Publications
A Study on the Digital Reconstruction of Geumgangsan Touring Narratives : Focusing on Historical Lifelogging and Digital Wayu-ization(臥遊化)
A digital reconstruction model for Mount Kumgang's touring narratives demonstrates how historical lifelogging and modern 'digital wayu-ization' can preserve and reinterpret cultural heritage. By integrating 18th-century spatial-temporal data, literary narratives from Geumgangsan's travel writings, and artistic elements of the 'Geumgangjeondo' scroll, this study proposes a 3D virtual tour that translates traditional 'wayu' (a poetic appreciation of landscapes) into contemporary digital experiences. The approach validates cultural value transfer through historical authenticity, expanded narrative interaction, and sustainable knowledge structuring. This method ensures the enduring relevance of Mount Kumgang's heritage in the digital age.
Heritage Values and Research Agendas of the Routes to Mount Kumgang : An Approach from the Perspective of Cultural Routes
Mount Kumgang’s heritage extends beyond its scenic beauty to include the complex network of historical routes that shaped its cultural significance. This study identifies three major route systems—Gyeongheung-ro, East Coast, and Yeongseo Inland—that functioned as linear heritage systems, integrating physical, historical, social, and cultural dimensions. These routes, documented through Joseon-period travel records, old maps, and modern tourism materials, mediated emotional experiences, literary memories, and artistic representation, offering a distinctive Korean form of route heritage. The research highlights the potential of these routes as a national heritage resource while addressing the impact of Korea’s division on place memory and cultural continuity. Future heritage efforts should focus on empirical investigation, integrated interpretation of diverse sources, and phased fieldwork.
The Construction of the Geumgangsan Electric Railway and the Geumgangsan Route : Analysis of the Records and Comic
A detailed analysis of historical records and a comic reveals the true nature of travel experiences on the Geumgangsan Electric Railway during Japan's colonial rule over Korea. By cross-examining three key sources—including a corporate history, a monk's travelogue, and a modern comic—the study reconstructs the journey from Cheorwon Station to Mount Kumgang, highlighting features like the switchback at Dwanbalryeong and descriptions of the Kumi Mountain Lodge. The findings offer a richer understanding of this defunct railway's legacy, which, despite its destruction during the Korean War, provides valuable insights for future dialogue and cultural exchange between South Korea and North Korea.
The Emergence of Geumgangsan’s Visual Culture and Landscape Painting in the 1910s
Mount Kumgang (Geumgangsan), a revered Buddhist and natural landscape, underwent a transformation in the 1910s under Japanese colonial rule, emerging as a global tourist destination and subject of modern visual culture. This shift was driven by imperial propaganda and colonial development efforts, with Geumgangsan's imagery spreading through mass media such as postcards, lantern slides, motion pictures, and panoramas. Japanese artists framed the mountain’s scenic qualities using 'Eastern' aesthetics, while Korean painters blended traditional Geumgangsan-do styles with modern techniques. By the early 1920s, Kim Ye-sik introduced a hyperrealist style influenced by photographic painting, marking a significant evolution in Geumgangsan's visual representation that merged Japanese modernity with Korea’s artistic traditions.
The Transmission of 「Geumgangsan Yugi」 and Lee Kwang-su’s Perception of Reality
Lee Kwang-su’s 1924 travelogue, Geumgangsan Yugi, blends traditional Korean travel writing with modern literary techniques. It reveals how his two visits to Mount Kumgang (1921–1923) expanded the scope of mountain exploration by shifting from selective sightseeing to comprehensive traversal, facilitated by emerging transportation like trains and cars. Unlike previous travelers, Lee emphasized not just natural scenery but also folklore and historical narratives, treating them as sacred elements. His work critiques naming conventions while rediscovering ruins, offering a unique fusion of tradition and modernity. Beyond travel, his journey reflects a response to Korea’s oppressive reality, proposing spiritual and physical renewal through nature. This study deciphers the transmission of Geumgangsan Yugi’s form and Lee’s innovative perception, demonstrating its role in reinterpreting landscapes, history, and human heritage.
