Remembering the dead has long been a central motif in poetry, perhaps all the more so in national literatures that are tied to turbulent histories like that of Korea and Poland. Both countries have endured numerous foreign occupations, violent conflicts, and political upheavals that led to deaths on a mass scale and subsequent collective trauma. Put differently, their land- and cityscapes have become memoryscapes that inextricably bind the present to grim chapters of the past. In this paper, I wish to explore the works of Polish poet Czesław Miłosz and Korean poet Kim Hyesoon, comparing and contrasting their poetics of remembering the victims of past conflict and tragedy. Although coming from different cultural backgrounds (Polish-Lithuanian in the case of Miłosz and Korean in the case of Kim) and different time periods (Miłosz was active primarily in the twentieth century while Kim is a contemporary poet), both share key features that lend themselves to a comparative study. Focusing on Miłosz’s post-World War II poetry collection Rescue (1945) and Kim’s Autobiography of Death (2016) published after the Sewol ferry disaster in Korea, I shall trace how both poets merge the world of the living with that of the dead as their language layers physical settings with the memory and even voices of the deceased. I also intend to show how Miłosz and Kim exhibit analogous poetic tendencies (e.g. their preference for metonyms over metaphors) as they find inspiration in their respective native (i.e. non-Christian) traditions, both of which are steeped in a form of animism that recognizes the continual and persistent presence of the dead.

The flow of world culture, which has been centered on Western culture, is changing. The Western-centered culture that has led the world’s culture for a long time is facing new challenges. Among the various cultures leading the challenges and changes is the Korean Wave cultural content. The peak of popular culture, previously symbolized by Hollywood and Broadway, is now being reproduced in Gangnam and Hongdae in Korea. Young people around the world now enjoy singing not only the songs of American pop stars but also the songs of Korean idols. This phenomenon includes Europe, America, Asia, and Africa. Some young people around the world who are engrossed in the Korean Wave cultural content are expanding their interest to traditional Korean food, aesthetic values, dramas, and movies through K-pop.

Young people in New York enjoy kimchi and bulgogi as everyday food. This phenomenon is not a simple trend, but a trend of a new cultural era. The concept of ‘Korean Wave,’ which started in China in the late 1990s when Korean dramas became popular, has expanded to other Asian countries. The huge flow of Korean cultural content was confirmed by the global popularity of ‘Gangnam Style’ by ‘Psy’ in 2012. In addition, the emergence of ‘BTS’ reaffirmed that the potential of Korean cultural content is not temporary. ‘BTS’ global popularity captured the hearts of fans around the world with their sincere message and outstanding performance. ‘BTS’ ranked first on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ in the US, was nominated for a Grammy, and gave a speech at the UN. Recently, the popularity of this Korean cultural content is expanding to the fashion and beauty industries. In particular, the Korean movie ‘Squid Game’ became a sensation by reaching number one on Netflix charts in 94 countries around the world. In addition, various Korean films have captured the attention of people around the world. This means that ‘K-content’ such as movies, dramas, beauty, fashion, and food are not content exclusive to a specific region, but are becoming mainstream global popular culture.

Behind the success of Korean Wave content, there was fierce effort and innovation. Korean entertainment companies established systematic training systems and invested in content production using cutting-edge technology. In addition, Korea’s unique delicate storytelling and high-quality directing became key factors in capturing the hearts of people around the world. The sustainability of Korean Wave content is increasing as new generations of stars continue to emerge and expand into various genres. The attractiveness of Korean Wave content can be found in the aspect of a cultural revolution created by the meeting of Eastern sentiments with thousands of years of history and cutting-edge digital technology. In other words, the greatest appeal of Korean Wave content can be found in the exquisite harmony of ‘tradition and modernity.’ For example, ‘Squid Game’ is a perfect harmony of traditional Eastern values ​​and modern sensibilities.

