Current Issue

The Representation of 4.3 in Games and Its Meaning - A Comparative Study of the <Unfolded> Series and Korean 4.3 Literature

Chong, Ki In , Jung Yeop Lee | 2024, 30(3) | pp.13~52 | number of Cited : 0

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How Korean SF tells the story of 'Gwangju in 80'

Lim Taehun | 2024, 30(3) | pp.53~87 | number of Cited : 0

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There are only a handful of examples of Korean SF that talk about 'Gwangju in 1980'. However, 'Gwangju SF in 1980' is crucial in the sense that it has been identified at every major stage of political and social change since 1980. There are three main questions that this study addresses. How does the imagination that links '5･18' to 'SF' relate to and manifest in the changing social structure? To this end, we trace the emergence of '5･18 imagination' as a potential creative capacity. Why are narratives that imagine a 'Gwangju with 5･18 erased' either shunned or unable to escape political contamination even when they try? How does the sf that narrates 'Gwangju in 1980' differ from the so called non SF literature of Lim Chul woo, Yoon Jung mo, Hong Hee dam and others? The novels studied are Chae Young joo's Rogue in Time (1993), Kim Serang's ARMOR'S STORY (1993), Kang Yoo han's Return 1979 (2009-2011) and Kim Hee sun's Book of Muhan (2017). The trend line shows the changes in the terminology surrounding '5･18' from 12 December 1979 to 18 May 1980, the response of the academic publishing industry after the appeasement phase in 1984, the June Uprising and the revision of the linear system, the changes in policy towards 5･18 and reunification by regime, the birth of the Moon Min government in 1993 and the fall of the Hana Party, the policy of correcting history, and various controversies surrounding 5･18 from the turn of the century to the millennium. The methodology of this study is extrapolation, which recognises various controversies surrounding 5･18 as trend lines, and backwards calculates the trend of history leading to the occurrence of 'Gwangju SF in 1980'. To outline the process by period, in the 1980s in Korea, the idea of combining "5･18" with "SF" was not possible. The turning point came in 1993. In March 1993, Chae Young joo's Rogue in Time and Kim Serang's Armor's Story were published in the March and April 1993 issues of ‘ Chwimiga 취미가’. During the period of the People's Government and participatory government, the convergence of 'Gwangju in the 80s' and 'SF' was less pronounced. Paradoxically, it was revived during the Lee Myung bak and Park Geun hye administrations. Kang Yoo han's alternate history novel Return 1979, which renews the '5･18 imagination' from a right wing perspective, was serialised during this period (2007-2011). In 2017, the first year of the Moon Jae in administration following the impeachment of President Park Geun hye in a candlelight protest, Kim Hee sun's The Book of Muhan is published. I would like to approach '5･18 Imagination' as a discovery of SF that considers the 'slit' that is possible when it does not fall within the realm of the state or institutionalised academia, the 'slit' that does not allow it to get lost in a list of facts, interpretations and emotions that must be included.

Multi-Platform Strategies of Metaverse-Based Creators - A Case Study of Community-Driven Storytelling Using Minecraft

Kang Hye Won | 2024, 30(3) | pp.89~122 | number of Cited : 0

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Virtual Idol Fandom and Culture through Literature - Focusing on <Eating love scallions>

KIM MIN JEE | 2024, 30(3) | pp.123~153 | number of Cited : 0

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With the appearance of virtual idols in literature, it is possible to indirectly examine the perception of idol fandom and fans beyond the dimension of desire required in fan pick. There may be people who have difficulty understanding the existence and fandom of virtual idols that are gaining popularity recently. To this end, this study aims to examine the virtual fandom culture and changed view of love through literary works. Virtual idols that have benefited from the expansion of the metaverse and the development of artificial intelligence have changed the idol culture and fandom culture. They have always seen continuity and provide absolute faith that will not unsettle fans. This has led to a positive perception of not only virtual idols but also virtual humans. Among the various changes, this study focuses on love. If you look indirectly at the relationship between an idol who craves love from fans and a fan who wants to prove their love, you can see the idol and virtual culture. It is possible to compare the love for an existing idol that exists but is too ideal with the love of a virtual but extremely realistically loving virtual idol. If existing idols need one-way love, virtual idols realize complete love that can always be communicated with fans. The characters in Kwon Hye-young's "Eating Love," who are tired of one-way love, feel complete love as they pursue virtual idols. If love was incomplete and uncomfortable for them, they found the possibility of complete love due to virtual idols. Based on this narrative, Chapter 2 examines the changed perceptions of virtual idols and characters with completely indispensable characteristics. Chapter 3 follows the character's gaze by focusing on the idol fandom's love view and comparing the fan's love view toward the existing idol with virtual idols that provide complete love, a form of divine love.

