<신과 함께> 웹툰과 영화에 반영된 뮈토스(mythos) 고찰

Abstract

Ju Ho-min’s webtoon Along with the Gods (Singwa hamkke), serialized on Naver Webtoons from 2010 to 2012, reimagined Korea’s Buddhist and shamanic mythology regarding the afterlife. It achieved immense popularity and was adapted into two films in 2017 and 2018, both of which performed exceptionally well at the box office. This paper compares the first volume of the webtoon (the “Afterlife Volume”) with the first of these two films (subtitled “The Two Worlds”), examining how the message of the narrative changed in the process of media conversion. The concept of “mythos(μῦθος),” meaning an overriding set of values or worldview that may include individual myths, is borrowed
 to examine both the webtoon’s and the film’s messages. The webtoon makes active use of traditional myths with which general readers might not be familiar, and by taking an everyman as its protagonist and depicting the afterlife in a modernized, familiar way it encourages readers to imagine themselves in the same situation that protagonist Kim Ja-hong finds himself in. This gives readers the opportunity to put themselves in Ja-hong’s shoes and reflect on their own sins. In addition, comparisons drawn between this life and the afterlife express social criticism, demonstrating in particular how unreasonable modern society is and how difficult it is for someone to live a decent
 life. This is ultimately a criticism of the “success mythos” prevalent in modern Korean society. The film, on the other hand, introduces viewers to a heroic protagonist and depicts the afterlife in a variegated way suited to fantasy or historical drama. In particular, the punishment of sinners in the various hells, the journey undertaken between the hells by the protagonist and the Guardians, the scenes of fights with terrifying creatures or spirits, and the scenes depicting a Guardian chasing and fighting a vengeful spirit all present spectacles worthy of a blockbuster film. This spectacle may function to immerse the viewer in the film, but it also presents an obstacle to the viewer putting themselves in the protagonist’s shoes. In addition, the film’s final message of “forgiveness” and “love” perpetuates the modern mythos of motherhood seen in concepts such as “wise mother, good wife.” It is unlikely that this mythos was expressed intentionally; more likely, it simply shows that it still exists implicitly in Korean society, and it emerged as the filmmakers attempted to heighten viewer empathy for the characters.