Based on NGO websites, media coverage and different governmental institutions, this paper investigates the recent recurrence of the term Migun wianbu to describe U.S. camp-town prostitutes. The...Show moreBased on NGO websites, media coverage and different governmental institutions, this paper investigates the recent recurrence of the term Migun wianbu to describe U.S. camp-town prostitutes. The term wianbu holds connections to the highly politicised comfort women (wianbu) issue. I argue in this paper that based on similarities of the two cases, it is fair to describe camp town prostitutes as comfort women. In the research I conclude that NGOs have started using the term in recent years to gain awareness for the cause, as to get justice for the lawsuit levelled against the government regarding the government’s involvement in the issue. Conservative media outlets are seen as hesitant to then also use the term wianbu, opting rather for the more neutral kijich’on yŏsŏng (camp town women), whereas more progressive media use Migun wianbu with some regularity.Show less
In 2015, the Sino-ROK bilateral relations were the strongest they had been since the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1992. Due to increasing North Korean nuclear provocations in the...Show moreIn 2015, the Sino-ROK bilateral relations were the strongest they had been since the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1992. Due to increasing North Korean nuclear provocations in the following year, the United States and South Korea decided to deploy THAAD, a US missile defense system. China felt that the presence of THAAD on the Korean peninsula infringed on Chinese national security and decided to impose informal sanctions on South Korea. The sanctions damaged the Sino-ROK ties, and Korean people’s opinion on China worsened drastically. This thesis examines the change in sentiment during the THAAD conflict and analyzes whether sentiments have improved since the normalization of the Sino-ROK relations since October of 2017 by performing a comment sentiment analysis on responses to newspaper articles that were published on South Korean online platform Naver during key events in the THAAD dispute. After the evaluation, sentiment analysis proved itself to be a good substitute of survey-based research methods as the results reflected existing polling data. Furthermore, this thesis finds that South Korean commenters’ sentiments in regard to China worsened steadily during the conflict and did not improve in the following years due to new issues and disputes arising between the two countries. The increase in anti-Chinese sentiment in the Korean population could make it more difficult to conduct diplomacy with China in the future.Show less
After South Korea announced the decision to place a US THAAD system in response to North Korean nuclear tests, China reacted with informal economic sanctions. Despite South Korea’s careful...Show moreAfter South Korea announced the decision to place a US THAAD system in response to North Korean nuclear tests, China reacted with informal economic sanctions. Despite South Korea’s careful balancing of the relations with the US and China, also called “hedging”, this strategy reached its limits with regards to the THAAD situation, as they inevitably had to choose between the US and China. Since the lack of research on what hedging state can do when receiving outside pressure, this thesis aims to fill that gap. I apply a theoretical framework with three hypotheses to the results of analyzing the political and economic situation between South Korea and China after THAAD. Although the Chinese economic sanctions damaged the bilateral relation with regard to politics and economics temporarily, South Korea continued their hedging strategy, ultimately resulting in the improvement of Sino-ROK relations.Show less
Hallyu still charges forward as a new and evolved version of itself, dubbed Hallyu 2.0. Adapting to the digital world and expanding online, it is still increasing the spread of South Korean culture...Show moreHallyu still charges forward as a new and evolved version of itself, dubbed Hallyu 2.0. Adapting to the digital world and expanding online, it is still increasing the spread of South Korean culture and the Soft Power of South Korea. One often overlooked sector of this phenomenon is the gaming sector. Despite being by far the most profitable sector, it falls behind music, dramas, movies and other categories when it comes to spread and impact, especially in Europe. This thesis aims to research this discrepancy in financial success and longevity in order to find out why Korean games are relatively unknown in Europe. Discoveries include bad reputation, lack of recognizable attributes, looked down upon mechanics in Korean games and the preferences of European players not being met. This work aims to open the door to future research about the topic.Show less
Yun Tongju can be considered the most popularly read poet in Korea and therefore has been the subject of much analysis and interpretation. Furthermore he has also been used in several works of...Show moreYun Tongju can be considered the most popularly read poet in Korea and therefore has been the subject of much analysis and interpretation. Furthermore he has also been used in several works of popular culture, such as novels, tv-shows, musicals and a movie. From some of the very first interpretations Yun’s work has been connected with the independence movement, which has set the tone for many further interpretations grounded in this early created narrative. Under the influence of factors such as public education, tainted by political interest and governmental intervention, museums, and popular culture, the narrative that was created by these interpretations entered public memory. When it comes to the feature of Yun in works of popular culture an evolution throughout the years can be identified. While earlier works tend to keep to the narrative of independence activism, newer works aim for the poetic awakening of Yun as a character, hereby inciting empathy, as well as attempt to challenge existing narratives within public memory. This is done by either critiquing or by nuancing and weaving together elements from different narratives. The works analyzed in this thesis are the novel The Investigation (별을 스치는 바람) by Lee J.M. and the movie Dongju: Portrait of a Poet (동주).Show less
Dating violence is increasingly becoming a problem in South Korea, however little research has been done into how the issue is represented in the media. Using narrative theory, this research looks...Show moreDating violence is increasingly becoming a problem in South Korea, however little research has been done into how the issue is represented in the media. Using narrative theory, this research looks at representations of the issue of dating violence in South Korean investigative journalism programs. Both the informative content as well as the entertainment elements present in the programs are taken into account. It finds that all seven broadcasts analyzed describe dating violence as a social issue that needs to get the attention of the public, the programs hereby challenge the common perception that dating violence is a private issue. The content of the programs revolves around four key themes: serious problem, institutional failure, the victim, the perpetrator. The representations of the issue on the basis of these themes are found to promote both positive as well as negative beliefs about the issue of dating violence.Show less
