Communicative Democracy: In the Ancient Athenian Court and the Modern Korean Website pann.nate.com (EUNBIN KIM)

Abstract The manner in which online discussion enhances democracy has been explored extensively in public forums, such as political debates. The internet, however, has caused changes not only in the public sector but also in the private sector, for example, in the communication process for the notification and resolution of issues for individuals subjected to…

Revisiting Inter-Korean Diplomacy during the Sino-US Détente (1969–1973): A Story of Multifaceted Exchanges (SANGPIL JIN)

Abstract In this article, I delve into an underexamined subject: South Korea’s convoluted diplomatic exchanges with North Korea amidst the changing geopolitical scene created by the period of Sino-US détente between 1969 and 1973. Existing research on inter-Korean diplomacy is primarily found within South Korea, as most Western scholars discount any impact of inter-Korean diplomacy…

Let’s Become Dazzling Heroes of Capitalism: South Korean Perspectives on Japanese “Business Novels” in the 1970s and 1980s (NADESCHDA BACHEM)

Abstract After the overthrow of President Rhee Syngman (Yi Sŭngman) in 1960, South Korea experienced a boom in translations of Japanese literature. Japanese fiction has remained popular ever since, but the reception of these texts has always responded to the needs of the times. This article investigates South Korean perspectives on the popular fiction genre…

What Part Are You Talking about? A Study of How Vague Expressions with Pubun (“Part”) Enhance Intersubjectivity in Korean Political Discourse (SANG-SEOK YOON)

Abstract This study explores indexical meanings and pragmatic functions of the Korean noun pubun (“part”), especially when it is used as a bound noun to construct demonstrative pronoun structures. From a perspective of indexicality, our analysis shows that a major function of pubun is to avoid interpersonal conflicts by making it possible to construct and…

Outstanding Universal Confucian Value: Negotiating the Inscription of Nine South Korean Confucian Academies as World Heritage between China and UNESCO (MARTIN GEHLMANN)

Abstract The inclusion of nine Confucian academies (書院) in South Korea on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019 marked the conclusion of a lengthy and controversial process that officially began in 2011. This study aims to explore how modern reinterpretations of Confucianism have led to differing understandings of the historical role of Confucian academies…

CHRIS WEARDEN, SOAS University of London History, Heritage, and Legend in Colonial-Era Tourism: Kyŏngju and P’yŏngyang as Sites of Ideological Contestation

Abstract This article explores how historical sites in colonial Korea became arenas of ideological contestation between dominant and counter-hegemonic forces. This contestation is exposed through the production and consumption of heritage tourism, using the former dynastic capitals of Kyŏngju and P’yŏngyang as case studies. Employing a comparative model, the article explores the politics of herita……

ANNA JUNGEUN LEE, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign New Woman and Colonial Materiality: “How To” Articles and Everyday Consumption

Abstract This article focuses on materiality as a frame to reanimate analysis of the concept of the “New Woman” in colonial Korea through a review of magazine articles that contain practical guidelines and reports about the daily life and consumption patterns of New Women. While frequently addressed as a subject, many studies about the New…