The Imagination of a Transoceanic Island: From Letter from Okinawa to Okinawa Spy

This study examines the methods and aspects of literary representation of the Japanese island Okinawa, focusing on the novels of authors Kim Jeong-han and Kim Soom. Okinawa is noted as a locale that shares a similar history with Korea, as both regions suffered under Japan’s colonial rule. Beyond this, however, Okinawa is also a place that invites broad reflection on the East Asian context of various themes, such as barbarism and violence, perpetration and victimization, and dominance and subjugation. In light of this, Kim Jeong-han and Kim Soom sought to portray Okinawa not merely as a place confined to historical memory, but as a symbolic space that reflects on the contemporary contexts of exclusion, violence, and hatred. This is accomplished by exploring such issues as state violence, gender oppression, and racial discrimination, which persist even in the 21st century. Through Okinawa, the authors aimed to uncover the overlapping structures existing between imperialism and colonialism. They also sought to suggest new possibilities for trans-locality by intersecting and expanding the historical experiences and events rooted in Okinawa into Korea, Japan, and the U.S. The reason Okinawa could serve as a hub of trans-locality lies in its geographical location at the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago and its experience of being an internal colony under Japanese rule. However, the manifold layers of differentiation and the presence of complex others within Okinawa also give it multiple identities, challenging the island to seek out new ways of thinking by constantly traversing, intersecting, and defying boundaries. Therefore, this study assesses how these various experiences, practices, and contemplations formed around Okinawa may offer points of academic inspiration and reflection for East Asia and the world in the future.