Women's eco-identities across the literary spectrum. The cases of Han Kang and Yun Ko-eun

This study examines two prominent Korean writers’ works – “The Vegetarian” by Han Kang and “The Disaster Tourist” by Yun Ko-eun – in an ecofeminist perspective. The analysis, which is grounded in the framework of fundamental theories in this field, reveals how these writers intertwine gender and ecological concerns to critique patriarchal and capitalist structures. In “The Vegetarian”, Han Kang explores the process of a woman’s metamorphosis into what is referred to as a “vegetable feminine”, which can be interpreted as a rejection of the societal constraints that bind her along with her pursuit of liberation that is aligned with the natural world. In contrast, Yun Ko-eun offers a critique of the exploitation of both women and the environment within a capitalist system, using a dystopian narrative that reflect on the resilience of individuals and communities. By incorporating traditional Korean ecological perspective into global ecofeminist discourse, this article aims to highlight the contribution of both novels to the development of a distinctly Korean ecofeminist literature, offering insights of the interconnected struggles of women and the environment in the contemporary society