The Review of Korean Studies
- P-ISSN1229-0076
- E-ISSN2773-9351
- SCOPUS, ESCI
ISSN : 1229-0076
Post-Colonialism and the Restoration of Cultural Identity: A Study on the Reconstruction of Changgyeong Palace
Abstract
Through the process of restoration of Changgyeong Palace from Changgyeong Park, this article aims to examine how demanding it was to restore the Korean cultural identity which had been distorted and modified by Japanese colonialism. Two important facts were discovered when Changgyeong Palace was transfigured into a “park” and then restored again into a “palace.” Firstly, the Japanese Empire’s cultural invasion under the pretext of modernization was deeply rooted into the colonized Joseon. Secondly, the cultural identity of Korea which needed to be restored by disposing of colonial vestiges was not purely Korean since it had already been entangled with another identity previously given by the “Empire.” After independence, there were not that many who considered the Changgyeong Park as a violation of Korean culture by Japan. This perception later impedes the restoration of Changgyeong Palace. Restoration of the palace was not only initiated due to the need to eradicate the colonial heritage but also due to other reasons. Demands to change its modified role as a park, advancement of the Korean economy, and establishment of Korean identity were the reasons that were driving the need to restore the Palace.
- keywords
- post-colonialism, modernization, civilization, cultural invasion, cultural identity, colonial heritage, modern park, Changgyeong Palace
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