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Ethnic Nationalism and South Korean Popular Culture

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Ethnic Nationalism and South Korean Popular Culture BLOOD, BIRTH, IMAGINATION: ETHNIC NATIONALISM AND SOUTH KOREAN POPULAR CULTURE Brian Blitz A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2009 Committee: Kristen Rudisill, Advisor Marilyn Motz Esther Clinton ii ABSTRACT Kristen Rudisill, Advisor This thesis examines ethnic nationalism in South Korea through four case studies in popular culture. My central argument is that the state government of South Korea mobilizes popular sentiment around hegemonic notions of national and ethnic belonging, creating a Korean imagined community that encourages members to accept the state as sole arbiter of their identity. Koreans are encouraged to read both past and present from the perspective of particular ideological positions which favor the socio-political status quo. Chapter One examines actress Lee Young-ae in the context of the “Korean Wave” and national branding. Lee Young-ae is a “state celebrity” in whose body the dual discourses of ethnic purity and national advancement synergistically advance. Chapter Two involves discourse analysis of Hines Ward’s 2005 trip to South Korea after winning the Super Bowl MVP title; while American news outlets Orientalize this self-proclaimed “Korean African-American,” in South Korea he is reappropriated, demonstrating how certain mythic and blood based notions of national belonging can be advanced in the process. In my third chapter, I critically examine the Seodaemun Prison History Museum. Here, interactive displays encourage children to make real the bloody history of Japanese colonization while leveraging their antagonism towards a reviled Japanese Other in the present. In Chapter Four, I study a children’s art display dealing with a territorial dispute between Korea and Japan. Students at Gyeyang Middle School drew pictures about Dokdo, a pair of islands claimed by both countries, and their work was iii displayed in a Seoul subway station. These images depict state sanctioned violence committed upon an abject Japanese Other. Historical injustices inform notions of national belonging, defining Korean identity as that which is not Japanese. Finally, in my conclusion I examine how the global economic crisis may affect Korean ethnic nationalism in the years to come. iv For the eleventh of January, 2006 v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS While teaching in Korea from the summers of 2005 to 2006, I came to be close friends with two Korean men who worked in the city. I was introduced to both of them by their “English names”1 John and Terry, and spent a good portion of my free hours in their care. My time with John, Terry, and their families were moments that I have since come to greatly treasure. These times were infallibly those in which I felt most at home in Korea, where the burden of feeling out of place was mitigated by their friendship. It is to these two men and their families that I owe my greatest debt of thanks, though there are of course many others. I thank my mom and dad, Judith and Michael Blitz, for all their support over the years. This includes, but is not limited to, their selfless donation of various foodstuffs, one 1984 Chevy Celebrity, occasional loans to make rent, and countless sponsored trips to big box retailers for necessary sundries. Moreover, if it weren’t for their naïve insistence on the value of my education in the humanities, I might not be here today; instead I’d be rotting away in some stultifying cubicle, the steady flow of income into my checking account, stock portfolio, IRA, and 401K providing comfort to body and mind, surely, but robbing my institutionally fevered ego occasion to drop phrases like “my favorite French post-structuralist” in casual conversation. My brother Bradley and his wife Anna are also deserving of praise. I still recall strolling through the Mall of America with my brother; my nineteen-year-old self convinced that I would be perfectly content delivering greasy pies for Pizza Hut the rest of my days. He looked over his shoulder and asked me simply “would you really?” I paused and said “No. No, I guess not.” I needed him to ask me that, and I needed to 1 Much like students of a foreign language here, Koreans often adopt names reflective of their studies. vi answer out loud. The next week I applied to, and was accepted at, Winona State University in Minnesota. Anna has been a source of continued inspiration in her professionalism, drive, and humility. She also makes a mean squash soup. My partner Laura Butera cannot be showered with enough accolades. As a fellow Popular Culture scholar, she counseled me through three semesters of teaching, and I came out much better for it. Moreover, her insight and patient advice has been indispensable while writing this thesis. Whether sobbing at her feet in the depths of despair, or crowing my glory from the highest peak of self-assurance, she stuck by me through this long and often painful process. I look forward to spending the rest of my days with her, playing Scrabble, drinking free refills, and arguing about the culture industries in far flung and exotic Panera® locations the world over. Blessings to the Ng family, who have been my close friends for so many years; Donald, John, and Fung-yee, may your bellies and hearts always be full. Love to Jason Bonine, my co-conspirator who always believed in me, from P.R.O.D. to the Angry Sun to Attack of the Ng Hordes and Hiroshima Jones2. Pete DeCrans and Nate Gilmore, Cottage Grove All-Stars, need a monument in their honor—and I’m sure they’ll have it after the coup d'état. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Mitra Emad of the University of Minnesota Duluth. As a mentor during my undergraduate work in Cultural Studies, she challenged me to avoid the seduction of easy answers, to press myself harder to see “truth” not as a navigable destination, but a constant point of departure fueled by ceaseless questioning of not just data and texts, but one’s own assumptions and prejudices. 2 Soon to be released on DVD. vii My thesis chair, Dr. Kristen Rudisill, gave me valuable advice, support, much needed constructive criticism, and a goldmine of editorial suggestions, which I am indebted to her for. Dr. Marilyn Motz and Dr. Esther Clinton helped shape the broad contours of this thesis, and asked the right questions at the right times to keep this project on track. My kudos must go as well to the department of Popular Culture as a whole, especially director Angela Nelson, graduate program coordinator Jeff Brown, and faculty members Jeremy Wallach, Montana Miller and Becca Cragin. Department secretary Bernice Aguilar deserves special commendation for her years of toil; she is truly the glue that keeps the department together. Thanks as well to my cohort: Ora McWilliams, Katie Barak, Dan Manco, Sean Watkins, Stephanie Plummer, April Boggs, Sarah Lafferty, Ben Phillips, and the vanishing specter of Stacy Rue. Justin Philpot, Mike Lewis, David Pratt and Julie Rowse get a big “thumbs up” for ushering us dewy eyed first years into the program and holding our hands when they needed to be held. All the kids in POPC 160, Introduction to Popular Culture who gave a damn, thank you, you made teaching grand. Finally, I’d like to thank myself. If it weren’t for me, none of this would be possible. Thanks me. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................. 2 Chapter Breakdown ................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER I. NATIONAL BEAUTY, NATURAL BEAUTY: LEE YOUNG-AE AS STATE CELEBRITY……………………………………………………………………………….. 12 National Beauty: Lee Young-ae, the Korean Wave, and the Construction of a State Celebrity……………………………………………………..……………............... 13 A Tree has only One Root: Lee Young-ae as Natural Beauty…………….............. 22 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….............. 31 CHAPTER II. INDIGENIZED ORIENTALISM: HINES WARD AS STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE GLOBAL / LOCAL ...................................................................................................... 32 Orienting Hines Ward ................................................................................................ 33 He’s Different: Content Analysis of ESPN’s Sports Center .................................... 35 American Newspaper Analysis .................................................................................. 46 Re-orienting Hines Ward ........................................................................................... 50 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………. .... 54 CHAPTER III. SEODAEMUN PRISON MUSEUM AND THE CO-OPTATION OF CHILDHOOD PLAY AND PRACTICE .............................................................................. 56 Seodaemun and its History ........................................................................................ 57 Locating Seodaemun………………………………………………………………. 62 ix Studying Seodaemun ................................................................................................. 64 Location in Space, Physicality ................................................................................... 65 The SPHH: Co-optation of Children’s Play and Practice ........................................
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