일본군 ‘위안부’서사의 한계와 가능성 - 김숨의 소설을 중심으로 -

Abstract

This study considers how we should think about the issues of Japanese military “comfort women.” To this end, my study suggests that the narrative of Japanese military “comfort women” is not actively unfolding in the field of novels, and analyzes the stereotypes and limitations of that narrative. At this time, the main analysis focuses on Kim Sum’s novels about “comfort women.” In other words, this paper aims to criticize the set pattern of representation of the existing Japanese military “comfort women” narrative through Kim's novel's and to study the ethics of representation surrounding this problem. I posit that the problem of the reappearance of Japanese military “comfort women” oppresses “imagination” because of the emotional burden of the writer. I also argue that the range of “imagination” allowed regarding Japanese military “comfort women” is limited under a nationalist perspective, and resulting in emphasis on the dichotomy between good and evil and the repetition of stereotyped images of the victims. From this I conclude that issue of Japanese military “comfort women” is a matter that needs to be discussed on a global scale, rather than limited to a nationalist discourse, and it should be considered in the first place in our society. I propose a wide range of reasons for our society on the issue by presenting a novel possibility of the problem of representation by the Japanese military “comfort women” victims.