DYSTOPIAN THEME IN SOUTH KOREAN LITERATURE AND FILM

Abstract

The theme Dystopia began as a response to Utopian theory, which isrelated to perfect communities. A dystopia is an imaginary community or society that is dehumanized and is therefore terrifying with people who are forced to battle for survivalin a ruined environment with technological control and oppression by the governing authority. Dystopian novels or films can challenge readers to think differently about the current social and political contexts, and can even promptpositive actions for the future of human beings. Recently, not only America and Europe but also South Korea has witnessed the increasing release of a range ofdystopian or post-apocalyptic films and novels. These creations reflect the harsh reality of our modern life in which human beings have to confront disasters, pandemics and problems of the modern industrialized society. Though usually set in a future scene, the dystopian theme can function as an open gate, an objection from the present, or as the “archaeology of the Future”. The success of South Korean literature and film on this topic claims the strong rise of SouthKorean wave in the world’s pop culture. It also shows that sci-fi works with dystopian theme can be seen as an anti-social discourse as well as their possibility of merging with the mainstream works.