Bae Doona and Yi So-yeon as Korean-cosmopolitan celebrities

Global citizenship, science fiction and cultural globalization

Bibliographic Data

ID12716223
AuthorsKeith B Wagner (0000-0003-3238-7521, University of the Punjab, corresponding author), Michael A Unger (0000-0003-4702-5347, Sogang University), J H Lim (0009-0003-7220-4811, Korea University), Jia Lim (Korea University, Seoul, South Korea)
Year2026
Pages1-18
Publication date2026-03-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobalizations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1474-7731 • E-ISSN: 1474-774X
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14747731.2025.2599690
OpenAlexW7133640978
LanguageEN
References cited20

This article explores what elevates the actress Bae Doona and astronaut Yi So-yeon to the level of ‘Korean-cosmopolitan celebrities.’ Our contradictory but efficacious coinage recognizes their Koreanness and outstanding achievements on behalf of different industries – with work in film and aerospace – yet such identity and cultural position are rare in South Korea because it showcases the value and necessity of humanitarian activities that resist being anchored to a strict and narrow national register. Bae’s and Yi’s representations through media constitute a kind of uber-minority position, marking an intriguing new manifestation of cosmopolitanism under cultural globalization. We believe this cosmopolitanization can be understood dually as an ‘outlook’ as well as a provocative premise towards ‘decolonialization’ to balance burgeoning ideas about global citizenship, peace, conflict, futurity, and hospitality in and outside of Korea.

Cultural globalization · Cultural homogenization · Globalization · Narrative · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Japanese History and Culture · Social and Cultural Studies

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