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Study on the Characters of Gumiho and Jiangshi as Marginal Men Wandering the "Liminal Space"

Soongbeum Ahn 1,  johanki 2

1한신대학교
2건국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Mythical creatures in East Asian culture was historically referred to as "peculiar beings that surpass common sense." However, in a number of recent films, mythical creatures have been breaking away from that negative stereotype. They often overturn the values that have been repeatedly reconstituted by human society, and reveal the violent system that has been concealed. This study poses a question about the binary opposite relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, and examines the mythical creatures that appear in East Asian films, namely gumiho (Korea) and jiangshi (China) using the discourse proposed by Homi K. Bhaba who explored the inside and outside of boundaries. According to Bhaba's proposition, East Asian mythical creatures function as "marginal men" who wander the "liminal space." One must note that this study explores characters in East Asian films that call for an ethical introspection at a different magnitude and nature. A general summary of the characteristics of gumiho and jiangshi is as follows. First, gumihos are marginal men that practice "mimicry" of humans and intrude into human society. Their attempt to "become human" reconfirms the irreconcilable discrepancy between human and non-human, which highlights the heterogeneous nature that prevents contact with the human world. In particular, bound by the mechanism of a "gaze," their tragic deaths encourage contemplation about the irrationality of manmade boundaries. Jiangshis appear as the Others who have been marginalized from human society due to a "deficiency" arising from various reasons. They take the form of "marginal men" that exist within the boundary between life and death, and between a hometown and a strange place. Their attempt to return to the human world is rejected most of the time, revealing the very evidence of exclusion and inherent violence that persists in human society. This study clarifies the sociocultural implication of mythical creatures in East Asia. I look forward to a future expansion of this research on the ethical and symbolic connotations attached to the image of the Other as perceived by the general public.

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