People all over the world have experienced the fun and charm of the unique glocal value that reinterprets traditional Korean games in a modern way. In addition, the characters in ‘Squid Game’ have secured a sense of empathy by reproducing the joys and sorrows of reality that anyone around the world can experience. Ultimately, the core attractive factor of Korean Wave cultural content is the universal values ​​of life that people around the world can empathize with and the glocal value that includes Korea’s unique emotions and culture. Korean wave content is gaining popularity by forming empathy through universal values ​​and securing fun through unique values. Korean Wave content is currently going beyond a simple trend and creating a new cultural identity. Young people around the world who are enthusiastic about Korean Wave content are naturally merging their local culture with ‘K-culture’, showing new possibilities for glocal culture. For example, Korean Wave fans hold ‘Korean Wave festivals’ and connect their local traditional culture with Korean Wave music. This is a new phenomenon that respects cultural diversity while forming a global cultural community.

The changes in our daily lives brought about by the Korean Wave are only just beginning. The Korean Wave is evolving into a new form beyond imagination with the development of AI and metaverse technology. A new horizon of the Korean Wave created by AI and metaverse is beginning. K-pop idols are no longer restricted by physical space. The combination of holograms and AI technology has made it possible to enjoy realistic concerts in real time anywhere in the world. Customized music and choreography created by AI perfectly reflect the tastes of fans, and idols and fans interact beyond borders and time in the metaverse. K-drama is evolving into interactive content where viewers become the main characters of the story. Real-time translation and localization services utilizing AI technology can completely break down cultural barriers.

In a world rapidly embracing Artificial Intelligence—whether willingly or unwillingly—the discourse surrounding AI Usage in Art and Literature, particularly Generative AI, should take care to include Online Fan Spaces or Fandoms, as they can be vital in understanding the broader repercussions of the forced inclusion of AI in our daily lives. Fandoms are essential to understanding modern cultural phenomena. What was once relegated to specialised forums and chat rooms and carefully curated zines and merchandise now occupies a much bigger space—and role. Fandoms foster creativity, enabling and enriching the participants without the pressures demanded by an institution or industry. It creates a space for cross-cultural harmony, blurring geographical and linguistic boundaries through the anonymity and connection the internet offers, allowing people to explore media in non-native tongues, fostering dialogues built on a common goal of creation and enjoyment, almost functioning as a microcosm—or as ‘micro’ as something as the internet can be, existing on such a large, boundaryless scale. As such, I will be using online fandoms, particularly K-pop Fandom on X (formerly known as Twitter), to examine how the AI boom has eroded the sense of the “human” in the creative process by ushering in a new breed of objectification.

A performance-oriented genre, K-pop is known for its gruelling and effective trainee system and its emphasis on creating a core fandom with a steady stream of content employing parasociality. There exists criticism of this parasocial behaviour in K-pop, which often relegates the idols to a mere object for the fans’ consumption, forcing them to conform to a predetermined idea of what the fans would want and prefer, assigning character traits and behaviours, taking up the role of an ideal boyfriend/girlfriend, promoting a culture that turns deeply antagonistic and entitled should the idol stray from the role decided for them. Through this paper, I want to explore how the rise of Artificial Intelligence has proven detrimental to the K-pop industry and its fanbase, exacerbating these pre-existing issues of objectification and dehumanisation by undermining the idols’ rights and labour. In particular, I want to look at three separate incidents tying into a larger framework of labour exploitation and consumer entitlement: deepfaked likeness of an idol without prior consent (SM Entertainment using AI-generated footage of Lee Taeyong for the Intro: Wall to Wall MV), deepfakes to perpetuate ‘fan wars’ (pornographic and otherwise defamatory content of idols created with the help of AI and spread on social media sites), and Generative AI as a means to increase parasocial behaviour. This paper will hinge on the larger question of where the idol ends and the human begins in this ever-changing cultural landscape that seeks to redefine and reconstitute what makes art and artists.

This paper explores the complex dynamics of migration and diaspora in East Asian literature, focusing on their role in shaping global networks and identities. By examining the works of various East Asian authors, the study delves into themes of displacement, cultural hybridity, and the quest for belonging amidst rapid globalization. It begins with a historical overview of migration patterns in East Asia, influenced by economic, political, and social factors, and their impact on both sending and receiving countries. The paper then analyzes literary representations of migration and diaspora, highlighting the challenges faced by migrants and the resilience of diasporic communities. It discusses the formation of hybrid identities within global networks, emphasizing the role of literature as a bridge between cultures. Finally, the study underscores the importance of East Asian literature in illuminating the complexities of identity formation and the challenges and opportunities presented by migration and diaspora in an interconnected world.