The 'We' After the Apocalypse - The Cultural Politics of Genre and Time in <Concrete Utopia>

Sunah Kim | 2024, 30(3) | pp.155~181 | number of Cited : 0

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The film Concrete Utopia achieved box office success and gained contemporary public acclaim, demonstrating the commercial potential of the post-apocalyptic film genre. This paper examines what the 'future' dystopia depicted in Concrete Utopia signifies. Concrete Utopia presents a cultural politics of an uncanny utopia through its genre, narrative time, and arrangement of cinematic apparatus. This is primarily centered around three temporalities: the temporality of screen media, the symbolic temporality of the child, and the temporality of flashbacks. Each of these times is divided into the present/near future, the time of screen media where documentary and SF are indistinguishable, the absence of children as symbols of the future, and flashbacks lacking a past to return to, respectively representing the present, future, and past. Screen media, beginning with the history of apartments and showing the ruined present, demonstrates the perpetuity of the fetishism towards 'apartments'. In the ruined present, children, who symbolize the future of reproduction, are absent. Concrete Utopia sutures the place of 'child salvation', a convention of the post-apocalyptic genre, with the reality of low birth rates, signifying the impossibility of imagining a long-term future in South Korea. Not only the symbolism of children but also the convention of flashbacks reinforces the persistence of desire for 'apartments'. If capitalism is a system that operates on the premise of an imagined future as a fictional construct, then the desire for 'apartments' itself can be said to be a fictional construct driving South Korean capitalism. This paper is significant in revealing the affective structure of post-apocalyptic genre visual media currently resonating with the public, and in analyzing the cinematic expression of 'future' in the here and now.

A study on the genre conventions of game fantasy web novels

Moon Eun Hye | 2024, 30(3) | pp.183~213 | number of Cited : 0

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In this article, we will examine why the achievement subjects in game fantasy voluntarily continue grinding play by dividing them into layers of game, fantasy, and web novel elements. Thus, we will examine whether the achievement subjects revealed in game fantasy ultimately fulfill their purpose by serving the ideology of capitalism, or whether they can function as counter-subjects that can reveal other cracks and resistance. In game fantasy, the achievement subjects continue grinding play voluntarily and passionately. The achievement subjects, who experience the joy of success (growth) through obtaining items and leveling up with clear goals and clear procedures, the sense of belonging and stability that comes from being socially connected, and the epic of doing meaningful work with a sense of game and daily life, continue to grind play enthusiastically amidst a dual reality that embraces fantasy over reality. Game Fantasy reproduced this charm of happiness with ‘game elements such as status, quest, and level-up, and fantasy elements such as the overlap of the worldviews of the real world and the virtual world.’ Additionally, to progress the ‘Crisis-Resolution-Crisis’ pattern within the short span of a single chapter, the sincere Munchkin protagonist was born. The Munchkin protagonist displays surprising sincerity and kindness, which lives up to readers' expectations and desires. When a diligent and virtuous character achieves victory through hard work and leveling up, readers experience vicarious satisfaction. The protagonists of game fantasy have numerous narratives and implications. They are not only obsessed with the illusion of capital. They also recognize that they are exploited as playbor. They prepare to broadcast playbor without the power of the empire, with the power of the multitude, cracking at the edges, transforming it into another content. This article has research significance in that it clearly clarifies the genre conventions of game fantasy and discovers the potential for achievement subjects to function as counter-subjects that can reveal cracks and resistance.

