Established in October 1954, the English Language and Literature Association of Korea (ELLAK) consists of over 2,000 members specializing in English linguistics, English education, English literature and culture, American literature and culture, and other global literatures written in English. More than 80% of its members hold doctoral degrees from institutions of higher education in Korea and abroad, and many are actively involved in research and teaching at colleges and universities across Korea.

ELLAK has long played a central role in shaping English Studies in Korea Today, as the field of world literature continues to be reconfigured by transnational migration, translation, postcolonial critique, diaspora, ecological crisis, digital media, and the growing plurality of Englishes, English literary studies in Korea can no longer be understood simply as the study of British and American literary traditions. Rather, it offers a critical site from which to examine how English literature, Korean literature, Anglophone literatures, and world literature intersect, circulate, and transform one another. ELLAK seeks to expand this scholarly horizon by fostering research that places Korean literary and cultural experience in dialogue with global English cultures and the changing formation of world literature. In doing so, the association aims to serve not merely as a bridge between Korea and the English-speaking world, but as an active forum for rethinking the place of English Studies in an increasingly plural and interconnected literary world.

In 2024, ELLAK celebrated its 70th anniversary In response to the growing global significance of English and English-language cultures, the association will continue to consolidate and extend its academic foundations. Through these efforts, ELLAK seeks to strengthen its role in advancing English Studies in Korea while contributing to broader conversations on Korean literature, Anglophone literatures, and world literature in the twenty-first century.