A Comparative Study on Human Views in Mythologies and Webtoons

Abstract

Myths can provide a cross-section of human views in ancient societies. This study compared Zeus in Greek mythology and Hwanung in Korean mythology. This study also analyzed Lore Olympus and Baro-Jamneun-Sunaebo to derive their views of human beings. As a result, this study derived the following findings: First, it is confirmed that the Zeus and Hwanung who appear in the webtoons are similar to their prototypes. However, the Zeus and Hwanung in webtoons live and dress in the context of the modern era. Second, there was a difference between the two cultures in how humans are viewed in the two myths and webtoons. Lore Olympus shows that humans, as seen through Zeus, are imperfect beings with divine origins and nature and the relationship between humans and gods is vertical. In addition, human beings worship heroes who must endure hardships while constantly learning in a person-centered way. This study also reveals that in Baro-Jamneun-Sunaebo, based on Korean mythology, human beings examined through Hwanung prioritize community, value moral life, and grow through training and overcoming hardships because they are beings who can become gods themselves. This study presents the human view of the two cultures through the analysis of webtoon characters, which is expected to contribute academically and practically to understanding different cultures.