Science-Fictional Imaginaries and the Technik of Writing in Contemporary Korea
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Techno-Fiction: Science-Fictional Imaginaries and the Technik of Writing in Contemporary Korea Dahye Kim Department of East Asian Studies McGill University, Montreal May 2020 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Copyright @ 2020 Kim, Dahye All rights reserved CONTENTS ABSTRACT English ......................................................................................................................................... i French ........................................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ iii INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................ 32 Techno-Fiction and the Cultural Techniques of Early Science-Fiction Fans in South Korea CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................ 70 Pok Kŏ-il and the Hangul Typewriter: Failing Communication and the Korean Writing System CHAPTER 3 .............................................................................................................................. 108 The Interface of Hangul and Technological Nationalism CHAPTER 4 .............................................................................................................................. 161 Djuna and Writing as a Technology of the Self CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 208 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 225 2 Abstract “Techno-Fiction: Science-Fictional Imaginaries and the Technik of Writing in Contemporary Korea” examines the history of Korean popular literature from the perspective of media archaeology. The study explores what German media theorists call the technik of writing—both the technological mediation and the compositional technique of writing—among Korean science fiction fans from 1987 to 1999. South Korean science fiction (SF), which underwent a small yet historically significant flowering during this period, was developed through interactive processes such as fan translation, the circulation of discourses on information and virtual technology, the development of input systems for Korean-language computing, and the usage of new media technology by middle-class youth to pioneer their own cultural and discursive space. This project asserts that SF fans’ literary production should be understood in the larger global political context and cultural milieu, as well as in the history of media technology, rather than being confined to the framework of national literature and literary studies. I view Korean culture and technology as inseparable entities that have coevolved through intricate negotiations with each other. This dissertation thereby challenges Euro- American media scholars’ predominant understanding of media technology as singular and ultimately Western, as well as the prevailing perception in Korean literary studies that true Korean literature and culture are independent of technological factors and of certain aspects of modernity. i Résumé «Techno-fiction: imaginaires science-fictionnels et technik d'écriture dans la Corée contemporaine» examine l'histoire de la littérature populaire coréenne du point de vue de l'archéologie médiatique. L'étude explore ce que les théoriciens des médias allemands appellent la technik de l'écriture - à la fois la médiation technologique et la technique de composition de l'écriture - chez les fans de science-fiction coréens entre 1987 à 1999. La science-fiction (SF) sud-coréenne, qui a connu une floraison petite mais historiquement significative au cours de cette période, a été développé grâce à des processus interactifs tels que la traduction par les fans, la circulation des discours sur l'information et la technologie virtuelle, le développement de systèmes d'entrée pour l'informatique en coréen et l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies médiatiques par les jeunes de la classe moyenne pour lancer leur propre espace culturel et discursif. Ce projet affirme que la production littéraire des fans de SF doit être comprise dans le contexte politique er milieu culturel global, ainsi que dans l'histoire de la technologie des médias, plutôt que d'être confinée au cadre de la littérature nationale et des études littéraires. Je considère la culture et la technologie coréennes comme des entités inséparables qui ont co-évolué à travers des négociations complexes entre eux. Cette thèse remet ainsi en question la compréhension prédominante des spécialistes des médias euro-américains sur la technologie des médias comme singulière et finalement occidentale, ainsi que la perception dominante dans les études littéraires coréennes que la vraie littérature et culture coréenne sont indépendantes des facteurs technologiques et de certains aspects de la modernité. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My research draws inspiration from many sources from a variety of fields and is very much influenced by the unique academic milieu in Montréal where a group of East Asian Studies scholars have created an intellectual circle that focuses on contemporary culture, media, and technology. Professor Michelle Cho, my supervisor, has taught me a great deal about the significance of transnational genre conventions and media consumption, demonstrating to me that serious scholarship in the field can engage with the most contemporary issues of our time. In addition to this, I also thank her for patiently reading my drafts and for encouraging me to continue writing during the times I felt the most uncertain about my project. Professor Thomas Lamarre has taught me much about how to ask bigger, important questions in our numerous conversations, and my dissertation project draws great inspiration from his writings on the issues of science, technology, and culture, motivating me to think outside of the disciplinary boundary of East Asian studies. Professor Yuriko Furuhata has always given me detailed and meticulous comments and criticism, and I will always remember her rigorousness when engaging with concepts and theories, as well as her deep encouragement and kindness. Professor Jonathan Sterne has taught me how to discern what is the “real deal” and what is “bullshit” (if you are interested, check out his AI Bullshit Watch), especially when it comes to the study of technology. I have also learned so much not just from his writings, but also in his classroom, and in his Culture and Technology Discussion and Working Group, a monthly gathering where PhD and postdoctoral students at McGill, Concordia, and the Université de Montréal working on culture and media share their research projects. All of my mentors at McGill have encouraged me to carefully think about the ideal attitude, not just toward research but also toward life, especially because they have shown me how to enjoy conducting research while also closely collaborating and communicating with others. My research is also greatly benefitted from my years at Yonsei University where I received my M.A. and B.A. in Korean literature and where I completed PhD coursework in the same field. Not only did I learn so much during my training years at Yonsei, my mentors there also supported me greatly while I was staying in Seoul for research in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Professor Mooim Baek provided me with access to Yonsei University Library wherein I found almost all of the primary material cited in this dissertation, from the SF novels from the 1990s to various computer magazines from the 1980s. With her courtesy I had a space to write and the opportunity to deliver a talk on my dissertation project as a guest lecturer. Professor Chŏng Kwari always warmly welcomed me whenever I showed up at his office, providing me with various books and archival resources. He is an eye-witness to the volatile changes that Korean literature went through during the 1980s and 1990s and thereafter, and my understanding of contemporary Korean literature greatly benefitted from his insights. I also want to thank Kim Hyŏnju, Kim Yŏngmin, Sin Hyŏnggi, and Kyuhyŏn Kim for their enduring support and kindness. I also had the good fortune to meet Jin-kyung Lee at UCSD and Yi Yŏnsuk at Hitotsubashi University, Japan, and I would like to thank them for their insightful comments and warm encouragement. I also want to thank the translators, authors, and critics in the South Korean SF fandom. Park Sang-joon and Chŏng Sangdon provided me the incredibly precious archive of the early SF fandom BBS boards, and without their help this dissertation might have taken quite a different path. Mr. Park also spared me uncountable hours by graciously sharing his experience in the publishing industry in the 1990s and kindly invited me to various SF fandom events held in iii Seoul. I also want to thank SF writers Pok Kŏil, Kwak Chaesik, Kim Boyoung, and Yi Suhyŏn, for generously providing me with their time to meet me in person and for sharing their insightful understandings concerning the genre of SF and their experiences within the