• Trans-
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• v.4
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• pp.87-109
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• 2018

The genres of fantastic of Korean films created in the 90s are diverse. The fantastics of these works are not manifested only in 'Ghosts' movies. For example, If the film Mystery Of The Cube, which is based on the mystery of Lee Sang, has a story of structuralist fantasy, we can say that a movie like Tell Me Something has a psychologically conventional fantastic. This study examines the fantastic of contemporary Korean films through 'completion of allegory based on realism'. For this, we borrows the fantastic concept of Etienne Souriau. In some films, fantastics can be found directly in the developing nature. In this case, the human being who justifies their domination of nature by upgrading their position as the objectifying subject of nature becomes 'alienated' in return. The notion of this alienation in film narratives is often revealed through allegories, particularly in the manifestation of fantasy by Étienne Souriau in the early 'personal experience'. Kim kiduk's film is a representative example of allegorizing elements of society through individual experience. Focusing on Kim Giduk's Bad Guy, this essay analyzes the process in which fantastic films of Korea in the 90s build up aesthetic fantastic through imitation of society.

• Trans-
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• v.3
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• pp.29-53
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• 2017

The film scholar Vincent Amiel divides into three types of montage through his book The Aesthetics of Montage ; Montage narratif, Montage discursif, and Montage decorrespondances. These three categories are the concept that encompasses the aesthetic class to which most movies belong. Early films pursued the essential and basic functions of editing, which tend to be modified in the direction of enhancing the director's goals over time. In this way, "Expressive Montage" is one of most important concepts of montage, not as a 'methodology' that combines narrative but as a 'purpose'. In the montage stage, the expressive montage work is done through three steps of decision. The process of 'combining' to combine the selected films in a certain order, after the process of 'selection' which selects only necessary parts of the rush film, and 'connection' to determine the scene connection considering the duration of the shot. The connection is the final stage of the montage. There are exceptions, of course. When fiction films of classical narratives use close-ups, or when using models or objects of neutered animals, the film induces the tendency of a "montage decorrespondances" rather than a "montage narratif" or "montage discursif". This study attempts to analyze the tendency of montage of works with 'uncertain connection' through 'collage' used by close-ups and montage decorrespondances as 'fragmentation tendency of modern films'. The fragmentation of the montage in contemporary film breaks the continuous and structural nature of the film, and confuses the narration structure that is visible on the surface of the film. The tendency of the fragmentation of the montage, which started from this close-up, seems to give an answer to the extensibility of the modern image.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.215-233
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• 2014

Seoul is an ancient city with a long history but there is hesitancy over referring to as a historic city due to the lack of traceable historic urban landscape elements which resulted from numerous invasions and general destruction. From a diachronic perspective, the nature which was survived the influence of development, could be the key element that links the past with the city's radically changed image in modern times. Although "old big trees" may be not a dominant influence with regards to the historical authenticity of the city, they are objects which contribute towards the historical authenticity by providing a sense of place in terms of connected narratives, as well as their natural image. However, the protection policy for an "old big tree" would place too much emphasis on the aspect of the ecological value rather than its cultural value. Generally, trees have been protected by installing a fence and a signboard around them as well as receiving additional care. However, it is difficult to find that surrounding space around the "law-protected tree" is connected with its original historical and cultural values. Even though the space around trees are no longer utilized in the same way as was so in the past, they still have high-potential in terms of cultural utilization. Therefore, the subject of this study is the "old big tree" as a natural object which contributed to the historical authenticity of Seoul. The current status of these "old big trees", aged between 100 and 800 years old, currently indicate that there are 215 trees designated as "law-protected tree" by the Seoul metropolitan government. This study aims to investigate the status of protection and utilization of the existing "law-protected trees" in the city of Seoul and find a way to increase both ecological preservation and cultural utilization for the high-potential "law-protected trees" within the city itself. In order to achieve this, previously researched papers shall be reviewed and surveyed pertaining to present usage patterns of the 215 "law-protected trees". In addition, five cases have been reviewed which focus on a few of utilizing the "protected trees" and their surrounding spaces. The results of the research indicate that 21 "old big trees" have high-potential in terms of cultural utilization as well as ecological value. However, it was revealed that there are limitations to pursue the value of preservation and utilization simultaneously throughout current regimental management. In order to cope with the current situation, it is pointed out that management facilities should be designed and installed by creative and flexible methods of organizing with consideration to the surrounding space and context. Even though in the case where there may not be a connecting history or legendary stories, the "old big trees" can serve as the fundamental features of small scale parks -dependent on their location, condition and environment- which will be of value to the local communities. This study could serve as a practical reference for the management and utilization of "old big trees" nationwide with numbers reaching 12,300 besides the city of Seoul.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-171
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• 2017

