Introduction

The prevailing understanding of structural transformations in modern society often relies on Western-centric frameworks. However, East Asia’s rapid and condensed development, termed “compressed modernity” by Korean scholar Chang Kyung Sup, necessitates an alternative perspective. This dissertation investigates compressed modernity. By analyzing Lee Chang-dong’s Burning (2018), Jia Zhangke’s Mountains May Depart (2015), and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Nobody Knows (2004), the study highlights how these East Asian cinema serves as a critical medium for examining the complex interplay between rapid modernization, globalization and enduring cultural legacies, offering insights into the construction of identity and memory in these societies.

If interested, you may read Cecilia’s Dissertation here.