The Korean War and Postmemory Generation: Contemporary Korean Arts and Films

From the publisher’s website:

This pioneering volume navigates cultural memory of the Korean War through the lens of contemporary arts and film in South Korea.

Cultural memory of the Korean War has been a subject of persistent controversy in the forging of South Korean postwar national and ideological identity. Applying the theoretical notion of ‘postmemory’, this book examines the increasingly diversified attitudes toward memories of the Korean War and Cold War from the late 1990s and onwards — particularly in the demise of military dictatorships. Chapters consider the tension between personal and collective memory, as well as efforts from younger generations to distance themselves from the trauma of war survivors. Extensively illustrated, this is one of the first volumes in English to provide an in-depth analysis of work oriented around such themes from twelve renowned and provocative South Korean artists and filmmakers. This includes documentary photographs, participatory public arts, independent women’s documentary films, and media installations.

The Korean War and Postmemory Generation will appeal to students and scholars of film studies, contemporary art and Korean history.

Dong-Yeon Koh is an art critic and independent art historian currently serving on the Seoul International ALT Cinema & Media Festival Committee. She is an adjunct lecturer at Seoul National University.

Contents

1. “Late Photography” and Cold War Memories
2. The Rise of DMZ Ecotourism and the Real DMZ Project
3. Documentaries on Family Tragedy: My Father’s Emails and Dear Pyongyang
4. Affective Memory: Sounds and Smells of the Korean War
5. Monuments, Memorials and Museums for War Veterans in South Korea