This is a partial list of books I have used over the years to learn about Korean and Korean American history. Some of these may be hard to find. Two good libraries for books are Korean Cultural Center and The East Asian Library at USC. If you have any questions contact us.
Click on Blue Linked title to go to Amazon.com to find books listed below. Some are linked to other sources.
Koreans in America Warren Y. Kim Po Chin Chai 1971
The Korean Nationalist Movement and An Chang Ho, Advocate of Gradualism Arthur Leslie Gardner University of Hawaii 1979 Dissertation copy available at University Microfilms International ph: 800-521-0600
Korea: The Turbulent Decade Chongik Rhee Nanam 1989
How a Korean American actor became a Hollywood "Oriental" star
Hollywood Asian
Philip Ahn and the Politics of Cross-Ethnic Performance
Hye Seung Chung
paper 1-59213-516-1 $23.95,
cloth 1-59213-515-3 $66.50, Sep 06,
248 pp 6x9 21 halftones
"Hollywood Asian is an exciting and original contribution to Asian American and Korean Studies.... It is clearly written, making it accessible to a wide readership in a number of disciplines." —Chris Berry, Goldsmiths College, University of London
From silent films to television programs, Hollywood has employed actors of various ethnicities to represent "Oriental"characters, from Caucasian stars like Loretta Young made up in yellow-face to Korean American pioneer Philip Ahn, whose more than 200 screen performances included roles as sadistic Japanese military officers in World War II movies and a wronged Chinese merchant in the TV show Bonanza.
The first book-length study of Korean identities in American cinema and television, Hollywood Asian investigates the career of Ahn (1905-1978), a pioneering Asian American screen icon and son of celebrated Korean nationalist An Ch'ang-ho. In this groundbreaking scholarly study, Hye Seung Chung examines Ahn's career to suggest new theoretical paradigms for addressing cross-ethnic performance and Asian American spectatorship. Incorporating original material from a wide range of sources, including U.S. government and Hollywood screen archives, Chung's work offers a provocative and original contribution to cinema studies, cultural studies, and Asian American as well as Korean history.
Reviews
"You'll never again view Philip Ahn in the same light.... Hollywood Asian is meticulously researched, comprising a wealth of secondary text sources and featuring a comprehensive filmography of work by Ahn. In addition, Chung was given access by the Ahn family to primary research material that provides an in-depth and nuanced look into the personal life of the actor, his politics, and his attempt to break into the South Korean film business. This is an excellent and important contribution to the scholarly literature." —Darrell Y. Hamamoto, Asian American Studies Program, University of California, Davis
About the Author
Hye Seung Chung is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan. Her writing has appeared in Cinema Journal, Film Quarterly, and other journals as well as in anthologies such as New Korean Cinema.
All content on this website may not be used without expressed written permission. All persons reproducing, redistributing, or making commercial use of this information are expected to adhere to the terms and conditions asserted by the copyright holder. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use as defined in the copyright laws requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Copyright, 2007-2010
Do not recognize anyone as a leader based on vanity... Examine his qualities not by rumors that go around but by looking into his history and actions. »Dosan
