Inchoate Unitary Visions: Tracing Nationalism in the Visual Culture of Korea’s International Expositions, 1893–1929

The Pavilion of Hangul pixels at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai attested to South Korea's booming economy and rising popularity of its culture in the contemporary era. However, Korea's early experience with expositions demonstrates its struggle with nation branding and autonomy. To debrief this tumultuous path, this paper examines the visual culture of Korea in international and national-scaled expositions from 1893 to 1929, encompassing the end of dynastic history, the short life of the Korean Empire, and the colonial era. The role of designership and audience in presenting Korean culture is analyzed under autonomous and colonial contexts. This research would serve to enhance the understanding of Korean nationalism through various visual representations of Korea and its culture in early modernity.