Celebrities guide the next generation as professors in university classrooms

Yoo Yeon-seok talks with Sejong University officials at the university president’s office. [SEJONG UNIVERSITY]

 

Walking around Sejong University’s campus this semester, students might run into actor Yoo Yeon-seok — not because he’s filming a drama on campus, but because he is a professor.  

 

The actor was specially appointed as a professor at Sejong University starting this spring semester, teaching the Multimedia Performance course to senior students majoring in acting arts in the Department of Film Art.


 

Yoo will teach students how to act in different media environments, such as film, musicals and TV dramas, with students performing in front of Yoo and receiving feedback.

 

But Yoo isn’t the only celebrity that students can learn from at their university.

 

Many arts and media courses bring in well-known actors, singers or entertainers to teach students not only the academic side of those fields but also the real-life experiences that come from working in the industry.

 

If you’re interested in studying in these fields, here are some celebrities who may be teaching on campus as professors.

  

 


Yoo Ji-tae

 

Yoo Ji-tae receives his certificate as he is appointed as a professor at Konkuk University’s Department of Media Acting on Sept. 1, 2023. [KONKUK UNIVERSITY]

 

Starring in classic Korean films such as “One Fine Spring Day” (2001) and “Old Boy” (2003) as well as recent hits such as “The King’s Warden,” Yoo Ji-tae is a veteran actor who has been active in the industry for over 25 years.

 

Yoo isn’t just accomplished in acting, but has also been busy working as a professor at Konkuk University’s Department of Media Acting since 2023. Since then, he has been teaching acting and film writing to students who also wish to appear on screen.  

 

For the spring 2026 semester, Yoo is teaching three courses.

 

Yoo Ji-tae talks about teaching classes as a professor at Konkuk University during an episode of “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]

One is the Scene Acting 1 course for first-year students in the Department of Media Acting, where students learn the basics of film and acting, as well as how to write their own monologues.  

 

He also co-teaches the Graduation Film Workshop 1 and Graduation Theatre Project 1 courses with other professors, guiding seniors in the Department of Media Acting as they create their own plays and films for their graduation projects.

 

Aside from teaching classes, he also helps students in the acting department with their projects, serving as an advisory professor for the student play “Almost, Maine.” The play will be performed on Friday and Saturday as a welcome performance for the department’s first-year students.

 

 


Aiki

 

Aiki gives a special lecture to freshmen at Sungshin Women’s University’s College of Creative Convergence Education on May 13, 2024. [SUNGSHIN WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY]

Dancer Aiki, whose real name is Kang Hye-in, first gained attention as the leader of the dance crew Hook on the dance survival show “Street Woman Fighter” (2021), where her team finished as runner-up. She also participated in “World of Street Woman Fighter” (2025) as a member of Bumsup, representing Korea and competing with dance crews from all over the world.  

 

Beyond TV appearances, she is also behind the choreography for songs such as BIBI’s “Vengeance” (2022), Moonbyul’s “Lunatic” (2022) and Yeji’s “Secreto” (2021).

 

Fans hoping to learn from the dancer can do so at Sungshin Women’s University, where she was appointed an adjunct professor in the Department of Dance Art in 2024.

 

For the spring 2026 semester, she teaches two classes. One is Dance Workshop Training 1, which is open to the dance department’s second-year students, teaching them how K-pop choreography is created and practicing choreography with a focus on hip-hop and Latin styles.

 

She also teaches the Major Dance Practice 5 class, which is open to third-year students in the dance department. The course teaches students dance sports moves and how to combine them with other styles such as contemporary dance, hip-hop and Korean traditional dance.  

 

Even if students aren’t enrolled in the Department of Dance Art, Aiki often hosts special dance classes and lectures for other Sungshin Women’s University students.  

 

She led a special dance class on Feb. 5 for students part of dance clubs at Sungshin Women’s University’s Korean Language Institute. She also gave a special lecture to first-year students at the College of Creative Convergence Education in May 2024, bringing her dance crew Hook to give a surprise performance.  

 

 


G-Dragon

G-Dragon talks about AI and “entertech” during Innovate Korea 2025, held at the KAIST campus in Yuseong District, Daejeon, on April 9, 2025. [YONHAP]

 

G-Dragon was appointed as a visiting professor at KAIST’s Department of Mechanical Engineering in June 2024, with his term set to last until June of this year.  

 

The singer may not be a regular on campus as he isn’t in charge of teaching a specific course each semester. However, he was appointed as a professor to offer special lectures to KAIST students and conduct research in “entertech,” or areas that combine AI and robotics with K-content.  

 

Since his appointment, G-Dragon has attended the Innovate Korea Forum, co-hosted by KAIST, as a speaker in both 2024 and 2025 to talk about AI and entertainment.  

 

Various research projects have taken place, such as his song “Home Sweet Home” (2024) sent to space via a satellite developed by KAIST’s Space Institute. KAIST and G-Dragon’s entertainment agency, Galaxy Corporation, have also jointly opened the AI Entertech Research Center.

 

Students also received a warm message from G-Dragon during KAIST’s commencement ceremony held on Feb. 20. He sent a video message to students, telling them they are now “moving into a world where there is no set correct answer” and that it’s “okay to be wrong as long as you don’t stop.”

 

 


ALi

Ali sings ″All I Want for Christmas Is You″ (1994) by Mariah Carey with contemporary music major students at Hongik University. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Singer ALi, also known as Cho Yong-jin, was appointed as a professor at Hongik University’s contemporary music major, under the School of Performing Arts, in August 2024.  

 

She made her debut as a featured artist on the song “I’m Not Laughing” (2005) by Leessang, later releasing songs such as “365” (2009) and “Ziugae” (2013). She has also appeared in musicals, including “Frida: The Last Night Show” as Frida in 2023 and “Rebecca” as Mrs. Danvers in 2019.

 

At Hongik University, she teaches the Vocal Ensemble course this semester and instructs students to form teams and prepare group vocal performances. She also teaches several private lessons — core courses required for contemporary music majors — providing individualized vocal training and guidance.

 

While she has been teaching at Hongik University for around a year and a half, this isn’t Cho’s first time teaching singing as a professor.

 

She taught as a professor at Soongeui Women’s University’s Department of Applied Music in 2024, Howon University’s Division of Applied Music in 2022 and Gangdong University’s Department of Applied Music in 2017 and 2018. 

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]