Presenters:
Hyung-Keun Cho (Sociologist)
You-jung Ki (Researcher, The Insititute of Korean Political Studies, SNU)

Moderators:
Baek-Yung Kim (Dept. of Sociologiy, Director of NEAC, SNUAC)
Ho-Chul Seo (Academy of Korean Studies, President of Korean Social History Association)

Discussants: In-gwan Jeong (Dept. of Information Sociology, Soongsil University), Won Kim (Academy of Korean Studies)

This Book & Book Concert focuses on two books that reflect on colonialism and modernity in East Asia. Both books effectively demonstrate that the legacy of colonial experiences continues to leave a noticeable imprint on 21st-century Korean society.

Sociologist Hyung-Keun Cho’s On the Bridge Over the River Kwai, There Were Koreans intricately portrays the intersections of colonial reality with the diverse lives of individuals such as politicians, soldiers, entertainers, writers, scientists, intellectuals, sex workers, women’s activists, German activists, spies, and ordinary people. Through its detailed narrative, the book reconstructs these intersections into vivid images, contributing to a reflection on the crossroads we face in our post-colonial reality.

Political scientist You-jung Ki’s The Clamor of the Colony, The Rebellion of the Masses examines cases where seemingly accidental and chaotic events gradually expanded into mass movements, rather than large-scale resistance like the March 1st Movement. This analysis offers insights into the collective actions of contemporary Korean society and helps us better understand their dynamics.