The ambivalence of 'modernity': Articulation of new subjectivities in turn of the century Korea

This dissertation delineates the ambivalence of modernity by examining the articulation of new subjectivities in turn of the century Korea. It is informed by an understanding of sinsoso˘l ("new fiction") as sites of Korea's experience of modernity arising out of a critical historical juncture encompassing Western imperialism, Japanese colonialism, and the disintegration of a traditional East Asian world order. By situating sinsoso˘l within the intellectual milieu of their time, this study speaks to the complex construction of new subjectivities in a transforming Korean space.; I approach sinsoso˘l within their discursive context encompassing the frenzied final hour preceding formal annexation. This protean space of turn of the century Korea was shaped by an epistemic crisis insomuch as it represented a turning point in the formation of new subjectivities. This period was fueled by a redefinition of "civilization" subsequent to significant social and cultural changes. The paradigm in contention was informed by vociferous debates founded on a bifurcated framework of "civilization versus barbaric." Conflicting notions provided the momentum as Korea grappled with a new definition of civilization.; While sinsoso˘l's emergence coincides with a traumatic moment in Korean history, literary historians have aimed at designating them as a transitional form paving the way for the definitive "modern Korean novel." Their focus on affirming sinsoso˘l's role as a narrative form that bridges the chasm between "classical" texts and "modern" texts resembling Western literary standards, has overlooked the magnitude of their historical context deriving from the disorientating experience of this era. By examining more closely the circumscribing spaces of sinsoso˘l and reading them against contemporary discourses encompassing other forms of print media, my dissertation constructs an alternative narrative of Korea's experience of modernity as ambivalent and heterogeneous. It speaks to the specific historical-temporal-spatial ambit of turn of the century Korea, which underwent a surge of reform efforts for self-empowerment against the rising tide of colonialism and imperialism.