Goong: A Fairy Tale for All

Soo Hee Park’s manga, The Royal Palace Goong, portrays a young girl who obtains a twisted fairy tale in real life. Goong is about how a high school girl must marry the crowned prince of Korea. Crowned prince of Korea? This may sound a bit awkward for Korea, today, has a republic, not a monarchy. However, Park spins a tale of fantasy where an everyday girl has a chance to become royalty. The main character, Shin Chae Kyung, finds out in her senior year of high school that she must marry the rude crowned prince, Lee Shin, who also attends her high school. At first she downright refuses for she overhears him proposing to another girl and she also realizes that he has a repulsive personality. However, after realizing that her family is in a swirling amount of debt, she agrees to marry the prince. Then what about the prince? Doesn’t he like another girl? However, the prince also agrees to marry her for he states, “Why would I subject a girl I like to a life living like a doll in the palace?” Chae Kyung replies, “What about me?” Shin then answers by saying nonchalantly that he agreed to this marriage for he doesn’t care about her. The story progresses from there. The wedding is set and Chae Kyung is to become the next royal princess of Korea by marriage. This manga created a huge sensation in all of Korea, it appealed to not the typical young girl, but also to adults, even grandparents. I believe that this manga appealed to such a variety of ages for it appeals to the aspect of a normal, everyday girl experiencing a fairy tale of where she becomes a princess, just like Cinderella. However, this storyline possesses a twist, for where this is not a marriage out of love. It is a symbiotic relationship in which marriage will give both characters a source of benefit. Chae Kyung’s family will no longer be in debt. Prince Shin will obtain a wife who he does not care about in the least, but will be protecting the girl he likes and at the same time, preserve the royal bloodline for the generations to come. However, though this marriage is first spun out of complete apathy for one another, involving no romantic feelings, their relationship begins to blossom as they both realize that there is much more underneath than what meets the eye.