From Koreanness to K-ness: Contemporary Korean Culture and Society

From Koreanness to K-ness: Contemporary Korean Culture and Society aims to conceptualise ‘K-ness’ as a new way of understanding the underlying characteristics that shape the semiotic, cultural, and sociological representations of contemporary Korean culture and society.

The global popularity of Korean cultural content has sparked extensive interest in various facets of the Korean language, culture, and society. These recent changes present a unique opportunity to reassess and reshape our approach to the theorisation of ‘Koreanness’ as a strong national identity significantly influenced by Confucian values, patriarchy and patriotism. Indeed, a multitude of K-words – including the ever-popular domains of ‘K-pop’, ‘K-drama’ and ‘K-food’ – reflect the diverse but coherent manifestations of the new Koreanness, which often transcends the boundaries of tradition and history.

In this interdisciplinary edited volume, the contributors provide fresh insights into the new Koreanness that has been reshaped by the current international popularity of Korean popular culture, the emergence of new media, and the cross-cultural encounters in the more globalised environment. By exploring themes, topics and theories linked to ongoing discussions and emerging trends, this book illuminates the multidimensional nature of ‘K-ness’.

Seryun Lee is a Lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia. Prior to joining Sydney, she held positions at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the University of Queensland. She holds a PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies from the University of Manchester. Her research interests centre on Korean culture and society, Korean language and translation, online communication, and contemporary screen culture. She is the author of ‘Affect Theory and Translation on YouTube’ (Edinburgh University Press), and her work has been published in a number of international peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Cultural Studies, Social Media + Society, M/C Journal, and Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies.

Source: publisher’s website

Contents

Introduction: Koreanness in a World Saturated with K-Words | Seryun LEE

Part 1. Emerging Trends

• Chapter 1. The Rise of the Korean Short Story Cycle Yeonjak Soseol as K-Literature | JEONG Eun Jin
• Chapter 2. From Korean Identity to K-identity: Interpreting K-ness in Global Hallyu Exhibitions | Sumi KIM
• Chapter 3. Korean Cultural Identity in Contemporary Performance | Veronika VESELKOVÁ
• Chapter 4. Reinterpreting and Representing Korean History and Historical Culture in Television Drama | Rebecca LEWIS

Part 2. Korean Affects

• Chapter 5. The Rise of Intimacy Experts in Korean Popular Culture and the Commercialization of Discourses of Healing and Happiness: Analyzing the “Nation’s Mentor” Dr. Eun-Young Oh and Related Media Cases | Ji-Hyeon KIM and Yun-Hee CHO
• Chapter 6. Is K-ness Korean-ness? BTS’ challenge to Hegemonic Masculinity in Korea | Lonnie EDGE

Part 3. Crafting Koreanness: Policies and Cultural Diplomacy

• Chapter 7. Korean Wave and Public Policy: Examining State’s Role in the Transnational Cultural Phenomenon | Youngaah KOH
• Chapter 8. Who is Korean?: (Re)imaging Korean Identity by the Overseas Koreans Foundation | Mi Hyun YOON

Part 4. The Shaping of New Koreanness from Cross-Cultural Perspectives

• Chapter 9. How Korean is Korean Literature in Spain? Longitudinal Research on Availability and Presentation of Korean Literature in Translation | Ester TORRES-SIMÓN
• Chapter 10. Transculturing the Nine-Tailed Fox: How the SCP Wiki Globalises Korean Folklore | Dylan MOTIN and Yeowon YOON
• Chapter 11. From Consumers to Cultural Ambassadors: Exploring Sydney-Based K-Pop Cover Dancers’ Influence on Local Korean Wave Engagement | Kathryn PHILLIPS
• Chapter 12. Translingual Trinkets of the Korean Wave: Deconstructing the Transnational Power of the Hybridity in K-Objects | Loli KIM

Part 5. The Disruptive Potential of Korean Culture

• Chapter 13. Kim Eui-sung in Hong Kong’s Anti-ELAB Movement: Transnational Celebrity Activism and South Korean Soft Power | Elaine CHUNG
• Chapter 14. Transnational K-Pop Fandom and Global Citizenship | Jeeheng LEE
• Chapter 15. K-pop Fandom Political Activism: Mobilizing Transnational Fan Communities for Social Change | Heiwon WON