The Expression Patterns and Consciousness Orientationof Mokjae(木齋) Hong Yeo-ha(洪汝河)’s Geumgangsan Mountain sightseeing
A rare insight into the cultural and spiritual significance of Mount Kumgang (Geumgangsan) emerges from an analysis of Mokjae Hong Yeo-ha’s 17th-century sightseeing records. The study reveals that ancient Korean travelers, particularly government officials, undertook arduous pilgrimages to this UNESCO-listed site not merely for leisure but as a disciplined pursuit of moral and aesthetic enlightenment. These journeys, often involving demotion from official duties, were documented through poetic and prose accounts, offering a unique lens into the era’s consciousness orientation toward nature and governance. The research deciphers the expression patterns in these texts, highlighting their dual role as both personal reflections and cultural artifacts that encode historical values. Methodologically, it combines textual analysis with historical context to reconstruct the motivations and meanings embedded in Mokjae’s work.
A Study on the Changes of Temples in the Geumgangsan Mountain Area of North Gangwon-do - Focusing on the 17th to 18th Centuries -
Historical records of Buddhist temples in Mount Geumgangsan, a renowned Korean mountain, reveal significant changes during the 17th to 18th centuries. The study, based on firsthand accounts from monks and travelers, reconstructs the appearance of temples and monastic practices despite limited field access due to political restrictions and post-Korean War destruction. These travelogues, serving as primary sources, provide invaluable insights into the cultural and religious landscape of the era, offering a unique window into the past when direct observation is impossible.
Adolf Fischer’s Museum for East Asian Art in Cologne and Korean Art
Adolf Fischer’s Museum for East Asian Art in Cologne, established in 1913, stands as Europe's first dedicated museum specializing in East Asian art. Its collection of approximately 400 Korean art pieces is among the finest in Europe, reflecting Fischer's deep interest and extensive travels across East Asia during a period marked by German colonial expansion and Japanese imperialism. Fischer's fascination with East Asian culture, particularly Korean ceramics like Goryeo celadon, was shaped by his encounters with Japanese art at international exhibitions and his academic assignments in East Asia. His observations, however, were influenced by the cultural and political context of his time, including Japan's colonial rule over Korea. This study sheds light on Fischer's role as a bridge between German imperial aspirations and East Asian cultural narratives, offering a critical perspective on how Korean art was perceived and collected during this era.
Searching for a New Digital Creation : Exploring for the Possibilities of Geumgangsan Metaverse
A novel approach to preserving and presenting Mount Kumgang's cultural heritage through the development of a 'Geumgangsan Metaverse' is proposed. This study demonstrates that integrating advanced digital technologies such as VR, AR, MR, XR, AI, big data, IoT, and NFT can create an immersive 3D digital environment that closely mirrors Mount Kumgang's historical significance and natural beauty. The research builds on existing digital datasets and exhibition content, suggesting a feasible path for a metaverse that could serve as both a cultural heritage platform and a bridge for peaceful collaboration between North and South Korea. This innovative proposal aims to restore Mount Kumgang's symbolic importance in East Asian art history and contribute to its potential UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.
Song Kwang-yeon’s perception of Gangwon-do’s scenic spot and its characteristics
Song Kwang-yeon (1638–1695) revolutionized the perception of Gangwon-do’s scenic spots by both uncovering previously unknown landmarks and reinterpreting well-known ones through experiential and geographical lenses. His work, rooted in extensive travel and literary contributions—including the gazetteers Dongyeopillam and Chunju Seunglam—elevated sites like Gangneung’s Chodang, Chuncheon’s Samhandong, and Mount Kumgang’s Unsu-dong to newfound prominence. He also redefined iconic locations such as Mangyangjeong by emphasizing direct experience over descriptive limitations and positioning it as a central coastal landmark. Additionally, he compared Gangwon-do’s mountains to China’s Five Sacred Peaks, asserting their superior natural beauty. This study highlights his pivotal role in shaping the cultural significance of Gangwon-do’s heritage.
