The Historical Drama Queen Seondeok: Imaginary Memory of an Ancient Heroine

Abstract

Because they combine the two contradictory spheres called history and drama, the potential for debate is inherent in the historical dramas aired on TV. This study divides the fictionalization process through which a historical fact is rewritten as a drama into three tasks: ‘filling in spaces,’ ‘omission of historical facts,’ and the ‘modification of historical facts.’ The task of ‘filling in the spaces’ refers to the filling in of the empty spaces inherent in historical records with stories created based on the imagination of the writer. The ‘omission of historical facts’ refers to the act of omitting events and characters recorded in historical documents from a drama. The ‘modification of historical facts’ revolves around the changing of the temporal order, roles of characters, and relationship between facts in a manner that departs from what is found in the historical records. The plot is then used to comprehensively reorganize these three fictionalization methods. The analysis of Queen Seondeok based on these four factors revealed that this drama in fact incorporates complex and conflicting elements. Various events occur within the basic narrative structure that revolves around the conflict between Deokman, who represents the royal authority, and Misil, who stands as the symbol of the aristocracy. The drama exhibits a combination of two different plots: comedy and tragedy. The story of how Deokman is abandoned by the royal family only to return to Silla and ascend to the throne after having overcome Misil constitutes the ascending plot (of comedy). However, Deokman’s choice of the great causes of establishing the royal authority and unifying the three kingdoms actually pushes her to pursue austere discipline in her personal life. This helps to create the atmosphere of anguish and loss found in descending (tragic) plots. In turn, paradigmatic elements are established through a combination of reality and the ideal. As a result, the drama Queen Seondeok features the amalgamation of the small anguished modern ego and the ancient hero who pursues a big dream. To this end, the formulation of the past found in the historical drama Queen Seondeok can be regarded as an imaginary memory that reflects the desires of modern people.