@article{ART003177251},
author={KIM HA NA},
title={The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue},
journal={Journal of Popular Narrative},
issn={1738-3188},
year={2025},
volume={31},
number={1},
pages={257-288}
TY - JOUR
AU - KIM HA NA
TI - The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue
JO - Journal of Popular Narrative
PY - 2025
VL - 31
IS - 1
PB - The Association of Popular Narrative
SP - 257
EP - 288
SN - 1738-3188
AB - Regression, possession, reincarnation is one of the most popular motifs in Korean web novels, they can be discussed in the same level in the sense of 'life reset'. Focusing on the frequent use of 'system' in 'life reset' motifs, This paper looks through why the 'life reset' motifs using 'systems' frequently and what is the meaning of it.
Firstly, ‘systems’ can be explained by the influence of digital games. Of course, systems that allow resetting are not limited to digital games. But according to previous studies, with the experience of digital games become widespread, the imagination of digital games is shared by Korean fantasy novels, and the imagination of digital games is made as a genre convention. Regarding that fantasy is one of the most popular genres in Korean web novels, we can say that the imagination based on digital games is shared by the popular motifs of web novels.
The problem is, ‘life rest’ motifs are explained by many perspectives like religion, culture, society, they don’t have to rely on the digital games. But why do so many 'life reset' motifs in Korean web novels use 'systems' reminiscent of digital games to support 'life reset'? It can be illustrated by the imagination of digital games mentioned above, or by the media environment that the 'reset' based on 'system' widely adopted. But this paper looks through the 'system' in the perspective of the story sharing based on such media environment. For this purpose, this paper sees the studies on the 'gamification' of Chinese web novels as a clue. With the long-time sharing of imagination based on digital games, it is analyzed that Chinese web novels have put down roots in the ‘artificial environment’ and it is presented as ‘settings’ in web novels. The 'settings' based on the ' artificial environment' is similar to the conventions of digital games' imagination shared by Korean web novels. This paper focuses on the similarities, present the possibility of the way story is shared in Korean web novels are similar to Chinese. To complement the discussion, this paper gives the examples of the Korean and Chinese 'setting play' based on web novels, and observes both Korea and China are sharing the highly settled environment. In this perspective, the reason why the most popular Korean web novels' motifs use 'systems' frequently, is because the stories are shared based on the 'settings'.
KW - game;setting;reset;system;sub character;character setting
DO -
UR -
ER -
KIM HA NA. (2025). The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue. Journal of Popular Narrative, 31(1), 257-288.
KIM HA NA. 2025, "The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue", Journal of Popular Narrative, vol.31, no.1 pp.257-288.
KIM HA NA "The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue" Journal of Popular Narrative 31.1 pp.257-288 (2025) : 257.
KIM HA NA. The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue. 2025; 31(1), 257-288.
KIM HA NA. "The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue" Journal of Popular Narrative 31, no.1 (2025) : 257-288.
KIM HA NA. The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue. Journal of Popular Narrative, 31(1), 257-288.
KIM HA NA. The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue. Journal of Popular Narrative. 2025; 31(1) 257-288.
KIM HA NA. The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue. 2025; 31(1), 257-288.
KIM HA NA. "The ‘life reset’ Based on ‘systems’ in Korean Web Novels and the ‘setting-based’ Story Environment - with the Studies Related to the ‘gamification’ of Chinese Web Novels as a Clue" Journal of Popular Narrative 31, no.1 (2025) : 257-288.
