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‘Father-Daughter Conflict’ and ‘Romantic Union’ as Archetypal Narratives : Reading the Folktale Living by My Own Fortune through the Web Novel Under the Oak Tree

  • The Research of the Korean Classic
  • 2026, (72), pp.57~92
  • Publisher : The Research Of The Korean Classic
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature > Korean classic prose
  • Received : January 17, 2026
  • Accepted : February 5, 2026
  • Published : February 28, 2026

KimJuongHee 1

1한국항공대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study analyzes the narrative correlation between the Korean folktale “I Live by My Own Fortune” and Kim Suji’s web novel “Under the Oak Tree” to examine patterns of modern inheritance and variation of traditional folktale narratives. “I Live by My Own Fortune” is a representative classical Korean narrative structured around father- daughter conflict and male-female union. In this tale, the third daughter’s process of achieving independence through confrontation with her wealthy father unfolds through a structure of latent conflict, overt conflict, triumph, and forgiveness. In the latent conflict phase, the wealthy father’s confirmation and display of control over his daughters plants the seeds of conflict between himself and the third daughter. In the overt conflict phase, the father’s demands become explicit, and the third daughter’s refusal emerges openly. The father-daughter conflict reaches its climax when the wealthy father coercively exercises his control by forcing the third daughter into marriage. In the triumph phase, the third daughter’s success and the wealthy father’s downfall are depicted. This triumph belongs to both the third daughter and her husband, the charcoal-burner. In the forgiveness phase, the third daughter forgives her father. The father pays the price for his wrongdoing, and the third daughter forgives him after he has suffered the consequences. The web novel “Under the Oak Tree” shares the structure of latent conflict, overt conflict, and triumph from the folktale “I Live by My Own Fortune”. As in the folktale, during the latent conflict phase, the wealthy father Duke Croyso treats his two daughters as instruments for fulfilling his own desires and displays his control over them. In the overt conflict phase, Maximillian Croyso, corresponding to the third daughter, is forced by her father Duke Croyso to marry Riftan, a knight of humble and impoverished origins, and relocates to Riftan’s barren territory. In the triumph phase, Maximillian and Riftan’s struggles to transform the barren territory into a prosperous one are depicted, and their efforts succeed. While Riftan’s territory grows powerful, Duke Croyso’s influence diminishes and weakens. Throughout this process, Maximillian contributes to building the territory as Riftan’s equal partner. The daughter, who believed herself incapable without the wealth and power inherited from her father, transforms through marriage into a competent ruler. However, significant differences also exist between the two works. In “I Live by My Own Fortune”, the third daughter forgives her fallen father and restores their relationship, whereas in “Under the Oak Tree”, Maximillian does not forgive her father. This narrative choice reflects a contemporary orientation that presents complete separation from an unjust parent as the fulfillment of personal growth. Thus, the comparison of these two works demonstrates that the narrative of “I Live by My Own Fortune” maintains its popular appeal today, while also revealing that contemporary narratives do not simply replicate it but vary it according to present-day sensibilities. This confirms that oral folktales are not relics confined to a specific genre form that have disappeared, but living narratives that are continuously transmitted and recreated through new media and narrative forms.

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