Cinematic Representations of South Koreans in North America: Cultural Identity under Migration

Sammanfattning

This thesis explores the negotiation of cultural identity under migration among South Koreans in North America through cinematic representations. Drawing on narrative identity theory, the thesis employes narrative and film analyses to examine three semi-biographical fiction films: Minari (2020), Riceboy Sleeps (2022), and Past Lives (2023). It investigates how cultural identity is represented and further complicated and contested through narrative and storytelling. Key intersectional themes were highlighted across the films, including intergenerational conflict, family, work, gender and belonging. The findings demonstrate that acculturation is not a linear trajectory, but is shaped by historical context, class background, generational differences, and gendered expectations. In particular, the films reveal how encounters with a Korean ‘Other’ often function as turning points that force individuals to confront aspects of their cultural identity. This thesis argues that cultural identity is not a fixed, linear phenomenon, but rather a dynamic process. However, while migrant have active agency in shaping it, their choices remain constrained by broader socio-cultural conditions.