ok prof...helpful but boring...marks better in the upper levels

I loved his lectures and his fast talking.

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talks too fast but good lectures.. well u'll get used to it to see him talking and laughing to himself^^ marks hard

Good lecturer, seems pretty clear and sticks somewhat to his outline that he mails to the class, fair marker - he *will* point out where he disagrees with you, you had best support your opinion well if you disagree with him, but he won't penalize for it.

No problem with his grading. So long as your for democracy, and you show sympathy for the oppressed it will help you out when he grades your paper. speaks fast with emotion at times. nice guy, rather eccentric, likes to play funky music prior to class.

Gives great details during lectures...talks a bit fast but you can easily catch up to what he's saying. Very humurous and midterms are easy. If you understand and attend his lectures, u can ace the midterm without reading much from the textbook. Great!

are u kidding me? his class was super fun ok..at least it was for me, the only class i actually want to go to.

Very kind, always reply my email very soon.

Great prof, very funny and KNOWS HIS STUFF. Agree he talks fast but oh well, he e-mails out an outline for his lectures. If you can't handle him maybe UBC isn't the place for you, A-grade professor!

he's a pretty inspiring prof. get a good TA for this course

Awesome prof. Scares students before exams but actually makes them very reasonable. TAs suck. If you can't handle his course, you won't make through UBC.

of course he likes democracy: to be democratic, or to be communist phobic is to be american. i wrote about the benefits of american-introduced democracy to asia (the eassy itself was crap btw) and i got an A-

excellent and very fun teacher. extreamly knowledgeable. worth taking courses from him. TAs very very suck for ASIA 100/101.

I thought he was a GREAT prof. Of course I didnt goto any lectures I just read his notes he posted online! haha. He was really nice when i had to make up an exam and his TA was great. Definetly going to take him again.

ive taken hist courses w/ profs that hav gd ratings, but i think dr baker is really gd and is the most underrated prof here. its ok that hes biased- we all need opinions. just take in what u think is right. its better than profs who regurgitate the text.

jokes about americans alot, very enthusiastic

Fabulous prof, just make sure you come to class and you will be fine. Don't regurgitate the texts on essays, notice things others wouldn't. He likes that. Try using headings for the essay to make things clear. I can't wait for ASIA 101! Fascinating prof, fascinating course. I agree, the TA's suck.

About as good as such a broad prereq can be. Jovial character, very well learned (especailly about Korea) and a fairly easy grader.

He's funny, friendly, and a great talker. He really makes sure he covers all topics and points. And most importantly, he's sexy as hell. Don Baker's a great teacher, and he seems like a nice man too! Not like some other teachers...

Had him for Asia 100 & 101 too,and he's one of the best profs in the department.He's really helpful if you approach him one-on-one.Expects a lot,but his enthusiasm is contagious.Gave us detailed lecture notes & outlines for tests that make studying easy.Once familiarized with his style, u'll be fine

he gives the MOST sincere/affecting lectures!he's very well prepared for class & very approachable. he is quite caring but sometimes feigned indifference lest students take advantage of him. i feel extremely fortunate to have taken this class. i've become much more interested in/informed about Korea

He presents the materials in an interesting and clear way. His tests are fair and easy if you attend his class regularly. He encourages you to think, and tells a lot of interesting stories about his experience in Korea.

May seem like an odd fellow, but he's really nice, and really tries to help you do the best in the class. He also had the best George Bush joke I've ever heard. Really nice guy! He marks fairly easy.. I'd say a 3/5

Don't take this course if you're interested in 20th c. Korean history. He focuses heavily on the Choson dynasty - but makes it interesting. Readings are heavy, but not mandatory. ie you can study from lecture notes, but that means you have to attend lectures. Exam-wise: pretty tough on short answers, slightly easier on essay. Overall, great guy!

Regardless of how difficult his material is, Baker is an awesome teacher.

He rocks as a professor! He is very enthusiastic and passionate about what he teaches (specially Korea), it's contagious! He really knows his stuff! Big on reading and critical thinking, specially on the paper and MT & Final essays. Argument your point well (demonstrate you've learned!) if you are going to oppose him. Very approachable.

Very interesting class for a 1st year survey course. Dr. Baker does not teach Asian studies like other profs - you do not need to focus on little details like names and dates, but instead he focuses on the general political and economic development in Asia. He speaks a bit fast but have the lecture notes handy and you'll have no prob taking notes.

Alright class, better than ASIA101 in that theres less texts to read (I did not take 101 though). Class is alright, not too boring. Exams and essays are alright, but one of the essays was completely dependent on one of the textbooks. My TA was lenient, so that helped with our grades a little.

Very interesting!!

best prof ever. nicest person. sincere. honest. knows his stuff. passionate. understanding. helpful. kindest person.

I second the comment "little old man with a backpack"! Seriously, Dr. Baker is very passionate about asian history. It's pretty evident he's into it (if his sweater with Korean-writing didnt tip you off already). Really helpful if you go to office hours. MC is straightforward, written a bit tricky. Try + get Manj as your TA, she's super helpful!

a decent prof. Just attend the tutorial and lecture and u will do fine. Didn't read the textbook at all and i got 75% for the course.

