근대 식민지 경험의 탈각과 변용 : 군산의 사례

Abstract

The city of Gunsan is Korea's representative colonial modern city. In the spring of 2013, art exhibition titled <The story of Jangmi-dong> opened in Gunsan and on other area of the city Japanese style houses such as 'Gowoodang' is attracting tourists with the purpose of being the modern history experience space. If so, how are we to understand the two sides of the modern city Gunsan which was constructed and maintained for the Japanese colonization exploitation. Most cities of Korea bear both modernity and coloniality. Colonial exploitation of Japan came in forms of suppression and exploitation on one hand but on the other, it was accompanied by the emergence of modern city and the change of everyday life. Modernity and coloniality have aspect of working as a huge obstacle for the Korean city research. Until now, basic point of view in explaining the Korean modern city was ‘The theory of Colonial Exploitation’ and the process of modernization which progressed during the Japanese occupation was explained as tool development for the exploitation. However, there also exists a point of view that the modernization of Korea during the Japanese occupation was the period in which the hegemonic dominance of Gramsci was activated. Bureaucratic system, education institutions, modern legal system and spatial changes imposed changes in the everyday life. Novel <Arirang> by author Cho, Chong-Rae which portrays the exploitation history of Gunsan and people of colony's sufferings shows in confidence the spatial changes and the changes to the everyday life. These point of views regarding the modernity of the colony brings us important implication for understanding the modern city Gunsan's characteristics as a city and the changes it is currently going through. For the citizens of Gunsan, <The story of Jangmi-dong>is natural and ordinary. On the other hand, 'Gowoodang' shows a colonial experience which reflects the everyday life of which the citizens of Gunsan had to feel, adapt and live in spite of the tragic history. This two sided experience is currently being restructured as a new cultural and historical asset to the city of Gunsan.