Inter-Korean Relations: Factors and Prospects
Inter-Korean relations have stagnated since the US-North Korea summit in Hanoi in 2019, primarily due to South Korea's prioritization of its ties with the United States and increased dependence on it. This shift has hindered the implementation of the Sunshine policy, such as reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang tourism zone. Additionally, linking inter-Korean economic cooperation to North Korea's denuclearization has further strained relations. The deterioration in June 2020 indicates that Pyongyang is more interested in engaging with the United States than Seoul, especially given the deadlock in US-North Korean nuclear negotiations. The study analyzes these dynamics from 1998 to 2020, highlighting how geopolitical tensions, particularly between China and the United States, could exacerbate inter-Korean relations and complicate a political settlement on the Korean Peninsula.
Relationship between A Tale of the Tiger in Mount Kumgang and the Japanese Children’s Reading Space of Katei Bunko
A key insight from this study is the identification of shared narrative patterns between the Korean folktale 'A Tale of the Tiger in Mount Kumgang' and its Japanese adaptation within the Katei BUNKO children's reading space. Despite belonging to different narrative lineages, both versions exhibit similar behavioral analysis results due to the oral tradition's influence on storytelling. Further analysis revealed that while surface-level themes focus on justice (e.g., a father's revenge) and reading practices, deeper meanings revolve around regeneration narratives centered on female characters and oral cultural transmission. The study suggests that Katei BUNKO's reading spaces also serve as oral communication practices, bridging visual and auditory elements in children's literature.
A Study on Travel Notes of Visits to Mount Kumgang in “Religions of Shrines and Temples 1911”
A rare glimpse into the arduous journey to Mount Kumgang during Japan's colonial rule of Korea reveals the mountain as a formidable and perilous destination before modern infrastructure. Analyzing the 1911 travel logs from the 'Religions of Shrines and Temples' collection, researchers reconstructed the itineraries of colonial officials dispatched to investigate illegal logging amid severe flooding. The study identifies key personnel, examines the social impacts of the 1911 flood, and assesses the primitive state of communication infrastructure at the time. These findings underscore the challenging conditions faced by travelers in early 20th-century Korea, providing valuable historical insights into the region's natural and administrative challenges.
The Semanticization Aspect of Space and Its Meaning by Confucian Scholars in Joseon Dynasty - focused on records of travel in Geumgangsan -
Confucian scholars during the Joseon Dynasty actively reshaped Mount Kumgang's cultural significance, transforming it from a Buddhist-dominated landscape into a Confucian-infused space. They achieved this through three key methods: renaming places to align with Confucian values, inscribing personal records or poetry on the mountain, and framing their experiences in Confucian textual references. These actions collectively expanded individual memories into shared cultural narratives, embedding Mount Kumgang with Confucian meaning while erasing its Buddhist heritage. This semanticization process reflects a deliberate effort by scholars to redefine the site as an intellectual and moral space, demonstrating how human agency can alter the perceived significance of natural landscapes over time.
Curated Viewsheds— Landscape Planning and Design of the Mount Kumgang International Tourist Zone on the Korean Peninsula
Mount Kumgang, a historically significant cultural symbol on the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula, spans both the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK). This study introduces a landscape planning approach for the Mount Kumgang International Tourist Zone, focusing on enhancing sightseeing experiences through a visual network system. The design leverages traditional Korean artistic techniques, such as those found in Geumgang Jeondo and the 1939 'Panorama Map of Diamond Mountain,' combined with computer-generated graphics to address challenges like limited data and field survey difficulties. Two material models were developed to aid in understanding site design concepts. The proposed strategies aim to improve future development while preserving the region's rich natural and cultural heritage, offering a model for balanced regional growth.
Peace through Tourism
This edited volume investigates the dual relationship between peace and tourism, examining how tourism can both promote peace and be influenced by it. It presents case studies from diverse regions, including Mount Kumgang in South Korea, Palestine, Timor Leste, India, Japan, Australia, Kenya, and Jerusalem, to explore the potential of 'peace tourism' as a tool for ecological democracy, human rights advocacy, and social justice. The research employs qualitative methods, such as critical analysis and case study approaches, to assess both the benefits and drawbacks of peace tourism, including its potential for exploitation and the challenges it faces in conflict zones. A key finding is that while peace tourism can foster international citizenship and awareness-raising, its effectiveness depends on ethical frameworks and local community involvement.
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