Reckoning with the World : South Korean Television and the Latin American Imaginary

For many Koreans, Latin America is foreign and unfamiliar, but popular television shows have generated considerable interest in this region of the Global South. In Reckoning with the World, Benjamin Han explores this phenomenon by providing a close reading of Korean TV programs that take place, are shot in, or depict Latin America. These dramas, reality shows, and travel documentaries present South Koreans with an understanding of themselves by projecting an illusion of difference that underscores themes of identity, race, and modernity.

Historical dramas like The Land of Humans, about Korean migrants in Mexico, consider diasporic identity and nationalism, while the fantasy series Secret Garden explores issues of modernity. In addition, the TV drama Encounter and the entertainment show Traveler contrast the cultures of global Korea with Cuba. As these programs create appealing storytelling, characters, and aesthetics, they inspire and resonate with audiences and fans across the globe. However, Korean television’s imaginary of Latin America is not about its investment in fostering greater interculturality with Latin American nations and their cultures but instead projects a façade of progressive racial and cultural politics shaping Korea’s reckoning with the world.