Goong: Gender, Tradition, and "Koreanness"

I am SO glad that Goong, both the graphic novel and the television show, were included on the syllabus! I found them both to be very enjoyable, funny, and fascinating to study. The issue of gender that was brought up in class (regarding the HOT and g.o.d music videos) is also relevant in relation to Goong (in both mediums.) In the comic, the young male characters are physically portrayed as feminine. Prince Shin Lee’s long, styled hair, his well-shaped eyebrows, long eyelashes, and voluptuous lips are all feminizing features. His cousin Yul is drawn similarly. However, the older men in the comic, such as the King and Chae- Kyung’s father, are portrayed as masculine. What does this say about what younger generations find attractive? During the counter culture revolution in America in the 60s, it was stylish for men to grow their hair long, as a form of rebellion and going against the grain. Is the same true today in Korea? Is appearing feminine a way for a younger generation of men to set themselves apart from their parents? Perhaps it is also a reflection of South Korea’s political situation. Unlike in previous eras, this generation of Korean young men are not growing up during wartime (such as the Korean War), or during major upheavals (like the Kuanju riots). Could the popularity of a feminine look for males stem from the fact that they are not being asked to prove their “manliness” through fighting in a war or demonstrations? This idea may be a bit of a stretch...

In the television version of Goong, it is true that both Prince Shin Lee and his cousin have long hair, but in appearance, they do not exude the same kind of femininity as they do in the comic book; however, it is still interesting to examine how some of the male characters act. Chae-Kung’s father is the most gender-bending character in the show. He wears a flowery apron, pink cleaning gloves, and is domineered by his over-bearing wife. The fact that his wife is supporting the family and he is the one who is responsible for their debt exhibits un- stereotypical gender roles for television. Goong the television show is very much female-centered, and has many powerful female characters. Chae-Kung’s mother leads the family, and only empresses rule the palace (excluding the Princes, all of the male royalty is dead). In the comic, Chae-Kung’s grandfather is alive and involved in the marriage arrangement, but his character is absent from the television show. Maybe this change reflects modernity- where as historical monarchies were usually very male centered, this monarchy reflects modern Korea and women's emerging power?

This leads to thoughts about “Koreanness.” Although Chae-Kung’s father is depicted as a bumbling, silly character on the television show, both versions of Goong express the traditional Korean value of filial piety. The reason for the Prince and Chae-Kung’s marriage is to honor a promise made by their grandfathers; yet, simultaneously, Goong also exhibits the idea of changing Korean values. Doobo Shim, in Hybridity and the Rise Of Korean Popular Culture in Asia, writes, “The fact that Seo Taiji was a high school dropout but managed to earn a social respect and succeed financially influenced parents’ ideas about stardom. In a country where the average family viewed university entrance examinations for children as being of utmost importance, stardom came to be considered a new option for success” (37). This phenomenon is reflected in the fact that in both the comic and the television show, Chae- Kung is a very poor student, and in the television show, she attends an arts school for those wanting to be artists, fashion designers, dancers, and filmmakers.


- Melanie Lubin