Science and engineering college students, so-called engineering students, account for nearly half of Korean university students. Existing research on younger generations poses a question of young generation after the financial crisis as a 'genuine' survivalist who carries out 'passionate labor' to pursue 'ordinary life' and 'banal stability'. They are diagnosed as failing to "locate the course of their lives in relation to a larger being that transcends self". But is there a value that can replace the survival value in front of us today, which is possible to be practiced and narrated by the young generation of Korea, especially the engineering students? What value (if any) is not captured by survival value, and what mechanisms and processes can and can easily be used by engineering students? Our research uses interviews conducted at one research-centered science and engineering university in a local metropolitan city, Korea. In conclusion, we emphasize that a transformed version of developmental nationalism, in which individual scientists/engineers pursue their 'authentic' passion and unintentionally contribute to the development of the nation through byproducts of their research, exerts strong influence upon the formation of young engineering students' narratives linking their selfhood and the good.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.20
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• pp.241-274
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• 2010

Due to the remarkable changes in the early twentieth century, the new invention and technology impacted peoples' everyday lives and people started to use the word, modern, to apply specifically to what pertained to present times and to designate a movement in what was new and not old-fashioned-a condition of newness. In the present day, however, the fantastic cultural changes of a century ago have now become commonplace, and what was once considered radically new is no longer a reason to marvel. This paper considers what it mean to be modern, once the new is no longer new. This question seems to remain as complicated and inappropriate to ponder because the consideration and impact of modernity cannot simply end with the end of an era. This paper investigates how the interconnected nature of popular culture provides apt illustrations to reveal the ambivalent nature of modernity and postmodernity. In doing so, first of all, this paper pays attentions to the notion of modernity and popular culture which emerged together in the early twentieth century when technology and mass consumer culture were promoted over the world. Also, it examines how popular culture represents a complex of mutually-interdependent perspectives and values that influence society and its institutions in various ways as the image of modernity continues to build in a postmodern era. That is, popular culture is identified as a large amount of intertextuality or collective experiences due to its intermingling of complementary distribution sources and techonology. Thus, this paper explores that popular culture devotes itself other images or narratives instead of referring to the real world and its output revisits the contemporary or past times in other places, being a means to produce and reproduce the accumulated images of the modern which shapes ceaseless simulacra of modernity over complexities of modernity. In order to find a critical juncture of the complex networks of modernity and popular culture, this paper considers two places, Chicago and Gyeongsung in the 1920s and 1930s in which the rapid modern experience took place and the modern movement forced the two societies to join the mass consumer culture whether willingly or not. Next, this paper considers two movies released in 2002 and 2008 that exemplify the complexities of modernity in Chicago and Gyeongung of the 1920s and 30s: Chicago and Modern Boy. Both films have common themes of the 1920s and 30s such as violence, adultery, femme fatal, and criminal themes with the forms of musical, dance, drama, and romance. Through the textual analysis of both Chicago and Modern Boy, two films are compared in observing the similar and different ways in which two films deal with the theme of modernity when they are represented from the contemporary perspectives. More specifically, this paper questions how modernity is present in contemporary cultural forms such as commercial and hybrid genre films; and how these movies create a new image of modern by embodying the double coding. Ultimately, this paper aims at realizing the paradox of double edged modernity and its ongoing discourse that controls people's consciousness through the medium of popular culture.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.429-440
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• 2021

In this article, we explored the value of interculturalism in developing the discourses of international cooperation in science education. By doing so, we interviewed four teachers who had an experience in teaching science in developing countries, and analyzed their experiences and perceptions in the lens of interculturalism and dialogue. Our analysis of teacher narratives shows the transition in the teachers' perspectives from volunteering and transmission to collaboration and learning. The transition from volunteering to collaboration occurred as the teachers learned how to meet 'the others' as themselves being strangers in the foreign context. Through intervening and colliding, teachers were able to reposition their identities as teachers. Furthermore, their science teaching practices show how the teachers tried to negotiate between the universal or idealistic value of science education and the heterogeneities formed by the country's cultural and specific situation of science education. Through these experiences, the teachers began to understand the importance of the culturally specific 'need' for science education. In conclusion, we proposed a discourse of science education collaboration based on interculturalism in terms of the diversity and complexity of science education practices in developing countries, teacher professionalism, culturally relevant pedagogy and sustainable policy.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.47
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• pp.163-190
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• 2017

