SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This article explores how historical sites in colonial Korea became arenas of ideological contestation between dominant and counter-hegemonic forces. This contestation is exposed through the production and consumption of heritage tourism, using the former dynastic capitals of Kyŏngju and P’yŏngyang as case studies. Employing a comparative model, the article explores the politics of heritage, arguing that tourism was a fundamental tool in strengthening thenational identities of both Japan and Korea. The article demonstrates the interdisciplinary potential of colonial-era heritage tourism as a field of research, offering theoretical and methodological considerations which invite study across different disciplines and geographic remits.