• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.239-249
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• 2020

Ne Zha: I am the destiny(2019)and Ne Zha Conquers the Dragon King(1979)as animated films based on the theme of Ne zha in different eras and contexts, reflecting the value and significance of different artistic images of Ne zha, The study of the value turn in the character image of Ne zha reflects the different styles of artistic images of Ne zha. This thesis attempts to interpret the changing values behind the different artistic expressions of the Ne zha character in different films. The transformation of Ne zha's image from good to evil, and the shift from the idea of "submit to the will of heaven" to the idea of "taking one's destiny into one's own hands" reflect the different values and meanings of Ne zha's image in different eras. Each film is distinctly contemporary, and Ne Zha: I am the destiny is an innovative and in-depth look at the character of Ne zha in the new era of cinema. There are many forms of artistic expression, and these differences greatly increase the appeal of Ne zha's artistic image, making Chinese animation films more space and value for development.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.38
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• pp.177-194
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• 2015

This study that had been conducted two months by a research team of Pusan National University at the request of Korea Manwha Contents Agency in Dec. 2013 is about the statistical analysis on 'Korean Webtoon DB and its Flow Report' which resulted from the complete survey of Korean webtoons which had been published with payment in official media from early 2000 to 2013. Webtoon which means the cartoons published on web has become a typical type of Korean cartoons and has developed into a main industry since 2000s when traditional published cartoons had declined and social environments had changed. Today, it represents cultural contents in Korea. This study collected the webtoons officially published in media with payment, among Korean webtoons having been published from the early 2000s to Jan. Based on the collected data, it analyzed the general characteristics of webtoons, including cartoonists, the number of cartoons, distribution chart of each media, genre, and publication cycle. According to the data analysis and statistics, a great deal of Korean webtoons are still published in main portal websites, but their platform is being diversified and a webtoon's publication cycle tends to be shortened. In terms of genre, traditional popular genres, such as drama, comic, fantasy, and action, are still popular, and the genres of history, sports, and food are on the rise along with a social trend. Regarding webtoon application, such events as relay webtoon and brand webtoon, and a new type of webtoon featuring PPL commercialism appear. Such phenomena can realize the common profits of cartoonists, media, and ordering bodies, and are various trials to test the possibility of webtoons. In addition, what needs to pay attention on in the expansion of webtoons is increasing webtoons for adults. The study subjects are the webtoons published with payment, excluding free webtoons. However, this study failed to collect the webtoons published on the online websites already closed, and the lost information on cartoonists and their lost webtoons, and it is necessary to conduct a complete survey on all webtoons including free ones. Despite the limitations, this study is meaningful in the points that it categorized and analyzed Korean webtoons accoridng to official media, webtoons, cartoonists, and genres and that it provided a fundamental material to understand the current conditions of webtoons. It is expected that this study will be able to contribute to activating more research on webtoons and producing more supplementary data which will be used for the Korean cartoon industry and academia.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.40
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• pp.211-242
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• 2015

Recently, the shrunk influence of printed cartoon has been superseded by the influence of Webtoon in the comic industry. Webtoon has gained popularity and interest by being served on internet quickly and easily. Their novel material and sympathetic topic have made it possible for many Webtoons to be reproduced into tv dramas and movies, so, the influence of them has been increased as the copyright industry of culture contents industry. The increasing interest for Webtoon has induced academic studies for the subject. Among the various studies in need on Webtoon, the most important study topics in need are 'Story' and 'Quality' which are criterion for readers to choose Webtoons to read. To create the Webtoon that are great at 'Story' and 'Quality', the study on plots should be preceded, which recast episodes organically through a logical causal relationship. Therefore, in this study, the plots of Webtoons have been analyzed through Rescue plot in and the Riddle plot in selected from the Kang Full's Webtoon series, 'mystery psychology horror season', which are evaluated as the great work at 'Story' and 'Quality.' The analysis was implemented based on Tobias' theory which suggests 'the characteristics of plot' and '8 principles for good plot.' First, Kang Full's webtoons were analyzed through 'the characteristics of plot' and '6 principles for good plot' which is modified from '8 principles of good plot' based on Tobias' theory. Applicability was checked if Tobias' theory could be applied to Kang Full's Webtoon checking through the scenes and contents of the Webtoon. (1) Tobias' 'the characteristics of plot' could be applied to both Rescue plot in and the Riddle plot in . (2) Among '6 principles for good plot', 5 principles are shown in The Lighting Store and all of the 6 principles in Neighbor. The result shows that Tobias theory could be applied to the plot of Webtoon. The fact that Kang Full's Webtoons are composed in a formulaic form could be identified through 'the characteristics of plot' and '6 principles for good plot' shown in Rescue plot in and the Riddle plot in .