This paper studies the recent surge in the number of faith-based films in Hollywood, with the aim to explore the context and implications of this new trend. By using the theoretical framework of the study of the Tilich and Van der Leeuw, who have explored the relationship between religion, culture and art, this article discusses the meaning of the spiritual theme in the film. A couple of common points can be found among the faith-based films that have been produced since the 2010s. While these films attempt a universal approach to the fundamental theme of spirituality through popular narratives familiar to the audience, they also stress 'historical truthfulness and credibility' by representing the reality, such as a featuring real person or a true story in the film. The main characters are depicted as "victorious losers" that are distinguished from the typical Hollywood superhero and the films repeatedly show the human being constantly 'asking' questions to God. By analyzing these characteristics, the paper demonstrates that recent Hollywood faith-based films have successfully differentiated themselves from existing religious films while symbolizing the universal beliefs and values beyond the religious message so as to attract more audiences to this field. The paper also suggests that despite the advances in modern science and knowledge, the public will always yearn for a spiritual recovery and salvation through the film medium, serving as a potential source that provides an outlet for spiritual experience.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.41
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• pp.85-112
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• 2015

This article studies The Complete Story of JinTai(金臺全傳), a Korean and Chinese xylographic book, and wishes to makes a case for the value of this work. The Complete Story of JinTai, is an anonymous Xia-Yi (俠義) novel from the late Qing Dynasty. The oldest edition is at Nanjing Rare Book Library. This work was published in 1881 when Emperor Guangxu (光緖) ruled China. Currently, a copy of this book is at the Kookmin University Rare Book Library, however, it is somewhat different in form from that in the Nanjing Library. But it is almost the same story. The Complete Story of JinTai narratives the life story of the hero, Jintai (金臺). Jintai's appearance, alliance, ordeal, contribution, and return proceed sequentially, thus, the story gradually explicates Jintai's heroic aspects. Jintai is a young hero. Exceptionally, he married an official dancing girl. He values honor, hangs out with friends, slays a wicked villain, to the defense of the country, and eventually becomes a king. The hero of more than 500 is categorized as conductor, strategist, activist, intuitive type. They are from Geumsan Mountain, took a pledge of brotherhood, and try to resolve a national crisis. The remarkable Jintai fights wicked enemies and does battle with the villains in many conflicts.

• The Critical Review of Religion and Culture
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• no.29
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• pp.101-133
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• 2016

The term 'myth' is modern terminology. It was introduced to the East Asia from late 19th century to early 20th century. Under the rule of Japanese imperialism, some Japanese historians insisted that Dangun(檀君) has no relation with Kochoson(古朝鮮). Some Korean historians have refuted their conjecture. The arguments between Japanese and Korean historians bring about the motives of making the concept of Shinwa(神話) The purpose of this study is to investigate the historical procedures of making myth of Homogeneous Korean as a case study of "teaching religion". For the scholar the historic beginning is to be distinguished from later myths of origins. The scholars, particularly among the historians of China, Japan and Korea take it as the beginning of the history to investigate myths, for the ending parts of narratives are in themselves involved in a social constructs in order to give legitimacy to the story. It is apparent to satisfy for the current social demands of the nation-states building. It is also an act of casting and projecting their national values into the far distant past which is considered to be authentic and authorative. The western term 'myth' had been made up in Japanese historical context in order to build "nation-state concept". In Korea, the myth of homogeneous ethnicity of Koreans had been also reconstructed as modern myth during the late 19th and the early 20th century. We can call it the invention of the tradition accordingly.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.53
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• pp.193-218
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• 2018

In this essay, I examine the interactions of chronotopes in the narrative of Gangnam Blues, a film written and directed by Yu Ha and released in 2015. Bakhtin's chronotope, the connectedness of temporal and spatial relationships in literary narratives, provides the background for the representability of events and becomes the organizing center for the events. Each chronotope offers a different way of acting, interacting and understanding experience, and chronotopes can interact with each other in a single text or between the reader and the represented world. Gangnam Blues is a gangster movie, first of all, showing an individual's illusion of an unlimited possibility for achieving wealth and power. At the same time, the film describes the government's project to transform Gangam, a rural area in the south of the Han, into a new downtown and residential area for Seoul. As the world in the narrative and the world of the author or the reader are all chronotopic, we can see the interactions of chronotopes between the narrative of an individual and the historical narrative, as well as between the narrative about the beginning of Gangnam and the audience's perception of the present Gangnam. In this film, the main character's ambition is shown as part of the social desire for rapid economic achievements in the 1970s, along with high social mobility. The social desire can be explained as envy, as it is fueled by social comparisons and competitions. The main character's pursuit of money and power through the possession of Gangnam land overlaps with the envious desire for the present Gangnam shared by many. The individual's exceptional ambition and violence are not fully examined in this text. Moreover, the film's dependence on the feelings of envy to represent the individual's choice and violence can be a symptom of the lack of critical distance from social desire and envy.