"Recasting South Koreans: From Enemy 'Gooks' to (South) Korean Christians" - Paul Cha

Thursday, October 16, 2025 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EDT
Horizon Hall, #5225 or Zoom

This presentation examines how American Protestant mission societies and faith-based aid organizations reimagined South Koreans during and after the Korean War, transforming them from racialized "gooks" into devout Christian allies. Facing skepticism and racial prejudice at home, mission leaders employed religious rhetoric to reframe Korean Christians as spiritually mature, self-reliant, and deserving of aid. Early portrayals emphasized Korean victimhood and missionary heroism, but by the mid-1950s, narratives increasingly highlighted Korean agency, self-sacrifice, and ecclesial vitality. These efforts not only secured sustained donations for Korean relief but also reinforced a sense of shared faith between American and Korean churches. Yet this transformation remained fraught: while Korean Christians were cast as active agents, they were often voiceless in the very media that celebrated them.

Join via Zoom: MCL Faculty Forum