The Asian Family in Posthuman Cinema: An Exploration of After Yang

This chapter explores the representation of intelligent life in an increasingly posthumanist society as it is depicted in the film After Yang (2021), directed by the South Korean born American filmmaker Kogonada. The film presents artificially intelligent androids in diverse techno-cultural settings while extrapolating on their “Asiatic” conditioning. A common theme throughout the film is the treatment of androids as members of the family and social beings whose relationships extend to the larger societal system as citizens. By exploring the challenges associated with incorporating artificially intelligent beings into human communities, the film raises questions about concepts such as citizenry, bioethics, and the societal evolution necessary for diversity and inclusivity. The representation of androids as members of the family raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding their status as the Asian “other”, while facing potential subjugation to human-centric norms. Thus, the film’s depictions of androids as citizens highlight the potential for societal stratification and exclusionary practices and this chapter will examine the implications of such representations in the underexplored posthuman condition. These extrapolated posthuman ecologies draw out the hypothetical and imaginary possibilities of such entangled living, by challenging us to rethink family, citizenships, and anthropocentrism in evolving posthuman conditions.