• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.62
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• pp.5-29
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• 2013

This study criticizes the neoliberal dominance in social web popular culture from a feminist perspective. A key question is to identify the nature of the social web popular culture-is it the repercussion or recapturing of feminism in relation to the social context of the prevalence of popular cultural practices of neoliberalism and how to challenge against neoliberal ideology with the critical positioning of feminism? In dealing with these questions, four celebrities' twitter discourses are analysed. The emphasis of smartness in digital mediascape, neoliberal imperative to be competitive, autonomous, positive and affirmative, and desire and fantasy brought by postfeminist lifestyle industries are embedded in the present popular culture. The critical account of neoliberal postfeminism suggests the necessity of an critical feminism which brings about alternative values to the current neoliberal demand for the active subject and consumer freedom of choice as the standard of ideal women.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.169-206
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• 2019

This article seeks to explore new relationships and ethics of human and technology by analyzing a cultural imaginary produced by artificial intelligence. Drawing on theoretical reflections of the Feminist Scientific and Technological Studies which understand science and technology as the matter of care(Puig de la Bellacas, 2011), this paper focuses on the fact that artificial intelligence and robots materialize cultural imaginary such as autonomy. This autonomy, defined as the capacity to adapt to a new environment through self-learning, is accepted as a way to conceptualize an authentic human or an ideal subject. However, this article argues that artificial intelligence is mediated by and dependent on invisible human labor and complex material devices, suggesting that such autonomy is close to fiction. The recent growth of the so-called 'assistant technology' shows that it is differentially visualizing the care work of both machines and humans. Technology and its cultural imaginary hide the care work of human workers and actively visualize the one of the machine. And they make autonomy and agency ideal humanness, leaving disabled bodies and dependency as unworthy. Artificial intelligence and its cultural imaginary negate the value of disabled bodies while idealizing abled-bodies, and result in eliminating the real relationship between man and technology as mutually dependent beings. In conclusion, the author argues that the technology we need is not the one to exclude the non-typical bodies and care work of others, but the one to include them as they are. This technology responsibly empathizes marginalized beings and encourages solidarity between fragile beings. Inspired by an art performance of artist Sue Austin, the author finally comes up with and suggests 'artificial intelligence in wheelchair' as an alternative figuration for the currently dominant 'autonomous artificial intelligence'.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.41
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• pp.321-349
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• 2015

This paper is to make a comparative study between George Sand and Na Hye-sok through their lives and works. The research found that George Sand and Na Hye-sok had similar views about the institution and social system of their age. Both women were aware of importance and necessity of education and the arts but showed a clear distinction between their beliefs in education and the arts. George Sand found that education was an indispensable part of women's lives but found that educationforwomentotheageofSandwasuseless. For this reason she continued to assert a substantial reform concerning women's education. In addition, she argued that everyone should have been given the same opportunities regardless of gender or class. Na Hye-sok, meanwhile, looked at women's education in a more realistic perspective, that is to say to make money. The two women showed remarkable differences in the view of art. This is evident from the presence of a responsibility and a sense of purpose as an artist. George Sand was imbued with a sense of purpose and clarified her own belief at the beginning of her activities as a writer. She wanted to inform the suffering of the weak through her writing and to contribute to build a Utopia where everyone could be happy to live beyond the boundaries of gender. However, Na Hye-sok did not reveal her own clear sense of purpose to her art activities. Art is not just a job - it's a vocation. Na Hye-sok was enthusiastic but didn't have a sense of purpose. She should have had a vocation and a sense of purpose. Na Hye-sok was lacking of responsibilities and obligations as a pioneer of Western painting. If there were a distinct vocation and a sense of purpose to Na Hye-sok as an artist, she would have left a trail as valuable as that of George Sand.