In the last decade, the popularity and consumption of Korean TV series have increased rapidly, thereby also increasing the need for quality subtitle translations for these shows. In 2021, a large...Show moreIn the last decade, the popularity and consumption of Korean TV series have increased rapidly, thereby also increasing the need for quality subtitle translations for these shows. In 2021, a large debate was held online regarding the subtitle translation of the K-drama Squid Game, as consumers of the show and scholars alike found the subtitles to be of low quality. A key issue mentioned was the translation of so-called Korean address terms, which pose a translation problem as they are specific to the Korean culture. In this thesis, a classification of translation strategies for translating these address terms is proposed, to help translators translate these culture-specific terms. Furthermore, the ability of these translation strategies to convey the relationship between the on-screen characters, as signified by the Korean address terms, through subtitle translation is researched.Show less
This thesis aims to find an answer to the question: “How is Korea’s religious pluralism represented in Korean popular media?” This topic has only been looked at in literary research. Because of...Show moreThis thesis aims to find an answer to the question: “How is Korea’s religious pluralism represented in Korean popular media?” This topic has only been looked at in literary research. Because of this, this thesis makes use of other means to research this subject, with a particular focus on South Korean television dramas. This is done by analysis of multiple scenes from South Korean drama television shows. These scenes each had an element that fit into the broader category of religious pluralism. The categories used in this research are: religious people using parts of other religions/belief systems, non-religious people using parts of religions/belief systems, and religions/belief systems coexisting side by side. The research shows that while all three of these types of scenes are represented, the most represented type of scene in this analysis is of non-religious people using parts of religions/belief systems.Show less
The purpose of this research is to give an argued answer to the question if South Korean former comfort women who were forcefully mobilized by Imperial Japan to brothels of the Imperial Japanese...Show moreThe purpose of this research is to give an argued answer to the question if South Korean former comfort women who were forcefully mobilized by Imperial Japan to brothels of the Imperial Japanese armed forces can, despite the principle of state immunity, obtain reparations from the state of Japan for the unfathomable horrors they experienced every day at the hands of the Japanese soldiers during the Asia-Pacific War. The principle of state immunity is a customary international law rule which entails that states are immune from prosecution in other states. State immunity has the power to prevent a court from possessing jurisdiction, and it can prevent a court from executing a judgment. According to this principle, the former comfort women should not be able to sue the state of Japan in the Korean domestic courts. However, in January 2021 the Seoul Central District Court ruled in a lawsuit against Japan brought by a group of former comfort women that, based on a violation of jus cogens norms, state immunity could be lifted. The decision of the Seoul Central District Court was in violation with international law. An exception of state immunity based upon a jus cogens violation finds no corroboration in existing customary international law, and is in conflict with the current international immunity norms. It could, however, be possible that the South Korean constitution can be interpreted to exclude state immunity from the domestic legal order if it interferes with the right of the former comfort women to obtain reparations. However, the South Korean Constitutional Court has not yet ruled on the matter of state immunity, and it is not possible to determine how to correctly interpret the South Korean constitution. Therefore, it seems that the fate of future lawsuits instigated by former comfort women will, for now, remain uncertain.Show less
Since Audience Studies research that encompassed K-dramas primarily focused on early 2000s romance dramas and Asian or American audiences, this research aims to contribute to the research gap in...Show moreSince Audience Studies research that encompassed K-dramas primarily focused on early 2000s romance dramas and Asian or American audiences, this research aims to contribute to the research gap in western audiences and contemporary K-dramas by analyzing the impact of the Netflix K-drama Squid Game on Dutch younger audiences. By using mixed methods in the form of a survey and semi-structured interviews with Dutch participants, this study concludes that Squid Game effectively changed audiences’ previous ideas about South Korean citizens' social and financial well-being. Furthermore, the in-depth analysis reveals that the respondents recognized and interpreted criticism on current socio-economic issues in the series, regardless of their age, gender, education, or previous exposure to K-dramas.Show less
This paper provides an overview of the ways in which the resurgence of new and radical feminist movements in South Korea and the impeachment of Park Geun-hye led to the increased politicization of...Show moreThis paper provides an overview of the ways in which the resurgence of new and radical feminist movements in South Korea and the impeachment of Park Geun-hye led to the increased politicization of feminist issues by President Moon Jae-in’s embodiment as a feminist president. I first discuss and compare Moon’s campaign strategies from 2012 and 2017, noting several elements that would have a high probability of influencing Moon’s decisions on promising to be a feminist president. I then analyze Moon’s promises on feminist issues during the February 2017 speech in which Moon declares to become a feminist president, and the fulfillment thereof, which highlights certain parallels between the US and South Korean presidential democracy. The paper concludes that Moon has done a reasonable job at fulfilling around two-thirds of a public feminist agenda, but has failed to address problems in South Korean society that opponents of public feminism, postmodern and radical feminists in particular, would consider important.Show less
The topic of Socially Withdrawn Loners (SWL) has seen a surge in coverage by South Korean media in the past few years. This coverage is not always accurate and many SWL express feeling stigmatized...Show moreThe topic of Socially Withdrawn Loners (SWL) has seen a surge in coverage by South Korean media in the past few years. This coverage is not always accurate and many SWL express feeling stigmatized by society. This thesis explores how SWL are portrayed in Korean drama and if this portrayal coincides with academic literature on this topic. In order to research this, this thesis analyzed and compared four Korean dramas and with the literature as foundation, established a thematic understanding of SWL in dramas. It finds that SWL-characters are generally portrayed positively and sympathetically. Instead dramas are found to have the tendency to trivialize SWL and misrepresent the severity of it.Show less
