"Run and running, oh my robot! Fly, fly over, Taekwon V~.” Reading these lyrics may make you recall a cartoon character and maybe even hum its cartoon’s theme song: dependable Taekwon V, who is almost 56 meters tall and weighs 1,400 tons, and who has 8,950,000 KW power. ‘Robot Taekwon V’ is a Korean theater cartoon series manufactured in 1976. The movie about the robot that was screened at that time drew 180,000 viewers from Seoul. Due to its success at the box office, movie sequels were made and screened: ‘Space Operation’ (1976), Underwater Special Forces’ (1977), ‘Confrontation between Robot Taekwon V and Gold Wings’ (1978), and ‘Super Taekwon V’ (1982). ‘84 Taekwon V’ started its filming in 1984, but its production stopped. The original copy of the film was found at the Korean Film Commission in 2004, and it was digitally restored in 2006. Taekwon V turned 35 years old this year (2011).
Have you seen these cartoons? If you see a cartoon character that you loved as a child, or if you hear the cartoon’s theme song, you will probably get excited. Two years ago, on June 2, 2009, a ceremony was held in celebration of Korean cartoons’ 100th anniversary at the auditorium of The National Museum of Contemporary Art. A Korean cartoons 100th anniversary exhibition hosted by the Korean Cartoons’ 100th Anniversary Commission and The National Museum of Contemporary Art opened on June 3 and ran until August 23. The exhibition featured the 100-year history of Korean cartoons. There was also a ‘Cartoon Genre Exhibition,’ which displayed Korean romance comics and cartoons for children, and a ‘Crossover Exhibition,’ which showcased information about the art of making Korean cartoons.
Let’s recall our memories of the well-loved Korean cartoons.
1. Run! Ha-nie!
‘Run, Ha-nie!’ was the first drama-style animation series in the country. It was produced by Daewon Media and was directed by Hong Sang-man. Its original animation was ‘Ha-nie,’ but it was produced as ‘Run, Ha-nie!,’ and later, as ‘Reckless Ha-nie.’
2. Baby Saurs Dooly
Born in 1983, ‘Baby Saurs Dooly’ was made into a TV animation cartoon after being published in the monthly magazine ‘Treasure Island’ and achieving sensational popularity. At that time, the animation recorded a high rating and was thus born again later as ‘Baby Saurs Dooly’s Ice Star Adventure.’ All in all, it drew audiences totaling 350,000.
3. Black Rubber Shoes
‘Black Rubber Shoes’ was a cartoon and an animation that featured a large family living in Mapo-gu, Seoul in the 1960s and 1970s. This animation tells the growth stories of Ki-chul (a middle school student) and Ki-young (an elementary school student).
4. Super Board
‘Super Board’ is a TV animation series made by KBS and Han-ho based on Heo Young-man’s original. After its initial broadcasting in 1990, it recorded a phenomenal rating (42.8%) in November 1992. In 2002, it recorded the all-time highest rating among the Korean animations.
5. Kkobi Kkobi
‘Kkobi Kkobi’ is a pure-domestic-creation animation using the Korean folk material hobgoblin. In the animation, a little boy, Kkae-dong, discovers the supernatural powers of a little hobgoblin, Kkobi. Together, they try to ward off the aliens who came to Earth to abduct children and to take them to their planet.
6. Young-Shim
‘Young-Shim’ was a TV animation series produced in 1990. Revolving around 14-year-old Young-Shim’s home and school, this animation tells funny stories about friendship and traveling to new places.
Not only our mothers and fathers but we as well grew up watching cartoons. ‘Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon,’ however, and ‘Wedding Peach,’ which were loved by Korean girls, and ‘Hero of Earth Sunguard’ and ‘Dagan,’ which were loved by Korean boys, were made in Japan, an advanced country in terms of cartoons that has manufactured many popular cartoons. The Korean cartoons that were introduced in the past, however, also became popular among the Korean children. As the Korean cartoons didn’t lose their independence, they now have a proud 100-year history.
Many people miss their old cartoon favorites. It wouldn’t hurt to recall them once in a while, would it?
Kim Dan-bee (ST Reporter)
kdb951@ssu.ac.kr
