Dr. CHAN Chi Ying, MichelleMichelleDr. CHAN Chi Ying2026-04-272026-04-272026Chan, C. Y. (2026 Mar 14). The lingering trauma of Cold-War Korea: The living afflictions in graphic novels. Association of Asian Studies Annual Conference 2026, Vancouver, Canada.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11861/27134As illustrated by the well-known graphic novel Maus, the painful memories of war will linger in families and communities across generations. The impacts of war, along with the political and economic turmoil, are destructive and devastating. These scars in history, nonetheless, can still be traced in contemporary societies. The damages caused by the two World Wars were undeniable, and sadly, the Cold War period also brought its share of afflictions. Alongside actual conflicts like the Korean War (1950-53) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975), global political and economic instability significantly shook the structures of Asian societies. With the Asian market for graphic novels, picture books, webtoons, and other forms of textual-graphic narratives becoming increasingly popular in the 21st century, more authors are using these literary genres to explore complex historical subjects. In particular, instead of focusing on the historical events, many of these representations of war address the emotional impact of war on individuals, families, and the entire community. This presentation will primarily discuss Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s The Waiting (2020) and The Naked Tree (2023), and explain how the afflictions and trauma of the Korean War are represented in graphic novels. It will explore how the traumatic memory of one generation will inevitably and painfully burden generations of Korean families, and how graphic novels can re-create history for contemporary readers.enConference Paper