@article{ART002375650},
author={Do Hoon Bok},
title={North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’},
journal={Journal of Popular Narrative},
issn={1738-3188},
year={2018},
volume={24},
number={3},
pages={292-320},
doi={10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009}
TY - JOUR
AU - Do Hoon Bok
TI - North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’
JO - Journal of Popular Narrative
PY - 2018
VL - 24
IS - 3
PB - The Association of Popular Narrative
SP - 292
EP - 320
SN - 1738-3188
AB - This paper seeks to examine the dystopian representations and the ‘zombie’ image of North Korea reproduced from a global perspective. Globally, North Korea is often imagined to be a ‘zombie state’ today. Especially in the media, the North Korean people are likened to zombies in parallel to the ‘homo sacer’ when spotlighting their escapades and starvation or their robot-like obedience to the sovereign.
This article, however, is based on the idea that the image of North Korea as a ‘zombie state’ is more telling of the global system rather than the reality of the state. Through this premise, various dystopian novels, movies, and newspaper articles that portray North Korea as a zombie are examined. As a result, this article sought to understand the political imagination involved in the view of North Korea as a zombie state. Particularly, Max Brooks’ post-zombie apocalypse novel ‘World War Z’ deals with North Korea vaguely in response to global Zombie crisis. According to this novel, It is assumed that North Korea responds most systematically to the Zombie crisis or that the entire people are turning into zombies in underground caves.
In short, North Korea must remain in a state of exception for the world system to return to normal.
KW - zombie;North Korea;science-fantasy fiction;political imaginary;state of exception
DO - 10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
ER -
Do Hoon Bok. (2018). North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’. Journal of Popular Narrative, 24(3), 292-320.
Do Hoon Bok. 2018, "North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’", Journal of Popular Narrative, vol.24, no.3 pp.292-320. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok "North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’" Journal of Popular Narrative 24.3 pp.292-320 (2018) : 292.
Do Hoon Bok. North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’. 2018; 24(3), 292-320. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok. "North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’" Journal of Popular Narrative 24, no.3 (2018) : 292-320.doi: 10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok. North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’. Journal of Popular Narrative, 24(3), 292-320. doi: 10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok. North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’. Journal of Popular Narrative. 2018; 24(3) 292-320. doi: 10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok. North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’. 2018; 24(3), 292-320. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
Do Hoon Bok. "North Korea and Dystopia―Focusing on the Representation of a ‘Zombie State’" Journal of Popular Narrative 24, no.3 (2018) : 292-320.doi: 10.18856/jpn.2018.24.3.009
