Diaspora writers explore the meaning of 'home' in new book

The question of "Where is your home?" can be as disorienting as "Who are you?" For individuals navigating multiple national identities and living in diverse locations, the concept of home becomes fluid and multifaceted. Jo Kyung-hee, a third-generation Zainichi Korean living in Seoul, delves into this complex terrain in her book "Unfamiliar Home."

Jo, who arrived in South Korea in 2001, addresses the varied labels applied to people of Korean descent in Japan, Zainichi Korean, Zainichi Korean-Japanese, Zainichi South Korean, Zainichi Korean, and Zainichi. She argues that home is not a fixed origin but a shifting concept for those who migrate. For women, the act of "home-making" (homing) can signify a departure from a male-centric definition of home, requiring them to confront stigma while embracing escape, liberation, and solidarity.

The book weaves together discussions on diaspora, multiculturalism, and feminism, with specific attention to the dynamics between South Korea and Japan. It scrutinizes South Korea's approach to multiculturalism, including its responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the political controversies surrounding lawmaker Jasmina Lee. Jo notes that the resistance from young South Korean women to Yemeni asylum seekers in 2018 highlighted not only everyday fears and gender imbalances but also how feminist language could be co-opted by exclusionary politics.

The intersection of Zainichi Korean studies and feminist theory is particularly potent in the latter half of the book. Jo critiques the misogyny and historical revisionism prevalent in Japan's right-wing and South Korea's New Right movements. She contends that these issues can no longer be sidestepped by framing them as merely "pro-Japanese." The New Right, for instance, avoids discussing imperialism, colonialism, and wartime violence in the context of the "comfort women" issue. However, the political impact of voices that "deny history and nullify testimony" is growing, fostering a stronger alliance between South Korea's New Right and Japan's far-right.

Further insights are offered through Jo's analysis of Japanese women readers of "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982" and her own experiences as a Zainichi female writer. In "Speaking Women," she illustrates the power and potential inherent in women's "home-making" endeavors. "Unfamiliar Home" marks Jo's first solo publication, confirming the possibilities of her situated identity and self-theorization. The narrative of her turning back just before visiting her ancestral home in "the motherland" leaves readers anticipating her future works.