‘감정교육’ 서사로 읽는 <이공본풀이> 소재 아동문학

Abstract

Igong Bonpuli is a narrative driven by the absence and deficiency of a caregiver. Within this narrative, the child protagonist becomes aware of his own anger and experiences inner growth through the healing space of the Flower Garden of Seocheon. In this context, this study approaches Igong Bonpuli as a narrative resource for emotional education in children’s literature. First, the study examines children’s developmental stages across the life cycle, focusing particularly on the function of negative emotions— specifically anger—in the process of growth. Next, nine children’s books based on Igong Bonpuli were collected and analyzed. The analysis reveals that although most works highlight the Flower Garden of Seocheon as a fantastical space, the emotional arc of Han Rak-gung—his escalating feelings of deficiency and anger—is frequently reduced or omitted. Accordingly, two of the most significant adaptations were selected for critical reading to explore ways that contemporary young readers may be guided to encounter and process deficiency and anger naturally. Finally, this study suggests that the Flower Garden of Seocheon functions as an archetypal space with strong potential for adaptation into secondary media. It also proposes strategies for developing children’s content that foregrounds the rhythmic and narrative value of Igong Bonpuli as a Korean shamanic myth.