The Impact of Cultural Hybridity in Korean Wave Dramas on Christian Perceptions: Toward Media Literacy-Based Religious Education in Christian Universities

ABSTRACT

[Objective] This study examines how Christian images in Korean dramas are perceived and explores their implications for religious education in Christian-affiliated universities, asking whether negative portrayals lead to rejection or deeper reflection on religion.[Contents] Drawing on Homi K. Bhabha’s theory of cultural hybridity, it argues that such images are products of the “Third Space” rather than mere distortions. A survey of 206 students shows that negative perceptions stem more from shared media experiences than religious affiliation, and that greater awareness of cultural hybridity correlates with stronger recognition of the need for religious education. The study proposes a media literacy-based model centered on structured dialogue, framing popular culture as an educational resource. [Conclusions] Negative representations of Christianity in K-dramas indicate not a religious crisis but an emergent interpretive paradigm shaped by cultural hybridity and media discourse. Religious education should therefore move beyond doctrinal transmission toward media literacy-oriented pedagogy that encourages critical engagement with media-constructed religious imagery.