Jonathan Cheng

About the Author

Jonathan Cheng is a historian and author specializing in East Asian politics and religion, with a particular focus on the interplay between Christianity and authoritarian regimes in the 20th century. Drawing from extensive archival research and fieldwork in Northeast Asia, Cheng uncovers the lesser-known influences shaping modern dictatorships, blending rigorous scholarship with accessible narrative prose. His debut book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult, explores how Christian missionary legacies inadvertently contributed to the cult of personality surrounding North Korea's founding leader, offering fresh insights into the regime's ideological foundations. Cheng holds a PhD in History from the University of California and has contributed articles to leading journals on Asian studies. He resides in Seoul, where he continues to lecture and write on the region's complex historical dynamics.