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Various Depictions of Female Ghosts in the Chosŏn Period

Date: 

Thursday, February 15, 2024, 4:30pm to 6:00pm

Location: 

Thomas Chan-Soo Kang Room (S050), CGIS South Building, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Korea Colloquium
KC with Solmi Chung

Solmi Chung
Fulbright Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow AY2023-2024

Dr. Solmi Chung is a 2023-2024 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Her research focuses on traditional Korean fantasy, with a particular emphasis on premodern records documenting ghosts, spirits, and monsters. In her dissertation (2021), Chung explored the transformative encounters between imaginary entities and the introduction of new ideologies, religions, philosophies, and cultures to trace the altered perceptions and sensory experiences of humans. 
At Harvard, Chung plans to explore the development of premodern fantasy in East Asian culture, with a particular focus on the social anxieties and psychological turmoil that emerged after the East Asian wars. 
She received her Ph.D. in Korean language and literature from Seoul National University in 2021. Before coming to Harvard, she was a lecturer in the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Seoul National University. 

Chaired by Si Nae Park, Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University

Abstract:
Since the Chosŏn Period, the proliferation of female ghost narratives has experienced a remarkable surge. Unlike male ghosts, which are usually portrayed as "yangban," these spectral entities span a wide range of social statuses. This paper aims to delineate the different types of female ghosts by examining their consistent depiction in relation to their social status. A comparative analysis will also be conducted between Sinographic narratives, which are predominantly influenced by male desire, and Hanguel narratives, which resonate with the female interest. By examining the emotional complexities embedded in these stories, it seeks to identify which particular tales of female ghosts have endured and flourished throughout history.

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To attend this online event, please register here.

Generously supported by the Sunshik Min Endowment Fund for the Advancement of Korean Literature at the Korea Institute, Harvard University

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