Abstract

This article reviews the notorious Hwang Woo-suk scandal based on a mass mobilization perspective showing three features of mass-ness, cathartic expressivity, and communicative orientation through transmissions by the media. Following the process of mass mobilization such as period 1: the beginning of Hwang’s hype, period 2: the heyday of Hwang’s success, period 3: chaos, period 4: national turmoil and Hwang’s downfall, and period 5: final, it tries to show how the cooperation among three actors including Hwang, media and the Korean government appealed to the Korean people’s emotions and nationalism in dealing with science.