A Study on Narrative Strategy of Netflix's Original Drama <3 BODY PROBL三M>

Park Sang Wan | 2024, 30(3) | pp.215~254 | number of Cited : 0

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This paper discusses the variations, thematic implications, and derivative effects of Netflix's original drama <3 BODY PROBL三M> from the perspective of its successful reimagining of the novel of the same name. First, <3 BODY PROBL三M> reorganizes the original characters, who were scattered across a vast expanse of space and time, into a group of interrelated characters in the present. In the process, the characters are stereotyped, the plot is simplified, and the conflict is reorganized into familiar binary oppositions of humanity vs aliens and us vs others. It's a crowd-friendly attempt to lower the barrier of entry to the complex original story and increase viewer comprehension. The thematic implications of this adaptation are also different from the original. On the political side, this drama avoids the controversies surrounding real-life China that were raised in the original by emphasizing individuals rather than countries/organizations. On the ethical side, this drama uses moral ethics such as motherhood, love, and sacrifice as the driving force of the narrative, re-emphasizing their necessity and importance. This change, which emphasizes traditional ethics at the expense of de-politicizing them, can be read as part of a strategy to appeal universally to a global audience with diverse values. But, this narrative strategy in <3 BODY PROBL三M> can be revisited in other ways. In the process of reorganizing the characters, attempts are made to promote cultural diversity, but there is a desire to restore the Western-centered world order. In addition, the idealized aspect of science and technology is emphasized, and the modern progressive worldview is more prominent than the naturalization of humanity. The Western-centered planning of the <3 BODY PROBL三M> requires further research on the essential nature of global content.

The Creator-Creation Relationship and the Paradox of Human Enhancement in the <Prometheus>

PARK SUNGHO | 2024, 30(3) | pp.255~282 | number of Cited : 0

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Storytelling Aspects of ‘Narratives of Affair and Revenge’, a Contemporary Romance Web Novel in the 2020s - Focusing on <Melting Slow>, <The Perfect Marriage>, <Marry My Husband> and <I Can't Eat It, So I'm Impatient>

Park Chan Hyo | 2024, 30(3) | pp.283~318 | number of Cited : 0

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In the 2020s, ‘narratives of affair and revenge’ is gaining popularity among web novels in the contemporary romance genre. However, most of them are related to the settings of existing soap opera while aiming for stimulating interest. The purpose of this study is to analyze the diversification of the narratives in <Marry My Husband> and <I Can't Eat It, So I'm Impatient>, which contain the motifs of affair and revenge, and break away from the typical storytelling of the romance genre. First, we examined the clichés of ‘wounded woman’, ‘contract marriage’ and ‘competition’, focusing on <Melting Slow> and <The Perfect Marriage>. These three clichés are widely found in the contemporary romance genre that deals with affair and revenge, although there are differences in the visualization of the relationships between characters. The female protagonist, who was abused by her family, proposes a contract marriage to a man from a wealthy family when she finds out about her lover’s affair, and this becomes a means of successfully taking revenge. And in the midst of the sibling rivalry connected to affair, themes such as paternity, murder, and conspiracy are highlighted, and the male and female protagonists are saved in the form of ‘romantic love’. On the other hand, in <Marry My Husband> (Seong So-jak), the female protagonist realizes that there are people who are harmed as she changes her fate, and ponders the ethics of a ‘being that went back in time’. This novel maintains the happy ending through the marriage and pregnancy of the male and female protagonists. However, as the process of the female protagonist actively taking revenge is highlighted, the bond between the female protagonist and her helper is more importantly depicted. On the other hand, <I Can't Eat It, So I'm Impatient> (Plaada) is a work that does not follow the clichés of typical affair revenge stories. Since the female protagonist does not respond to her lover’s betrayal with revenge, there is no competition between the female protagonist and lover's mistress. And as the female protagonist re-recognizes the meaning of romance and the growth process of exploring what she wants is narrated, the romance is delayed. The works of Seong So-jak and Plaada have the typicality of a cider revenge story based on marriage with a chaebol man and the punishment of evil. However, the ‘contract marriage’ disappears, and the cliche of the competition between the female protagonist and lover's mistress is twisted, changing the form of romance. This study is significant in that it has analyzed in detail a romance story that partially deviates from the existing narrative that pursued romantic love and shows a new storytelling style.

