Beyond trauma: Positive postmemories among second- and third-generation North Korean war refugees.

This article examines how the second and third generations—children and grandchildren—of North Korean (NK) war refugees displaced during the Korean War construct identity and belonging through their inherited postmemories, a concept referring to memories of traumatic events experienced by previous generations. Drawing on interviews with 17 participants, the study reveals that while the second generation was directly exposed to their parents' traumatic displacement narratives, the third generation engaged with these memories more variably, often emphasizing positive family stories alongside trauma. The research challenges the dominant trauma-focused paradigm in memory studies by highlighting the coexistence of affirming and traumatic postmemories, showing how these intergenerational memories shape a nuanced sense of heritage and identity beyond national borders. It also underscores the importance of expanding memory studies beyond Eurocentric frameworks to include diverse diasporic experiences.