Through the case of anti-impeachment rallies held in South Korea in 2016-2017, this article examines why the large-scale, rightwing mobilization emerged in the midst of democratic and peaceful demonstrations. Analyzing the widespread emotions and narratives shared by protesters, I argue that rightwing elites and intellectuals mobilized civil society by evoking specific historical experiences that arouse intense fear and outrage among older citizens. Capitalizing on positive and successful historical experiences of anticommunist nation building and national modernization, the South Korean right has tried to rebuild its political legitimacy and symbolic power during the postauthoritarian period (1987-present). Drawing from ethnographic observations and in-depth interviews undertaken in Seoul, I emphasize the prominence of Cold War geopolitics and authoritarian legacies in shaping the discourse and mobilization strategies of the South Korean right. This article enhances a critical understanding of the internal workings of rightwing mobilization in existing Western-centric scholarship on the far right.

中文翻译：

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捍卫“自由民主”？为什么年长的韩国人上街反对 2016-17 年的烛光抗议*

本文通过 2016-2017 年在韩国举行的反弹劾集会案例，探讨了大规模的右翼动员为何会在民主和平示威中出现。通过分析抗议者所分享的广泛情绪和叙述，我认为右翼精英和知识分子通过唤起在老年公民中引起强烈恐惧和愤怒的特定历史经历来动员公民社会。韩国右翼利用反共建国和国家现代化的积极和成功的历史经验，试图在后威权时期（1987年至今）重建其政治合法性和象征性力量。根据在首尔进行的民族志观察和深入访谈，我强调冷战地缘政治和威权主义遗产在塑造韩国右翼的话语和动员战略方面的重要性。本文加强了对现有以西方为中心的极右翼学术研究中右翼动员内部运作的批判性理解。