Cultural Festivals and Regional Identities in South Korea

This paper extends the literature in cultural festivals and urban methods to consider a case where the objectives of local government in holding a cultural festival exceeded economic development. In the city of Gwangju in South Korea, authorities initiated the Biennale exhibition to replace the troubling image of its political history with the new image of a city of art. This attempted transformation faced resistance from citizens who wanted to protect and develop Gwangju's own political identity and image. From 1995 to 2002, four Biennales were held. The Biennale, initiated to remove the controversial political image of Gwangju, became a place where Gwangju's history could be reinterpreted and its identity could be negotiated and defined by its own civil society.