This study critically examines the Cultural Heritage Administration’s projects ―*Cultural Heritage Night Tour* and *Modern Historical and Cultural Space*―focusing on how the preservation and utilization of colonial-era heritage sites have deviated from their original aim of restoring historical identity and authenticity, instead becoming commercialized tourist resources. Using the case of Gunsan, particularly sites like Hirotsu’s House and the Rice Exchange, the study highlights how these symbols of colonial exploitation are decontextualized and romanticized as film locations or cafes. It also notes that younger generations, with no direct experience of colonial rule, consume these spaces with a sense of nostalgia for Japanese culture, thereby diluting their historical meaning. By applying the concept of *dark tourism*, the study emphasizes the need for a more balanced historical narrative that incorporates both oppression and resistance. Furthermore, it reinterprets the proactive economic activities of Korean *gaekju* (traditional merchants) during the colonial period as examples of resilient agency and proposes their inclusion in cultural heritage interpretation. Ultimately, the study argues that the core purpose of heritage preservation lies not merely in economic development or aesthetic conservation, but in fostering historical reflection and transmitting collective memory. It calls for a shift in heritage policy to better align with these goals.
한국일본언어문화학회 [Japanese Language & Culture Association of Korea]
설립연도
2001
분야
인문학>일본어와문학
소개
본 학회는 일본어학 및 일본문학은 물론, 일본의 정치, 경제, 문화, 사회 등의 일본학 전반에 걸친 연구 및 일본의 언어, 문화를 매체로 한 한국과의 비교 연구를 대상으로 하고 있다. 본 학회는 회원들에게 연구 발표 및 정보 교환의 기회를 부여하고 나아가 한국에서의 바람직한 일본 연구 자세를 확립하는 것을 주된 목표로 하고 있다.