing in Geek therapy and sleep treatment for patients of all ages. He earned his Doctorate and Masters in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University and his Bachelors in Human Development with honors from Cornell University. Dr. Taitz uses the Geek therapy approach to utilize clients’ pop-culture interests to level up their self-care skills. Through therapeutic team-ups, patients learn how to manage: depression, anxiety, inattention, impulsivity, chronic pain, post-concussion syndrome, bereavement, relationships, and autism spectrum behaviors. Additionally, Dr. Taitz’s sleep specialties include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy for nightmares, as well as Lucid Dreaming Therapy for grief/loss and a variety of other conditions. Outside of therapy sessions, Dr. Taitz can be...

Vanessa Hintz

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Dr. Vanessa Hintz is a licensed clinical psychologist, workshop leader and keynote speaker. She is also a self-proclaimed "Psych Geek," and incorporates elements of popular culture into her work when beneficial. Dr. Hintz utilizes expertise in psychology and human behavior to provide insights focused on principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. She advocates for environments and relational ways of being that promote inclusivity, foster engagement, and allow individuals to show up each day as their most authentic selves. Dr. Hintz is also the host of the Umm...

Benjamin Min Han

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Benjamin M. Han is an associate professor in the Department of Entertainment and Media Studies in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. He is the author of Beyond the Black and White TV: Asian and Latin American Spectacle in Cold War America (Rutgers University Press, 2020). His research focuses on global media, Korean popular culture, and the cultural intersections between South Korea and Latin America. He is currently completing his second book titled Reckoning with the World: South Korean Television and the Latin American Imaginary, and working on another book on Netflix Korea and global television flows. His work has been published in the International Journal of Communication, Television & New Media, Critical Studies in Media Communication, and Journal...

Samantha James

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Samantha James (MA, The University of Alabama) is a doctoral candidate in Organizational Communication and Technology at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on the intersection of affect, digital technology-mediated communication, and globalization. She has publications in outlets such as Seoul National University Press, has presented award- winning work at national and international conferences for communication scholarship, and is a 2022–2023 Fulbright Research Award recipient....

Mathieu Berbiguier

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Mathieu Berbiguier is a PhD candidate in Korean Studies (Asian Languages and Cultures) at UCLA, currently (hopefully) wrapping up. He has been a K-pop fan for 15 years. During that time, he was always interested in observing how other people were enjoying it but also in self-reflecting on his stances and experiences as a K-pop fan who lived in France, Korea, and the US. This inspired the focus of his thesis that tries to assert K-pop as a relevant object of study in Korean Studies (it may sound obvious for people outside the field, but it’s not!) by looking at the power dynamics between K-pop fans inside AND outside Korea. Even though he loves fandom and fandom studies, he cannot say...

Areum Jeong

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Areum Jeong is an interdisciplinary scholar and educator of Korean and Korean diasporic film, popular culture, theatre and performance. Her first monograph Beyond the Sewol: Activist Theatre and Performance in South Korea and the Diaspora explores how theatre and performance commemorate the Sewol Ferry disaster, and will be published via the University of Hawai’i Press. Her second monograph K-pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today focuses on K-pop fan labor, and is under contract with the University of Michigan Press. Her writings are published in the Asian Theatre Journal, Film International, GPS: Global Performance Studies, Journal of Modern English Drama, Korea Exposé, Media Convergence Research, Performance Research: A Journal of the Performing Arts, New Theatre Quarterly, Studies in Theatre and Performance, The...

Dslick

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

An indie web animator, illustrator, musician, and writer. Check out his animations on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Dslick9...

Ingyu Oh

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Ingyu Oh is Professor of Organizational Studies, International Business, and Cultural Industries at Kansai Gaidai University, Japan. Before coming to Japan in 2018, he had taught at Korea University, Bristol Business School, Middle East Technical University, UC Berkeley, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, University of Waikato and University of Oregon. He was the ex-President of World Association for Hallyu Studies and the Editor of Culture and Empathy. He is the Deputy Editor of Asia Pacific Business Review. His research focuses on organizational studies, knowledge management, innovations in complex organizations and pop culture industries in Korea and Japan. He has published 13+ books and over 60 referred articles in journals like Journal of Knowledge Management, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, International...

Samantha Aburime

by jasmine

October 19, 2023

Samantha Aburime is an artist and independent scholar of fan studies with a focus on Queer Studies, Women's Studies, Japanese Culture and Media, Human Rights, and Anthropology. Their primary goals are to rectify misconceptions of Asian media, and combat disinformation and prejudice in online communities. Check them out here: https://www.rainy-studios.com/...

Jordan Minor

by jasmine

September 29, 2023

Jordan Minor is an entertainment and technology journalist. For years he was senior editor at Geek.com, and he is currently an editor on the Apps and Gaming team at PCMag. He has also written freelance articles for multiple prominent gaming outlets, including Kotaku, The A.V. Club, Paste magazine, 148Apps, and The Escapist. He lives in New York City. Check his links here: https://linktr.ee/jordanwminor...