Korean web-novel is a descriptive genre which is created, distributed and consumed throughout the Web as well as a representative web content currently taking the center stage outside Korea. This study especially intends to focus on the point where th...
Korean web-novel is a descriptive genre which is created, distributed and consumed throughout the Web as well as a representative web content currently taking the center stage outside Korea. This study especially intends to focus on the point where the structure of materials and description connects with the structure of returning from dreaming in fictional biography in Mongryurok and Mongja novel groups, based on romance narrative of strangers which is the major kind of Korean web-novels. Based on the preceded studies in early 2000’s on internet novels and fan-fictions, discussions on web-novels have been conducted with a focus on the aspect of utilizing various media and repetition of romance convention.
In this study, unlike the preceded ones, it focuses on the connection between the aspect of fantasy-romance combination in narratives and Korean traditional novels with intention of finding significance of Korean web-novels in the history of studies. Therefore, throughout an analysis on how the most basic desire among humans, love and affection are embodied in the literary works, are verified. And by relating this with ‘eroticism’ the concept suggested by Georges Bataille, the aspect of how the romance narrative in Korean web-novels represents the public desire is verified.
In chapter 2, the romance narrative in web-novels is divided based on the physical capacity of both male and female characters, into two categories: ordinary person type and strange person type. An ordinary person type of romance narrative deals with ordinary female and male main characters and repeatedly provides the preceded convention in the romance genre. In a strange person type of romance narrative, one of male and female characters, or both of them have ability superior to that of ordinary people and confront with a gloomy situation of the world. Abilities given to strange-type characters convert the space where the narrative takes place into a biography. In the converted space, the deficiency in the characters are resolved throughout romantic relationship with the non-human. This suggests that the aspect in fictional biographies is being reproduced among the web-novels.
Chapter 3 examines the aspect of eroticism throughout a detailed analysis on the narrative structure in web-novels. In web-novels, the structure of returning from dreaming among novels in Mongyurok and Mongja group appears in a form changed into motives of dimension shifting, reincarnation, possession, sacrifice and etc. The structure of returning from dreaming among web-novels relocate the characters from reality to a strange world and create experience of death. Thus the characters change into a new person by which making of relationship with opposing characters occurs. Changes in characters emphasize the deficient elements and necessarily connects with romantic relationship.
In web-novels, the male character and the female character fulfill their deficiency throughout desiring each other and accomplishing their affection. The romance relationship with the female character is formed by the deficiency of the male character. Accomplishment of affection brings fulfillment of deficiency to the male character and elevated status to the female character. Though the combination of those is an accomplishment of eroticism that realized totality by fulfilling the deficiency, the negative elements in eroticism are missing. Therefore the romance narrative in web-novels is barely eroticism in the true sense, but merely embellished eroticism.
Chapter 4 intends to draw a significance of romance narrative in web-novels based on the analysis on the text above. Web-novels provide experience of spatial migration into the world of the reality, the Web, and the fantasy to readers. This is a kind of the dream-in-dream structure which suggests to readers, the world of day-dreams completely detached from the reality. In the time and space detached from the reality, readers enjoy a completely idealized fantasy. Web-novels provide a well-organized fantasy that does not exist in the reality which pursues heterotopia, a kind of actualized utopia.
Web-novels maintain the tension between episodes throughout motives with high transgression, and actualize a kind of multi-divided narrative. Each individual episode of web-novels constitutes complete narrative and at the same time, maintains the tension by suggesting a clue of new events. Thus readers maintain being absorbed. Throughout the Web, a space detached from daily life, Korean web-novels reflect the public’s desire to eliminate negativity and enjoy only positivity in the consumer society by suggesting an idealized romance relationship throughout the composition of multi-divided narrative.