Between Patriarchy and Neoliberalism: Cho Namju’s 82-nyŏnsaeng Kim Chiyŏng

Abstract

Abstract:Cho Namju’s 82-nyŏnsaeng Kim Chiyŏng is a 2016 bestselling Korean novel that has received international attention. Having achieved immense popularity in Korea, the novel has become a centerpiece of recent feminist discussions in Korea through its exposure of contradictions in and between the patriarchal regime and a neoliberal society. This article explores the tensions and contradictions of these two models of social organization and their uneasy alliance in this novel, particularly in the narrated experiences of young mothers.