KJCKorea
Journal Central

The purpose of this study is to examine the form and spatial temporality of empathy between characters in the folktales which includes the structure of empathy. The tales of <The famous place that was obtained after saving the dead>, <The famous place that was obtained after saving the dying person>, <The man who was blessed after saving the daughter of Jeong-seung who was sold>, <The man who held the executive and held a position on the first night>, and <The seven-year-old man who saved the daughter-in-law of the portrait shop> are the subjects of this study. The common feature is that the subject of empathy and the other do not know each other. The subject is in a situation where there is no economic and psychological space to sympathize with the other, but the one who received the subject's help remembers it and attempts to repay the favor. It is a happy ending for both the subject of empathy and the other. The moment where the subject of empathy decides to provide altruistic help towards the other by their own will, namely, time and space, is when he arrives at the kairotic opportunity in the time of Chronos where he is objective, linear, and connected. Empathy is a skill that people can develop through education. Therefore, these stories can be viewed as a desire for people to empathize with each other through time and to live a humane life even at difficult moments by supporting each other and corresponding with the time of Kairos.

Structure of Empathy, Place of Empathy, Chronos, Kairos, Folktale