This essay argues that due to victimization by Japan, Korea as a community created a national identity that differentiates itself from Japan, resulting in a collective memory of anti-Japanese...Show moreThis essay argues that due to victimization by Japan, Korea as a community created a national identity that differentiates itself from Japan, resulting in a collective memory of anti-Japanese sentiment. This competitive nature towards Japan comes together in the Dokdo Museum Seoul that enhances the collective memory of anti-Japanese sentiment and hinders improvement of Korean-Japanese relations. This essay goes into this as it analyzes how the Dokdo Museum Seoul constitutes the collective memory of anti-Japanese sentiment through the main research question: What is the role of the Dokdo Museum Seoul in reproducing the collective memory of anti-Japanese sentiment, placed within the territorial dispute between Japan and Korea over Tokto?Show less
This thesis examines traditional Korean elements and their use in the growing trend of K-pop. While the genre has grown into a worldwide phenomenon partly because of its easily identifiable musical...Show moreThis thesis examines traditional Korean elements and their use in the growing trend of K-pop. While the genre has grown into a worldwide phenomenon partly because of its easily identifiable musical elements, fashion and English lyrics, some K-pop artists have recently chosen to incorporate elements that do not fit the so-called "K-pop formula". By looking at two case studies that have strayed from the proven formula, this thesis aims to answer the question of what the purpose is in the use of traditional elements such as specific clothing and Folk music.Show less
The Chosǒn society was a patriarchal and hierarchical society. Marriage as a rule was to continue the family line and it was a wives duty to produce a heir. Values like chastity, calmness, and...Show moreThe Chosǒn society was a patriarchal and hierarchical society. Marriage as a rule was to continue the family line and it was a wives duty to produce a heir. Values like chastity, calmness, and women as ‘good wives and wise mothers’ were important. Interestingly, these rules apparently did not apply in the same manner to kisaeng, courtesans of Korea. Though being of the lowest status in the Chosǒn society, they were trained in arts and trained to uphold conversations with high ranking men. Kisaeng were not celebrated as mothers, they were known and appreciated for their sensual beauty and talent. Over the course of time, the way kisaeng were perceived changed considerably. Where kisaeng were once seen as talented and beautiful distractions for the Yangban, from the colonial period onwards, they became known as elite prostitutes. Considering the change in the perception of kisaeng, how are they represented in contemporary South-Korea? Sageuk are contemporary korean films set in a historical background, that sometimes portray kisaeng. A kisaeng often portrayed in such films is Hwang Chin’i. One of the most famous kisaeng during the Chosǒn period and still well-known to this day, even though not many historical records of Hwang Chin’i remain. Two films portraying Hwang Chin’i are analyzed namely,‘Hwang Chin’i’ directed by Bae Ch’angho from the year 1986 and ‘Hwang Chin’i’ by directed Chang Yun-hyǒn from 2007, to answer the question: What are the different ways of depicting the kisaeng Hwang Chin’i in Korean films from two different periods?Show less
Korea has been struggling with the wide-scale corruption issues since the democratization in 1987. Many presidents have been trying to improve the situation and implemented many anti-corruption...Show moreKorea has been struggling with the wide-scale corruption issues since the democratization in 1987. Many presidents have been trying to improve the situation and implemented many anti-corruption measures. However, the Korean government have been struggling to improve their policies and this is also reflected in international corruption assessments. The anti-corruption system which the Korean government has implemented has many loopholes and are therefore easy to evade. Many undermine the measures as many high-ranking public officials and chaebôls have consistently taken part in illicit transactions. Even when illicit activities are reported through the reporting system, the current legislations have not enough power to subject the offender to a corresponding punishment due to the lenient Korean Law system and power of connections to reduce any sentences to a minimum.Show less
Male objectification has been an overlooked topic in the Gender Studies. The aim of this study was to fill in a gap in the South Korean Gender Studies about male objectification in South Korean...Show moreMale objectification has been an overlooked topic in the Gender Studies. The aim of this study was to fill in a gap in the South Korean Gender Studies about male objectification in South Korean television commercials. The study examines the appearances of the male objectification depending on the audiences of the television commercials. Firstly, it shows the current debate going on in the Gender Studies about model objectification and how the study fits in this debate. Secondly, it cooperates frameworks such as Goffman’s Gender Advertisements to create a visual analysis. This visual analysis is being used to examine the appearances of the male objectification in television commercials. Additionally, the study debates whether the existing frameworks in the Gender Studies are applicable to measure the objectification in male models because these frameworks tend to focus on female objectification. It argues that the appearances of male objectification change depending on the audiences and that the frameworks being used in this study need to be revised in order to be up to date.Show less
The June 2018 Trump-Kim summit in Singapore was symbolically significant to both countries. This Thesis examines whether it and it immediate aftermath fulfill the criteria for a constructivist...Show moreThe June 2018 Trump-Kim summit in Singapore was symbolically significant to both countries. This Thesis examines whether it and it immediate aftermath fulfill the criteria for a constructivist approach.Show less
De Zuid-Koreaanse Nationale Inlichtingendienst heeft een notoire reputatie op het gebied van het beïnvloeden van de binnenlandse politiek in Zuid-Korea. Door middel van hervormingen die voortkwamen...Show moreDe Zuid-Koreaanse Nationale Inlichtingendienst heeft een notoire reputatie op het gebied van het beïnvloeden van de binnenlandse politiek in Zuid-Korea. Door middel van hervormingen die voortkwamen uit het transitieproces van een autoritair regime naar democratisering werd hier verandering in gebracht. Deze hervormingen hebben echter geen verdere politisering van inlichtingendienst kunnen voorkomen. Zo heeft de inlichtingendienst nog invloed kunnen uitoefen over de 2012 presidentiële verkiezingen in Zuid-Korea. Deze scriptie richt zich daarom op het beantwoorden van de volgende vragen: hoe de Zuid-Koreaanse nationale inlichtingendienst kon inmengen in de presidentiële verkiezingen van 2012. En waarom dit heeft kunnen gebeuren.Show less
