Kelly Woo

Post American is a collection based on the American imperialist influence on Korea. The Korean War was a proxy war between the US and the Soviet Union. After the war, the US brought two of its largest exports: its military and neoliberalism. Since then, Korea has developed a “prosperous” economy with the rise of monopoly (often family-run) companies called chaebol. Though much like the US, neoliberalism has created large income inequality and harsh living conditions for the working class. Korea has the third most number of foreign US military bases with 73 bases and over 28,000 American soldiers in Korea. These bases, many of which are stolen land from Koreans, are known to contaminate the environment without bearing any responsibility for it. I see the American influence on Korea and I feel nihilistic. I understand why people say Death to America. How can you be autonomous under US occupation?