This book explores South Korean responses to the architecture of the Japanese colonial
occupation of Korea and the ways that architecture illustrates the relationship between
difficult heritage and the formation of national identity. Detailing the specific case of Seoul
Hyun Kyung Lee investigates how buildings are selectively destroyed preserved or
reconstructed in order to either establish or challenge the cultural identity of places as new
political orders are developed. In addition she illuminates the Korean traditional concept of
feng shui as a core indigenous framework for understanding the relationship between space and
power as it is associated with nation-building processes and heritagization.By providing a
detailed study of a case little known outside of East Asia 'Difficult Heritage' in Nation
Building will expand the framework of Western-centered heritage research by introducing novel
Asian perspectives.
