Re-opening the Story Bag: An Examination of Korean Folktales and the Role of Women

Although Korean women are often seen as submissive, colonized, and philosophically speaking have been made invisible, their active roles in their families, communities, and world can be seen by unpacking the rich tradition of Korean folktales. The voices and perspectives of the women within the folktales are often buried under patriarchal retellings. Thus, there is a deep need for a re-envisagement of these stories in order for the women’s narration to become clear. This project is an exploration of some Korean folktales with a specific focus on the role of women within those folktales. Four folktales are retold from the perspective of the main female character. The project considers the historical context of the folktales, and asks questions such as, “What would life have really been like for this character at this time?” A survey was used to learn more about how folklore and literature influence the formation of identity for Korean-Americans and Koreans living in America