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.49
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• pp.359-382
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• 2017

Content is the complex of art and technology of trend, so it is important to experience different technologies for content education. Today, many non-profit organizations plan and operate numbers of programs for disabilities, low-income, and minority families to enhance the quality of life and the realization of social integration. These programs are limited to museums and galleries, not so pro-actively in progressing. Various contend education is necessary to the expansion of cultural exchange for the culturally alienated area. Naver is running an outreach program named . It is an experience-based outreach program where current cartoon / webtoon writers come directly to the school to inform students about the basic story of comics and comic techniques. However, the fact that the is not centered on the marginalized area but is centered on the Seoul Gyeonggi area, has the limitation that they can not benefit from a wide range of programs because they have a space limit of 'school', and, has a spatial limitation that the experience of the work is excluded. 'Outreach programs in marginalized areas' must be reorganized into a fluid dimension, not a fixed, single-system program. You should be able to experience and experience your work by directly using various professional equipment of comics based on your capacity and experience, local culture, religion, and society. These program participants will gain the effect of attractive and effective learning with empathy with their comic experience. Meanings of Comics content outreach program are following: First, the rich cultural archive can be used efficiently by providing various contents to existing outreach programs with the educational limitation of museums and galleries. Second, Comics contents can be enjoyed as a part of our life by understanding diversity and technology of contents. Third, because it is the program of expertise' participation, it can remodel, and restructure the severed experience in remote areas for the continuous growth and development, and furthermore, it can enhance the understanding of society.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.37
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• pp.197-219
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• 2014

, one of the Disney's animations, hit the 10 million audience mark for the first time in the history of animations released in Korea. not only raised the fever with its theme song, 'Let it go', as well as Elsa, Anna, and Olaf's character products but caused sensations in many ways. If so, we need to think about what kind of meaning did create in Korea to be so sensational. This study examines the value that Frozen intended to deliver and the meaning it generated by using Greimas actant model and semiotic square. From the actant model analysis on Anna and Elsa from , it was identified that Anna desired to recover her relationship with Elsa and to take summer back in Arendelle. Her desires can be interpreted as her love toward Elsa and people in Arendelle. Meanwhile, Elsa always desired freedom although she confined herself because of her ability to freeze. In other words, Elsa desired to free herself from her freezing ability by finding out how to control her ability. Such desires of Anna and Elsa were achieved by their actions of true love, and the solution of all the conflicts in was an action of true love. From the semiotic square analysis on the meaning of , it was found out that created past-oriented value with which characters tried to change their abnormal lives of the present into their normal lives of the past. The characters tried to change their present lives where freezing winter comes in the middle of summer, communication between the sisters is cut off, and people try to take advantage of the abnormal state deliberately, into the past when the sisters had a good relationship and the natural season of summer in Arendelle. The past-oriented value that tried to tell us is similar to our reality. In our reality with a lot of unbelievable news and unstable circumstances, we desire to go back to the past when we were filled with affection and hope even though our lives were tough and difficult. This sentiment must have contributed to the huge success of in Korea.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.51
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• pp.293-319
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• 2018