• Women's Studies Review
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.3-36
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• 2010

This paper is based on the certain point that 'the indigenous', which have long been occupied by the Asian patriarchy or the local communities, now calls for the repositioning in the feminist context. 'The indigenous', in one part, generally refer to the matured long-standing traditions and practices of certain regional, or local communities, as a mode of a place specific way of endowing the world with integral meaning. In the narrow definition, it points to the particular form of placed based knowledge for survival, for example, the useful knowledge of a population who have lived experiences of the environment. In the other part, 'the indigenous' could be criticized in the gender perspectives because it has been served as an ideological tool for patriarchy and sexism, which have undermined women's body and subjectivity in the name of the Asian traditional community. That's why the feminists with sensitivity to the discourses of it, may perceive it very differently, still hesitating dealing with the problem. However, even if there are tendencies that the conservatives romanticize local traditions and essentialize 'the indigenous', as it were, it does not exist 'out there'. Then, it could be scrutinized in the contemporary context which, especially, needs to seek the possibility towards the alternatively post - develope mental knowledge system. In the face of global economic crisis which might be resulted from the instrumentalized or fragmented knowledge production system, it's holistic conceptions that human, society, and nature should not be isolated from each other. is able to give an insightful thinking. It will work in the restraint condition that we reconceptualize the indigenous knowledge not as an unchanging artefact of a timeless culture, but as a dynamic, living and culturally meaningful system towards the ecofeminstic indigenous knowledge. And then, indigenous renaissance phenomena which empower non-western culture and knowledge system and generate increased consciousness of cultural membership. Thus, this paper argues that the indigenous knowledges which have been underestimated in the western-centered knowledge-power relations, could be reconstructed as a potential resources of ecological civility transnationally which reconnect individuals and societies with nature.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.227-237
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• 2020

In the 30th edition of , Chunhyang is conventionally presented as a woman who tries to protect her chastity and it eventually bears the fruits of her love. On the other hand in , Chunhyang is reinterpreted as a woman who strives to protect feminist self-consciousness and beliefs, even in unreasonable social situations. By comparing the two different works, we can see differences in the behavior of the characters in how to overcome various obstacles, such as irregularity, gender discrimination, and identity conflict. By reinterpreting the emotions of the characters in the classic novel into the emotions of the modern characters, we can see the how the characters grow when trying to overcome the situation and find a solution, even though there is no change yet. This can be seen as the emotions of the characters become different as time goes by. As the times go by, the world's values and inclinations also change, and the irrationalities of the world will also go in various directions. Through the fusion of culture into history, even though it's irrational but we become familiar with it and will clearly understand the absurdities, and we can look forward to changes in the process.

• Journal of Popular Narrative
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.349-383
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• 2019

This paper examined the meaning and task of romance research with a focus on Reading the Romance(1984) by Janice A. Radway. This book, which analyzes romance texts by examining the situation and meaning of reading romance by women readers integrating between cultural studies and literary studies, is one of the most popular studies on the romance genre. Radway scrutinized the practical significance of reading romance in a community of women readers. Through a study involving questionnaires and in-depth interviews, she found that for women, romance reading is a 'compensatory fiction' that brings happiness and emotional redemption through a sense of liberation achieved by escaping from patriarchal daily life. The romance that women prefer is composed of 4 stages and 13 divisions: 'Encounter → Attest → Recovery → Happy End'. It also maintains a formula that begins with an immature female character's identity crisis and ends with a blissful union that recognizes the intrinsic value of the main character, who has turned into a man who is considerate of the women. Therefore, romance plays the role of pursuit of the 'female utopian fantasy' and at the same time a reconciliation of women to patriarchy. Feminist critics of the day criticized this argument. However, reading romance is a 'feminine reading', and romance is literature about the functional relationship between women's lives and patriarchy. Yet the interpretation could differ depending on the different viewpoints and definitions of the women's utopian fantasy. In recent years, the conditions of female reader's lives, awareness and imagination have been changing rapidly. As a result, the female utopian fantasy has also changed significantly. Nevertheless, women's lives in the real patriarchal system are still contradictory, and their adventurous imagination is spreading in alternative spaces such as the subculture. In this regard, the question is about the definition of romance and the meanings of romance research are still important task.