Cross-border Interactions and Encounters between Germany and Korea

Cross-Border Interactions and Encounters between Germany and Korea undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the relatively under-represented dimensions of cross-border encounters and interactions between Germany and Korea from an interdisciplinary perspective. It extends beyond traditional areas of study, such as diplomatic and economic exchanges, to encompass both historical and recent phenomena resulting from their interactions through migration, classical and popular culture, literature, media representation, and academia. Contributors address topics such as Korean migration in Germany, Korean culture in Germany, media representation of each culture by the other country, the impact of German culture in Korea, the development of Korean Studies in Germany, and the history of German Studies in Korea. By shedding light on the multifaceted and diverse dimensions of Korea and Germany’s relationship, the volume offers fresh perspectives and valuable insights into Korean-German relations. Published at a time when globalization and international relations are attracting increasing attention in both academia and mainstream media, with only a limited number of academic publications that examine bilateral or unilateral relations between Korea and a European country, this book effectively addresses significant gaps in the fields of both German and Korean studies.

"In the year 2023, the 140th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Germany and Korea, this pioneering collection fills a significant gap in the fields of both German and Korean studies. This informative and insightful book goes beyond a focus on economic exchanges, high politics, strategy, and simple historical accounts to explore interactions, representations, migration, mobility, and cultural exchanges. Most fascinatingly, the volume discusses how representations of the 'other' in various areas—including media, performance, art, migration, and academia—continue to shape the German-Korean relationship. This book is enriched by both the micro-context of the lived experience of Koreans in Germany and the macro-interdisciplinary application of lenses of gender, intersectionality, and modes of cultural representation to better understand the effects of eurocentrism, colonialism, and Western discourses on this shared history. A must-read for those who want and need to know about German-Korean relations, this book is likely to be valuable resource for students, policy makers, regional specialists, and readers interested in how international relations are grounded in people-to-people relationships that both shape and are shaped by the broader context of changing cultures and ideas."

Yonson Ahn is professor, chair of Korean Studies at the Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany. Jihye Kim is lecturer in Korean Studies at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK.