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An Ancient mirror; the otherness of Tokkaebi

  • Journal of Korean Literature
  • 2008, (18), pp.33-53
  • Publisher : The Society Of Korean Literature
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature

Kyung-Seop kim 1

1건국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Koreans, on the one hand, transfer their scopes of consciousness into those of unconsciousness through Tokkaebi, and the reverse process is also true. To put it another way, Tokkaebi plays a critical role as a medium of communication between the consciousness and the unconsciousness among Koreans. Koreans tend to reflect their reluctant 'shadow of mind' through the being called Tokkaebi. As a matter of fact, however, it is true Tokkaebi is an alien substance, as familiar it is. It is the very its characteristic of ambivalence and marginal-being that induces us to call Tokkaebi a 'familiar trap,' or a 'well-known monster'. Tokkaebi is far from being a god, and it falls into the category of neither human being nor natural being. That's why Tokkaebi wanders around us with being affiliated to nowhere. Most strangers, gods and monsters can be proofs that reveal the presence of crevices in the human abyss. We human beings have equalized the goodness with self-identity and the concept of sameness, as well as vice with alien-beings. Alien beings and monsters exist not only in the legends or fantasy but also in the unconscious core of our culture as a mirror that hint how our culture is structured. In this vein, ghosts, which hold so-called traumas, can be classified into the category of 'The other'. Of course, needless to say, Tokkaebi is sure to be called 'The other'. By pursuing its behaviors and conceptuality, this thesis is aimed at investigating the otherness of Tokkaebi among Tokkaebi-Tales. In conclusion, Tokkaebi has the characteristic of 'double identity', 'double otherness' and 'the double self and the otherness.' Tokkaebi, which can be defined as 'double identity', is not a monster differentiated from human-self. This tales display the relationship between self and an 'identified stranger' or between self and an 'internalized stranger.' The concept of 'double otherness' of Tokkaebi imitate the concept of metamorphosis enabling the otherness of females from males. Tokkaebi, playing a role of 'the double self and the otherness,' puts emphasis on us how we should treat other ourselves in us and how dangerous myself in me can be.

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