한국 SF소설에 나타난 포스트 바디 상상력 - 정세랑 「리틀 베이비블루 필」, 김초엽 「로라」를 중심으로

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the challenges of transhumanism and the hybridity of posthumanism in the transition to a posthumanist society, with a focus on Jung Sae-Rang’s “Little Baby Blue Pill” and Kim Cho-Yeop’s “Laura.” The theory of posthumanism is a branch of new materialism influenced by Deleuze, with concepts from thinkers such as Rosi Braidotti and Karen Barad being central to its foundation. Through a ‘thought experiment,’ this paper aims to examine how posthumanism is being realized within South Korean SF novels, as depicted by these two authors. In Chapter 2 of the paper, an analysis of Jung Sae-Rang’s “Little Baby Blue Pill” depicts how the advancement of transhumanist technology not only impacts human relationships but also disrupts common sense and directly influences the societal structure itself. Chapter 3 examines Kim Cho-Yeop’s “Laura,” demonstrating scenes where the ‘others’ traditionally defined as abnormal in the context of modern human perception exhibit fluid and hybrid forms, acquiring posthumanistic subjectivity. The objective of this paper is to contemplate the crisis facing humanity, which has been identified as a global issue due to the advancement of science and technology, and to explore hypothetical futures through South Korean SF novels in order to offer reflective alternatives. While the path towards posthumanism may not be entirely romantic, it is an endeavor to deconstruct the ‘Human’ of modernity, overcoming crises and disillusionment, and reflecting on a new vision of humanity in the impending future.