In order to get a better understanding of the normalization process of plastic surgery, this paper examines the normalization of plastic surgery in South Korean modern day society through the...Show moreIn order to get a better understanding of the normalization process of plastic surgery, this paper examines the normalization of plastic surgery in South Korean modern day society through the analysis of plastic surgery TV shows.Show less
This research uses the television series SKY castle as a case study with the focus on trying to answer the question: How does Sky Castle discuss education fever as a byproduct of status...Show moreThis research uses the television series SKY castle as a case study with the focus on trying to answer the question: How does Sky Castle discuss education fever as a byproduct of status consciousness in Korean society? SKY is an acronym used to refer to the top three universities in Korea using the first letter of their names: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. The case study draws on Pierre Bourdieu’s distinction theory to show the impact that education has on status awareness in South Korea as portrayed in SKY Castle. Chapter 1, discusses this methodology and the theoretical framework of this paper and the choice for focusing on SKY Castle as a case study will be further argued. Chapter 2 focusses on the actual analysis of the television series SKY Castle. The findings of Chapter 2 are discussed in Chapter 3 by showing an overview and interpretation of these findings. Lastly, in Chapter 4 this paper gives a conclusion and discusses the limitations of this research and future research possibilities. Sky Castle can be seen as a dialogue with reality, highlighting specific social issues and can be seen as a way to open the discussion towards the current debate in Korea on the topic of status and education fever. The popularity and success of the television series imply that the subject with regard to the Korean educational fever and status consciousness, speak to the social concerns of the Korean viewers.Show less
This thesis examines the way in which the fairy-tale Stepmother is portrayed in two versions of the Korean ‘Cinderella Story’ of K’ongchwi P’atchwi, and the German Aschenputtel by Jacob and Wilhelm...Show moreThis thesis examines the way in which the fairy-tale Stepmother is portrayed in two versions of the Korean ‘Cinderella Story’ of K’ongchwi P’atchwi, and the German Aschenputtel by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Its aim is to study the power structures, and the social and psychological patterns which create the ‘Evil’ of the Stepmothers in these versions of the ‘Cinderella Story’. This thesis is an attempt to shed some light on the cultural influences which have led to the creation of similar and yet different ‘Evil Stepmothers’, by using an ‘Integrated Approach’ which draws on the Archetypal and Post-modern schools of literary analysis. This approach plays to the strengths of both pre-existing approaches whilst giving a more complete analysis than either would have generated if used in isolation. The thesis concludes that the Stepmothers in the studied versions all have the same function: that of exemplifying the undesirable consequences of the abuse of power and, the ways in which undesirable dark side of the human psyche can manifest itself if one lets it do so. However, despite this shared function, the exact details of the Stepmother’s behaviors as well as other differences between the stories reflect the cultures in which they were created. In this way the abuse of power and the dark side of the human psyche are brought home to readers from different cultures through differing iterations of the Stepmother Archetype.Show less
To better understand how minjung artists visualized oppression within their artworks, this thesis examines how forces of oppression are represented in artworks created by minjung artists in the...Show moreTo better understand how minjung artists visualized oppression within their artworks, this thesis examines how forces of oppression are represented in artworks created by minjung artists in the 1980’s and early 1990’s.Show less
Social movements often encapsulate people from multiple different social groups. While the participant of a social movement can be identified simply as such—a participant—he or she still maintains...Show moreSocial movements often encapsulate people from multiple different social groups. While the participant of a social movement can be identified simply as such—a participant—he or she still maintains his or her own social group identity. In the South Korean case, the popular minjung movement of the 1980’s shows how social group division can be transcended by propagating an ultimate goal presented as a collective good. The minjung movement, which ultimately upheld democratization as its ultimate goal, encapsulated students and workers, among other social groups. In general, in order to make such a movement prosper, the movement’s participants should make an effort for mobilizing or politicizing the masses if they wish to influence the authoritarian ruling class. However, the fact that multiple social groups are participating presents problems. How exactly does one social group politicize the other within the same movement? Does one group take it upon itself to commandeer the movement, while other social groups are enticed to follow its lead? While members of the minjung movement shared the belief in a collective good—which in the 1980’s first and foremost was the democratization of South Korea and the abolishment of draconian rule—valiant efforts had to be made by both students and the working class in order to propagate the movement’s ideology. This thesis shows that the minjung movement did not simply uphold one leading social group that politicized all others. Instead, students and workers within the movement formed a relationship in which politicization flowed in both directions. Using Bert Klandermans’ mobilization theory, this thesis demonstrates that student activists employed action mobilization to recruit the working class, while the workers themselves unintentionally employed consensus mobilization to influence the students.Show less
In this thesis, I have taken a look at military conscription in South-Korea and how the system intersects with and is influenced by gender and citizenship. To do so, I have used the Korean military...Show moreIn this thesis, I have taken a look at military conscription in South-Korea and how the system intersects with and is influenced by gender and citizenship. To do so, I have used the Korean military variety show 'Real men' as a case study, analyzing this show and the way in which it portrays both masculinity and gender roles. I argue that military conscription in Korea is a system deeply shaped by concepts of hyper masculinity and socially constructed gender in relation to citizenship. At the same time, conscription amplifies these concepts and processes of gender creation, and thus works as an intermediary and magnifier of hyper masculinity and gendered citizenship within Korean society.Show less