Fun prof. Very passionate about the subject he teaches. Makes a lot of funny metaphors with the Asian countries, but some may find it offending. Plus, he tends to get carried away and talk way too fast. You have to know the subject being discussed in your papers because he is very keen and will take marks off for every wrong statement!

A very passionate speaker and efficient lecturer! He really cares about what he teaches and he has amazing first-hand experiences regarding political injustice.

Dr. Baker is an extremely dedicated professor. While I agree with the previous postings that he speaks fast during lectures, he is flexible to meet students during office hours and provides detailed answers via email. His passion for Korean history is such an inspiration for a non-Korean like me. Very nurturing prof, well worth the course $

He goes fast, but is very clear about what will be on the exam. Readings are not necessary. Has a great sense of humour.

Go to lectures and listen to everything he says, you'll do pretty well. I didn't do any readings after about the first month and got an 80. Midterm was very similar to the study guide. Chill term paper, final was a little tricky but still fair. Not really a GPA booster but for the time I put in I was really happy with the mark. Thanks Don.

Awesome, nice guy. Super eccentric, but he is really good when you get to know him.

Prof. Baker is an amazing teacher! Very interesting class with a lot of jokes. Great overall look of Asian history, I was surprised how much new materials I learned at the end of term. Have to admit that essay marked hard, but as long as you put efforts in, you will get a decent grade. Highly recommended! Plus, offices hours would be helpful!

Love his lectures ! If you draw together his themes you will do well.

A must for anyone taking Korean History. Lectures very engaging due to his personal ties to Korea (Kwangju, May 1980). Throws in many anecdotes and speaks fast, so type your notes. Textbook use is pretty heavy. Assignments are straightforward, and gives all potential exam questions ahead of time, so no surprises. Would defs take his courses again!

Dr. Baker is an amazing Korean History Professor. Not only is he extremely passionate about what he's teaching, but also extremely knowledgable in his own field. He would honestly be one of the best professors for Korean History you'll get anywhere in North America - so don't miss this chance and take his class!

Loved all his classes - makes plain history interesting to learn! A must take if you're interested in Korean history. He has personally lived in Korea and experienced the Gwangju Massacre - lectures are engaging due to his personal ties with Korea. Accessible outside of class. Hates Donald Trump -always talks abt this. Overall, highly recommended.

Excellent, interesting Professor who knows his content well, as he should, since he lived in Korea for a number of years. Few assignments, but the assignments he did have were more content and understanding focused, rather than regurgitating facts so some found it hard due to laziness. He lived through the Kwangju massacre and knows what he teaches

This was one of the most amazing courses I've ever taken. This prof lived through the fights for democracy in 1980s Korea and personally witnessed the Kwangju Massacre. This is probably one of the only chances that you could get to hear history first hand. Just in general an amazing lecturer. Content isn't hard but it is time consuming for an A.

Good professor who's very much at the forefront of his field - most of the fellow pioneers of historical research in this field are acquaintances of his, and he himself is a part of what he teaches. Interesting lectures, and fairly clear, albeit difficult grading criteria. Content can be very interesting, but expect to work for it.

I took Dr. Baker for Asia 100 and I loved the class! I learned a ton and it is clear right from the start that the guy knows his stuff well. He can be quiet so sit near the front. He himself is a difficult marker and is strict about citations. Revolve your essays around his lectures and avoid supporting material that he disagrees with.

I would recommend to at least scan through the readings because they provide a more in-depth look into the topics. Attending his lectures is a MUST if you want a pass (sometimes he will disagree with the readings). Easy midterm and finals, but hard term papers. I'd recommend to just study his slides for exams. Remember to take notes in class.

I found his class very enjoyable and he is obviously passionate about what he teaches. Just be careful to cite properly and make sure not to only talk about just one country.

I really enjoyed the class. It was EXTREMELY reading heavy, but I did learn a lot of information that I apply to so many of my other history/poli classes. If you end up with a TA for grading you're in luck because they're more lenient than Dr. Baker. I'd say just make sure to attend office hours, ask questions, and get along well with them.

Dr. Baker is a phenomenal lecturer - he keeps things engaging and narrates history in a fun manner. He can be a tough professor, but I've had him for 2 other courses and can attest to his skills as a lecturer and his willingness to provide great (helpful!) feedback to students who reach out to him through email or in person.

Dr. Baker is one of the best professors I've ever had. He is engaging and incredibly knowledgeable having spent decades studying Korea. There are 6 reaction papers required throughout the course, They are simple and straightforward as long as you have been keeping up with the course load. There is also a mid-term and final exam and a course paper.

Dr Baker is a very engaging lecturer and has decades of experience in his field. For the course it was very paper heavy as we had 6 reaction papers as well as a final paper and exam. He gives great feedback if you ask because you will not be able to read his written feedback

Amazing professor, will learn a ton in his class. The lectures are entertaining. Expect a crazy amount of papers. As a 4th-year Asian Studies major, I've never had a course with so many tests/papers at UBC. There are 6 reaction papers (each around 2 pages, graded out of 3), a term paper (15pg), a midterm, and a final. All are graded quite harshly.