Island Ablaze and Other Stories: The US Empire in North and South Korean Literatures

by Ruth Barraclough (Editor), Jae-Yong Kim (Editor), Jin-kyung Lee (Editor), Sang-Kyung Lee (Editor)

Overview

Island Ablaze and Other Stories is an anthology of thirteen stories—eleven from South Korea and two from North Korea—about these countries' complicated relationships with their most important ally and enemy: the United States. Set in times ranging from colonial Korea to the new millennium, these stories offer a look into the many ways that the US empire shapes the lives of Koreans.

In "Dawn," schoolgirl sweethearts living under Japanese colonial rule reconnect as young mothers amid celebrations of the attack on Pearl Harbor. "Till We Meet Again" addresses the adoption industry and America's treatment of Korean children following the Korean War. In the title story, a North Korean radio operator must choose between abandoning the soldier she loves or dying with him at the famous Battle of Incheon that turned the tide of the Korean War. From camp towns to sugarcane fields, missionary schools to international flights, Island Ablaze and Other Stories shows everyday Korean life in the shadow of the American empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501782220
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	10/15/2025
Pages:	290
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ruth Barraclough is Korea Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of History at Columbia University.

Jae-Yong Kim is Professor of Modern Korean Literature at Wongwang University.

Jin-kyung Lee is Associate Professor of Korean Literature at the University of California, San Diego.

Sang-Kyung Lee is Professor of Modern Korean Literature at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Table of Contents

1. Dawn
2. A Western Candy Box
3. The Engineer
4. Shorty K'im
5. To Trust in Humanity by Song Pyŏngsu
6. The Hŭngnam Evacuation
7. Red Hill
8. Camel's Eye by Hwang Sŏk-yŏng
9. Letters from Okinawa by Kim Chŏng-han
10. Till We Meet Again by Ch'oe Inho
11. J-1 Visa by Pak Wansŏ
12. Headlock by Pak Mingyu
13. Island Ablaze by Hwang Kŏn

What People are Saying About This

Namhee Lee

Island Ablaze and Other Stories explores the conflicted and often violent relationship between the United States and Korea. This captivating collection of short stories brings to light the profoundly ambivalent attitudes and sentiments toward the US, featuring literary voices from both North and South Korea. The editors and translators' dedication to the art of translation is evident in each piece, providing readers with unparalleled access to these powerful narratives.

Travis Workman

Skillfully executed by its editors and translators, this book is a major contribution to Korean studies and to the comparative and transnational study of responses to US occupation.

Andre Schmid

This book teaches us to listen to the dazzling, thoughtful, and even disturbing stories produced by Korean fiction writers for interpretations of US-Korea relations—and for how a country that has fought with and against the United States experienced the ups and downs of more than six decades.