Todd A. Henry

Todd A. Henry is an Associate Professor of Modern Korean and East Asian History at the University of California, San Diego. He is affiliated with Critical Gender Studies, Film Studies, Science Studies, and Japanese Studies. His research spans authoritarian South Korea, queer and transgender histories, postcolonial analysis, and transnational Cold War medical practices.

Henry’s work interrogates the intersections of gender, sexuality, and imperialism, focusing on topics like hallyu (Korean Wave), queer subcultures in militarized societies, and the role of media and medicine in shaping citizenship. His documentary projects, such as Paradise (2023) and an upcoming film on André Kim, highlight underrepresented narratives in Korean history.

His recent publications, including Profits of Queerness (2026) and Bodies of Excess (in progress), analyze gender variance, sex tourism, and the AIDS crisis in authoritarian and late-authoritarian regimes. His academic awards include the Sejong Book Prize and multiple film festival recognitions.

Henry has received Fulbright and Korea Foundation fellowships, directed the Transnational Korean Studies program (2013-2018), and taught globally in South Korea, France, Germany, and Costa Rica. His media appearances span NPR, YouTube lectures, and international film festivals, amplifying queer Korean voices.