The term han is difficult if not impossible to translate into English – at least not in a word or two. Words such as “rage” or “deep sorrow” are not sufficient to capture the complex of emotions that it evokes. Yet it is something that Koreans can readily identify when they see it. This talk examines some historical examples of han taken from both literature and real-life events. They will include the Great Revival Movement of 1907; the death and funeral of Sunjong, the last Korean emperor, in 1926; and both early-20th century and postwar literature. Through this examination, I hope to provide a better understanding of han – and of why generation after generation of Koreans seem to be able to feel it so acutely.
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A Brief History of Han
with
Michael D. Shin
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2019 | 6 PM
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speaker
Michael D. Shin is a Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge. He is the author of Korean National Identity under Japanese Colonial Rule (Routledge), the editor and co-author of Korean History in Maps (Cambridge University Press), and the editor and co-translator of Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea: Economy and Society (Global Oriental, Brill).
