The Dialogic Culturation of Mother Mary in South Korea: Between Universal Aspirations and Local Footprints

Abstract: As a central figure of Catholic devotion, representations of Mary serve as a crucial lens through which to analyze the contemporary formation of Catholicism and its intersections with national identity, modernity, and cultural transformation. In this paper, I examine contemporary representations of Mother Mary in South Korea, highlighting the underlying dynamics of these portrayals and their broader significance for understanding both Korean Catholicism and Global Catholicism more generally. Drawing on ethnographic observations and a comparative approach with Singaporean Catholicism, I identify three prototypes of Marian statues found across Korean parishes. The first consists of representations rooted in Western aesthetics and classical European art. The second incorporates traditional Korean cultural symbols, such as the hanbok , Korean hairstyles, and facial features. The third is characterized by minimalist, curved forms—usually stone statues—heavily influenced by indigenous religious art. Each prototype reflects distinct sensibilities surrounding motherhood, gender norms, and emotional expression. Simultaneously, they embody different articulations of national identity and Catholic universalism. By examining the evolving interplay among these three Marian prototypes, I argue that the material objects I examine offer a valuable entry point for analyzing the multipolar and multidimensional process that produces Korean Catholicism. In contrast to the notions of inculturation and interculturality, I define this process as a dialogic culturation—a conceptual tool for rethinking how Catholicism is reproduced and adapted within contemporary South Korea.