Samuel Richardson Studies in Korea: Trajectory and Prospect

This paper reviews the history and current status of Samuel Richardson studies in Korea, marking the 20th anniversary of the Korean Society for Eighteenth-Century English Literature. It undertakes three primary objectives: first, to analyze the development and present state of Richardson studies in Korea; second, to assess contemporary trends in Richardson scholarship within Anglophone academia, particularly focusing on contributions from leading specialists; and third, to propose future directions for Korean scholars in this field. Chapter 1 traces the evolution of Richardsonian studies in Korea, drawing on research papers available through the Research Information Sharing Service (RISS). Chapter 2 evaluates the dominant historical and philological methodologies that have shaped Richardson scholarship since the 1990s. Finally, Chapter 3 concludes by recommending a linguistic contextualist approach as a promising avenue for future research by Korean academics.