Post-Political Biopolitics and Ontology of The elderly

Seo Dong Soo | 2024, 30(3) | pp.319~349 | number of Cited : 0

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This paper examines the existential status of older adults today through the lens of critical gerontology. Currently, the predominant trend in gerontology is focused on 'successful aging'. Older adults are increasingly viewed as exemplars of 'successful aging' itself. Loneliness, solitude, and reflections on pain are considered hindrances to successful aging. Existing aging policies construct older adults as passive beings. They are not only reduced to objects of management and control but also degraded to incompetent surplus existences. Examples illustrating this include the animation "Oldman Z" and the film "I, Daniel Blake", where older adults become appendages of welfare systems or victims of neoliberal policies. The lifecycle theory, a major theory in elder care, resembles nothing more than the lifecycle of a product. Moreover, similar to the logic of planned obsolescence of commodities, old age is constructed as an existence to be discarded. In post-political biopolitics, older adults are exposed to violence under the guise of tolerance. The isolation and decline of older adults are justified under the guise of recognizing differences. Nursing homes are nothing more than institutionalized confinement facilities. Furthermore, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults exist in a state of exception, where they can be discarded at any time, thus becoming excluded ‘homo sacer’ politically and legally. The animation "Wrinkles" and the novel "The Old Man's War" are representative examples. In a society that mystifies and worships anti-aging, true 'aging' is impossible. In short, we have entered an era of aging without old age, of older adults without elders. Serious discourse on the existence of 'aging' and 'older adults' is impossible in a society that defines aging as an enemy. Above all, we must be able to witness the genuine suffering experienced by older adults. This courage should lead to the invention of new language (discourse) for older adults and society, which can only take shape through an integrated process across various disciplines.

Chaste Woman and Widow Narrative as New Version - Focused on Television Dramas <The Matchmakers>, <The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract>, and <Knight Flower>

GaIn Son , Choi, Yeon-Su , KIM CHAEKYUNG | 2024, 30(3) | pp.351~380 | number of Cited : 0

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This study aims to firstly, analyze how the recently broadcasted chaste woman and widow narratives in the television dramas The Matchmakers, The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, and Knight Flower encompassed the ideology of chastity, and secondly, examine the implied messages. Throughout history, societies have assigned various semantic systems to women's sexuality, which have evolved with changing ages and social systems. The ‘Chaste woman and widow narrative’ - the focus of this study - now reflects viewers' critical thinking and preferences after being reinterpreted through dramas. Consequently, this narrative requires a comprehensive approach that includes both narrative and media levels. The three dramas set in the Joseon era, directly portray the violence of pre-modern moral ideology inflicted on widows, However, rather than merely illuminating these narratives, they attempt reinterpretation by addressing contemporary social phenomena such as career interruption for women, single parenthood, and discourse on singlehood. In this sense, they can be seen as modern media’s new version of chaste women/widow narratives, The widowed woman setting emphasizes altruistic love, highlighting the ability to overcome difficulties and sacrifice oneself for others. Additionally, the liberation and self-realization of widows, unattainable in the past, can be viewed as an accomplishment only possible in 21st-century television dramas. However, the commercial nature of television dramas brings limitations that overlook the violence of social institutions. While loyalty to a husband may have been an individual choice, thet ensuing life of confinement and servitude represents systematic violence. It is also noteworthy that three dramas romanticize women’s navigation of social oppression through romance plots. The liberation of widows in the dramas is only accomplished by eliminating the intentionally established absolute evil that relies on law and power. The fantastical endings for the chaste women/widows trivialize the issues of pre-modern moral ideology while simultaneously suggesting that contemporary challenges such as remarriage, singlehood, and issues of support and child-rearing can be easily overcome with 'true love’.

A Decolonial Reading of Kaneshiro Kazuki’s <GO>

Shim, Ji-won | 2024, 30(3) | pp.381~433 | number of Cited : 0

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Kaneshiro Kazuki’s novel GO presents an original narrative and a decolonial consciousness that transcends the ethnic discrimination and cultural differences often repeated in the literature of Zainichi Koreans. The purpose of this study is to analyze the protagonist’s process of growing into a transnational subject, breaking free from the oppressive structures of nation and ethnicity, along with the narrative techniques used. Through this, the study aims to discuss decolonial ways of thinking and the issues related to the formation of personal identity. This paper first explores how the protagonist, through “de-linking,” breaks free from traditional ethnic and national oppression and grows into an autonomous, reflective subject. It examines the protagonist’s intellectual journey as they grapple with national identity, study the reasons behind prejudice and its historical context, and share knowledge with various minority groups to create a discourse of resistance. By doing so, the study analyzes how the protagonist comes to live a self-determined life, unbound by the constraints of the state. Throughout this process, the protagonist forms a new identity through solidarity with different minority groups, ultimately choosing a more autonomous path. The novel addressed in this study differs from the popular film adaptation of GO, emphasizing themes of “choice” and “knowledge” concerning one's own history, society, and prejudice. The process of making choices and acquiring knowledge in the search for ethnic identity aligns with decolonial choices and knowledge discussed in decolonial theory. This study highlights how GO goes beyond the boundaries of Zainichi Korean literature, presenting a new narrative form based on decolonial thought, and evaluates its significance. The novel stands as an example of transcending ethnic narratives traditionally explored in Zainichi Korean literature, achieving broader appeal within Japanese society.

