[KS] Call for Papers/Panelists: 33rd Biennial AKSE Conference (Bucharest, June 24–27, 2027)

[YOUNGHAN CHO]

Dear Organizers,
Could you circulate this CFP? Thank you!
==

Call for Papers/Panelists: 33rd Biennial AKSE Conference (Bucharest, June
24–27, 2027)

We are seeking *two additional presenters* to complete a panel proposal for
the 33rd Biennial Association for Korean Studies in Europe (AKSE)
Conference, to be held at the University of Bucharest, Romania, from June
24–27, 2027. (
https://koreanstudies.eu/conferences/33rd-akse-conference-2027-bucharest/)


*Panel Title: Love and Hate: Sports Celebrities, Transnational Fandom, and
the Reconfiguration of Korea-Japan Relations *
Organizers:

Prof. Hwang, Seongbin (Rikkyo University, Japan)

Prof. Cho, Younghan (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea)


Sports have long served as a primary arena for articulating national
identity, post-colonial tension, and historical memory between South Korea
and Japan. Yet, the migration of athletes and media texts between the two
nations has produced a far more nuanced landscape—one defined by a
dialectic of "love and hate." This panel critically explores how sports
celebrities, transnational fandom, and cross-border media framing
reconfigure regional dynamics and national identity from the mid-twentieth
century to the contemporary era.



To capture the longevity and transformation of this phenomenon, the panel
grounds its analysis in historical perspective. We trace the lineage of
athletic identity negotiation back to foundational post-war figures like
Rikidozan, Kim Il (Ooki Kintaro), and Antonio Inoki, whose performances in
professional wrestling mediated complex post-colonial anxieties, Zainichi
identity, and national pride across both borders. We connect these
historical roots to contemporary developments across diverse sports. Case
studies include the striking cross-border empathy within media framing—such
as Japanese media's defense of South Korean football manager Hong Myung-bo
following the 2026 World Cup—as well as the trajectory of players like Park
Ji-sung who built foundational careers in Japan.



Furthermore, the panel investigates the unprecedented South Korean fandom
surrounding Japanese baseball icon Shohei Ohtani, alongside multi-layered
figures like Choo Sung-hoon (Yoshihiro Akiyama) and Jong Tae-se, whose
movement between combat sports and variety television highlights the
shifting politics of identity, hybridity, and commercial stardom.



By employing multidisciplinary approaches from media sociology, sports
history, and cultural studies, this panel deconstructs how sports
celebrities function as fluid cultural texts. Ultimately, we argue that
while sports remain a lightning rod for nationalistic friction, they
simultaneously provide an enduring infrastructure for cross-border
intimacy, critical hybridity, and mutual cultural recognition.


This panel focuses on the sports culture and media landscape of South
Korea, specifically examining how athlete migration, media representation,
and cross-border fandom navigate the tension between nationalist friction
and cultural affinity in Korea-Japan relations. We welcome paper proposals
spanning historical and contemporary perspectives, including:


Historical Genealogies: Analyses of post-war sports figures (e.g.,
Rikidozan, Kim Il, Antonio Inoki) and their roles in mediating
post-colonial memory, Zainichi identity, and early cross-border media
consumption.

Transnational Fandom & Affinity: Critical studies of contemporary Japanese
sports celebrities who command massive popularity in South Korea (e.g., the
Shohei Ohtani phenomenon) and friendship between Korean and Japanese (e.g.,
Sang-hwa Lee and Nao Kodaira in women’s speed skating), and how this fandom
interacts with national sentiment.

Bilateral Media Framing & Migration: How Japanese or South Korean media
represent foreign athletic figures, including contemporary cases (e.g.,
Japanese media discourse surrounding manager Hong Myung-bo) or historical
trajectories in football, baseball, and other sports (e.g., Park Ji-sung).

Hybrid Identities & Commercial Stardom: Examinations of boundary-crossing
figures (e.g., Choo Sung-hoon/Yoshihiro Akiyama) who operate across sports,
reality television, and public culture in both nations.

Per AKSE’s evaluation guidelines, panel proposals that feature
institutional, geographical, gender, and career-stage diversity are given
preference. We warmly invite submissions from PhD candidates, early-career
researchers, and established scholars.

Submission Instructions:

Please send an abstract of up to 300 words, a paper title, 3 keywords, and
a brief institutional biography to seongbin at rikkyo.ac.jp & choy at hufs.ac.kr
by *August 28, 2026*. This will give the organizers time to select papers
and compile the submission prior to the official AKSE portal deadline on
September 15, 2026.




-- 
Professor in Korean Studies(Ph.D in Communication Studies)
Graduate School of International and Area Studies, Hankuk University of
Foreign Studies (Seoul, South Korea)
Homepage: https://hufs.academia.edu/YounghanCho
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