Ephemeral Homelands

The current issue of Asian Studies explores the Korean diaspora across Japan, Europe, and North America. Given the journal’s primary focus on East Asian cultures and discourses, this is not the first special issue devoted to Korean studies. Such repeated attention is far from coincidental, as South Korea is an increasingly influential player in international relations between Asia and the Euro-American regions. And since our journal Asian Studies embraces a transcultural approach, continually exploring “in-between” spaces of intercultural interaction and the search for new knowledge, this special issue holds unique significance for us. We hope it will resonate with the curious, reflective spirits of our readers, offering them fresh insights into the intrinsic relationship between the universal aspects of our common human experience and the culturally conditioned dimensions of our lives.