Korean diaspora in cinema and literature

Korean Studies Electives

This course examines the films and literature of the Korean diaspora. The lives of diasporic Koreans in modern history have been deeply intertwined with the turbulent history of the Korean Peninsula, including Japan’s colonial rule, national division, and the Korean War. These historical ruptures have led Korean communities abroad to negotiate changing and contested forms of identity and belonging. 

The course focuses a selection of cinematic and literary works produced by ethnic Korean writers and filmmakers in the United States, Japan, and China, where large Korean diaspora populations reside. Through close analysis of film and literary texts, students explore how diasporic narratives articulate memories of violence and migration, as well as contested feelings of belonging and longing, while also engaging in discussions about Korean identity beyond the boundaries of the nation-state.