[KS] Query: soft-masculinity and cross-dressing in Korean context

[Clark W Sorensen]

Clara,

You might also consider that cross-dressing has been a regular feature in Korean shamanism since time immemorial. This includes female shamans manifesting male gods (in male clothing of course), and male shamans dressing in female clothing first, and then manifesting their gods (who are often male, making them double cross-dressers).

Clark W. Sorensen


On Wed, 29 Jul 2009, YM Clara Hwang wrote:

>
> Dear members,
>
> My questions are two-fold. First, I'm interested in reading more the rise of feminine or soft mascuilnity in Korean context, portrayed in the popular media. It seems to me the neither post-femininst mascuilinity or rise of new men seen in the Western discourse nor the spread of Japanese manga (yaoi and BL in particular) influencing the construction of new type of masculinity in SK do not sufficiently explain this phenonenon. Have you come across any scholarship that provides sound Korean socio-political context supported by theoretical framework?
>
> Second question, I was greatly intrigued by the representation of cross-dressing in TV and films (King and the Clown, The Painter of the Wind, Coffee Prince, etc), which of course intersects with the my first question (and gender and queer theory). As far as I'm aware of Korea does not have defining cultural tradition of transvestite theatres like Beijing opera or Japanese Noh theatre. Or am I mis-informed? Is there any scholarship on the tradition of cross-dressing in Korea?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Regards,
> Yun Mi Hwang
> PhD Candidate
> University of St Andrews
> ymh at st-andrews.ac.uk
>
>
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