Thanks to the advancement of the related technologies and equipment, today's video contents like movies, animations and soap operas are rapidly expanding their expressible cinematic imagination area. In order to fulfill the elevated visual expectations of audiences and realize exciting storytelling and fantastic world, the fusion of different techniques is actively used, and the reality for visual effects and image synthesis is increasing more and more. Accordingly, recent VFX-oriented movies using CG have a much more complicated production process than before. Therefore, the importance of Pre-visualization, aka Pre-vis is becoming bigger in the planning process for sophisticated design. Pre-vis means that the advance visualization for stories or directing ideas in the planning process before starting production of movies or animations. 3D animated Pre-visualization realizing directors' abstract and ambiguous ideas in 3 dimensional environment in advance is, as a powerful means for visual storytelling, briskly used focusing on the VFX film industry on which the present CG is broadly used, and the role of Pre-vis throughout productions has increased compared to the past. The studies, however, on the role and utility of Pre-vis are not enough. Therefore, this study was conducted on the role of Pre-vis used for present VFX movie productions using the examples of 3D animated Pre-visualization production in which the researcher of this study participated. In this study, the role of the Pre-vis that is subdivided presently, is divided into and 3D animatics and their each role is analyzed with the example images. Through this, the characteristics that Pre-vis should have are clarified and the concept of the advantages and utility led by the use of Pre-vis in productions is strengthened. The goal of this study is to induce active uses of Pre-vis throughout productions after forming consensus about the various roles of Pre-vis and their utility.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.50
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• pp.75-99
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• 2018

Makoto Shinkai, an animated film maker in Japan, has been featured as a one-person production system and as a 'writer of light', but his 2016 release of "Your Name" was a departure from the elements that characterize his existing works. At the same time, by the combination of the traditional musubi(むすび) story, ending these, it was a big hit due to its rich narratives and attraction of open interpretation possibility. As it can be guessed from the title of this work, this work shows the encounter between the Japanese ancient language and the modern language in relation to the 'name', and presents the image that the role of the name(language) is repeatedly emphasized with various variations in events for the perfect 'encounter'. In this work, the interpretations of $Signifi\acute{e}$ for characters and objects are extended and reserved as a metaphorical role of the similarity, depending on the meaning of the subject which they touch. The relationship between words and objects analyzed through the structure of Signifiant and $Signifi\acute{e}$ is an epoch-making ideological discovery of modern times revealed through F. Saussure. Focusing on "the difference" between being this and that from the notion of Saussure, Derrida dismissed logocentrism, rationalism that fully obeyed the order of Logos. Likewise, dismissing the center, or dismissing the owner had emerged after the exclusive and closed principle of metaphysics in the west was dismissed. Derrida's definition of 'deconstruction' is a philosophical strategy that starts with the insight on the nature of language. 'Dissemination,' a metaphor that he used as a methodological concept to read texts acts as interpretation and practice (or play), but does not pursue an ultimate interpretation. His 'undecidability' does not start with infinity, but ends with infinity. The researcher testifies himself and identifies that we can't be an interpreter of the world because we, as a human are not the subject of language but a user. Derrida also interpreted the world of things composed of Signifiant and $Signifi\acute{e}$ as open texts. In this respect, this study aimed to read Makoto's works telling about the meeting of a thing and a thing with name as a guide, based on Derrida's frame of 'deconstruction' and 'dissemination.' This study intends to re-consider which relationship the Signifiant and $Signifi\acute{e}$ have with human beings who live in modern times, examine the relationship between words and objects presented in this work through Jacques Derrida's destruction and dissemination concepts, and recognize that we are merely a part of Signifiant and $Signifi\acute{e}$. Just as Taki and Mitsuha confirm the existence by asking each other, we are in the world of things, expecting musubi that a world of names calls me.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.20
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• pp.75-86
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• 2010

