Criminalizing Intimacy: Marriage, Concubinage, and Adultery Law in Korea, 1469–2015

This project traces the long history of criminalizing adultery in (South) Korea from the late 15th century until its very belated decriminalization in 2015. Using the concept of affective vengeance, it interrogates the criminalization of heterosexual intimacies and unequal power structures in marriage. Drawing on various sources, including criminal law, the Constitution, legal cases, legislative documents, newspapers, magazines, and films, it explores how the marriage paradigm shifted with the rise of modernity and why the global decriminalization of adultery was late to arrive in (South) Korea. By investigating the longue durée of adultery law in Korean history, this interdisciplinary research contributes to our understanding of continuously evolving marriage practices and the criminalization of sex.

A research partner could be involved in various tasks depending on their skill set, interests, and the project's needs. Responsibilities may include collecting and summarizing relevant academic articles, conducting archival research at the Schlesinger Library or the Harvard-Yenching Library, and gathering old documents, newspaper articles, or magazines. This role is ideal for someone curious about historical archival research and interested in observing how projects evolve over time.