A Study on Intergenerational Cultural Care Dynamics in Immigrant Narratives - Focusing on the film <Minari> and the novel <When you Trap a Tiger>

Lee Min Gyeong | 2024, 30(3) | pp.435~468 | number of Cited : 0

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This study posits that intergenerational cultural care is commonly found in recent immigrant narratives that have gained significant attention. By analyzing texts using this framework, this study aims to derive the implications of ‘care’ as a crucial keyword in contemporary society. The ultimate goal is to clearly delineate the blueprint of the care paradigm required in the new era as presented in popular narratives. The target works feature third-generation Korean immigrants born overseas as protagonists within Korean families settled abroad. They depict interactions where these grandchildren meet their grandmothers, who have unfamiliar Korean cultures, and engage in mutual care. The generational and cultural intersection, stemming from the grandparent-grandchild relationship and the differing cultural backgrounds, enriches the meaning of the care exchanged between the characters. Examining the care provided by Soon-ja in <Minari> and Ae-ja in <When you Trap a Tiger> to their third-generation grandsons reveals that their caregiving is not one-sided, imposing traditional Korean culture or their generational values. Instead, they dedicate themselves to their grandchildren, accepting them as they are and conveying the message that ‘you are a strong child.’ Through this, the care recipients establish their self-identity, grow into beings capable of providing care, and form a mutually caring relationship. Based on Noddings' care ethics, which emphasizes that a care relationship is complete only when the care recipient accepts the care, this study examines how both the caregiver and the care recipient become subjects of solidarity through receptivity and mutual care. The discourse on care has shifted from the family to the societal and institutional levels. While institutional care based on needs is essential, care that embraces the other and offers genuine compassion remains equally important. By exploring immigrant narratives that depict how individuals from different cultures and generations care for one another, we can gain valuable insights into the true essence of ‘care’.

The Digital Afterlife and The Ethics of Death in Sci-Fi Films, <Mind Universe>(2023) and <Wonderland>(2024)

Pyo Yujin | 2024, 30(3) | pp.469~494 | number of Cited : 0

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This study analyses science fiction film narratives about 'mind-uploading' technology with the objective of examining the significance and limitations of the epistemological and ontological ideas that are raised by the science fiction imagination in contemporary cinema. In the 2020s, the Korean film industry has witnessed a surge in interest and anticipation for science fiction films. Works that employ cutting-edge technologies to reflect on prospective advancements and their societal implications have emerged. Both Mind Universe (2023) and Wonderland (2024) posit a future society that utilises mind uploading technology to create a digital afterlife, thereby exploring the ways in which such a society would deal with and mourn death. In Mind Universe, the nature of digitally stored memory is revealed through contact with an AI constructed from the memories of the deceased. Furthermore, the film depicts the desire of those who have lost loved ones to complete their mourning by reconstructing existence and space-time, even if posthumously. In contrast, Wonderland seeks to portray a concept of love that extends beyond the boundaries of death through the construction of a virtual world inhabited by an AI based on the memories of the deceased. However, the narrative that exploits death and excludes acknowledgement of loss gives rise to a biopolitical future that negates the capacity for mourning. A detailed analysis of the narratives and themes of the two films reveals that the science fiction imagination in Korean cinema calls for reflection on a number of key concepts, including family, love, relationships, and the ethical consideration of death. This raises the question of whether the narrative dimension, in addition to the spectacular production and technical elements, provides sufficient alternative reasons for death. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the necessity for a posthuman ethics of death and illustrates how science fiction can serve as an alternative discursive platform for its discourse.

Why Rewriting the History of Housemaids Matters - Exploring Archival Possibilities and Meta-Historical Approaches

JANG YOUNG EUN | 2024, 30(3) | pp.495~517 | number of Cited : 0

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Journal of Popular Narrative 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.85

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2024, Vol.30, No.3 All Issues