Poster for the Evangelion Academic Conference

The Institute for Japanese Studies and the Institute for Humanities at Incheon National University will host an academic conference commemorating the 30th anniversary of Neon Genesis Evangelion on Saturday, November 29, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Room 329 of Building 15 on the Songdo Campus.

This event is held as part of the 8th Colloquium Support Project for the Promotion of Basic Humanities Research. Since its first broadcast in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion has significantly influenced popular culture, media, and fandom in both Korea and Japan, earning recognition as one of the most iconic animations of its time. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the conference will examine the series through diverse perspectives including political imagination, gender studies, ideology, occult discourse, media theory, and modes of reception in Korea.

The title of the conference, “Dance Like You Want to Win,” is borrowed from Episode 9 of Evangelion, which aired exactly 30 years ago. The message — “stand together and dance as one” — symbolizes the spirit of academic exchange and intergenerational dialogue that this conference seeks to foster.

The conference aims to reaffirm that Evangelion is not merely an animation but a vital key to interpreting East Asian subculture, shifting discourse, and the dynamic interplay between fandom and media. Lee Seok, Director of the Japanese Culture Research Center at the INU Institute for Japanese Studies, stated, “This 30th anniversary conference will not simply commemorate the past, but explore why Evangelion matters again in our present era,” encouraging strong interest and participation..