Recently, as the number of female players has increased rapidly, the electronic gaming industry has begun to look at ways to appeal to the largely untapped female market. According to the latest game market investigative report by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the total number of game players in China increased by 24.8% in 2009, reached 69,130,000 people, and 38.9% of them are female players. This growth in the number of female player is corroborated by a series of investigative reports from IResearch Company in Shanghai, China: from 2003 to 2009, the number of female players grew from 8% to more than 49%. Therefore, no matter how much attention the game production companies have given to male players or how they have ignored the female players before, the companies would be sensible to face up this reality and adjust their marketing policy a bit more. This article analyzes gender preferences in video games which shows that male players are more likely to be attracted to elements of aggression, violence, competition and fast action in electronic game-playing, while female players are drawn to emotional and social aspects of the games such as an understanding of character relationships. The literatures cited indicates that female players also show apparent preference for games with familiar environments, games that allow players to work together, games that have more than one way to win, and games in which characters do not die. It also discusses the characteristics of female-friendly games from the aspect of emotion, pointing out that the simulation games involving pet, dressing-up, and social simulation games are very popular with female players. Because these are the most suitable game types to fill with emotions of love, share, jealousy, superiority, mystery, these are absolutely attractive to female players. Finally, in accord with the above, I propose some principles of designing female-oriented games, including presenting a good-looking leading character, making the story interesting with "live" NPCs(Non-Playing Characters), and finding ways to satisfy female nature instincts such as taking care of others and the inborn interest of classifying and selecting.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.45
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• pp.397-415
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• 2016

This paper will investigate how animated practice can be a research form as practice-led research in an ethnography approach. This practice-led research will explore the issue of the construction of contemporary identities (based on the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and in particular, the Korean youth culture and identity, exemplified, for example, creation of 'avatars' in the virtual characters of animated online games such as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs). In this proposed discussion, I will argue that the sudden period of change in contemporary Korea bears some resemblance to the Victorian era as explored in gothic fiction (e.g. Jekyll and Hyde). In this sense, my animation investigates the connection between the fictional Jekyll and Hyde and a real murder incident by a young Korean boy, which actually happened on the 16th November 2010, in SouthKorea.I will, therefore, construct this practice-led research to obtain the primary data consisted of online and offline practices in 'social ethnography'. These practices engage with specific Korean youth identity, comparing the 'avatar' with the real lives of participants. However, this paper will only focus on the (ethnographic) research process and strategy, using animated (visual) practices, rather than giving the meaning of the specific case of 'Korean-ness'. Eventually, I will explore the four different animated representations as it presents the distinctive animated realties or documentaries by online and offline practices. My intention is to visually interpret the issue of 'Korean-ness' within its socio-cultural context, adapting the convention and code of Jekyll and Hyde concept into an animated documentary in the 'virtual' world (auto-animated documentary by recording avatar interviews and online game footages) and the 'real' world (self-created animated documentary, based on real people and events).

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.28
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• pp.235-263
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• 2012

Regarding the theme park business as an area of cultural content business, this study focuses on the trend of pursuing indoor theme parks as a small-scale small capital strategy escaped from the existing approach oriented to large-scale outdoor complex theme parks. It is because although existing large-scale outdoor complex theme parks require the capital with the scale of hundreds of billion won and also high-level technique and the latest operational know-how that they have a great barrier for new entry as well as enormous risk, the rent indoor theme parks succeed in market entry with efficient risk management and flexible market strategies. Thereupon, this study examines the current status of the children's indoor theme park market with Korean characters as their theme as a new market among the indoor theme parks and also investigates the market strategies of this market in the two aspects of expansion: the expansion of Korean characters' property value and the expansion of the local theme park market. For that, this article reviewed the advanced researches on theme parks and divided the types of theme parks existing in Korea with the criteria of classification by space and theme or classification by main users. Also, among the children's indoor theme parks with Korean characters as their theme, this study visited five ones located in the capital area to examine the current status. And about two located in the capital area and also four in the local area, the current data were received from the persons in charge of the companies for analysis. Also, with the subjects of spectators visiting the 'DIBO VILLAGE, Cheonggye-cheon' newly opened on April 25th, 2012, the research on satisfaction was conducted for analysis. Through that, this study analyzed the structure of the existing children's indoor theme park business with Korean characters as their theme and suggested the ground to analyze the effectiveness of market strategies being implemented. It is expected that this study will establish the clues of systematic and profound discussion for the indoor theme park business that can be said to be the niche market of the theme park business and allow the small-scale areal indoor theme parks to be examined as a significant business model for the local theme park industry. In the aspect of character business as well, it is expected that this will give a chance to establish a new model of spatial storytelling expansion in terms of the property value of Korean animation characters.