@article{ART003357345},
author={Oh Eungyo},
title={A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature},
journal={Journal of Popular Narrative},
issn={1738-3188},
year={2026},
volume={32},
number={2},
pages={421-456},
doi={10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012}
TY - JOUR
AU - Oh Eungyo
TI - A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature
JO - Journal of Popular Narrative
PY - 2026
VL - 32
IS - 2
PB - The Association of Popular Narrative
SP - 421
EP - 456
SN - 1738-3188
AB - This thesis examines the narrative transformations in contemporary Korean literature brought about by the chronicization of HIV/AIDS. As HIV/AIDS has gradually lost its former association with inevitable death, literary representations of the disease have shifted away from focusing solely on the psychological suffering of infected individuals. Instead, they increasingly portray the diverse life experiences of people living with HIV across educational settings, the military, workplaces, hospitals, nursing homes, and funerary contexts. In particular, these narratives raise broader social questions concerning care labor and reflect the realities of an aging Korean society.
Since the mid-to-late 2010s, many contemporary Korean writers have begun to explore new representations of people living with HIV. This shift has emerged alongside advances in medical technology and changing social perceptions. In these novels, normative structures surrounding labor, romance, and family are critically interrogated. Through such narratives, issues including the labor rights of HIV-positive individuals, the commercialization of the long-term care industry, and institutional problems within care facilities become increasingly visible, often in connection with the epistemological framework of disability studies.
From both literary and social perspectives, this study seeks to deepen poetic and political engagement with HIV/AIDS while critically examining the development of contemporary narratives shaped by the rise of feminism and the advancement of queer politics in Korea.
KW - HIV/AIDS;Korean Literature;Disability Studies;Care Labor
DO - 10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
ER -
Oh Eungyo. (2026). A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature. Journal of Popular Narrative, 32(2), 421-456.
Oh Eungyo. 2026, "A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature", Journal of Popular Narrative, vol.32, no.2 pp.421-456. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo "A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature" Journal of Popular Narrative 32.2 pp.421-456 (2026) : 421.
Oh Eungyo. A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature. 2026; 32(2), 421-456. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo. "A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature" Journal of Popular Narrative 32, no.2 (2026) : 421-456.doi: 10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo. A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature. Journal of Popular Narrative, 32(2), 421-456. doi: 10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo. A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature. Journal of Popular Narrative. 2026; 32(2) 421-456. doi: 10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo. A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature. 2026; 32(2), 421-456. Available from: doi:10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
Oh Eungyo. "A Study on Changes in Literary Narratives after the Chronicization of HIV/AIDS in Korean Literature" Journal of Popular Narrative 32, no.2 (2026) : 421-456.doi: 10.18856/jpn.2026.32.2.012
