Dragon Pearl

Dragon Pearl pulls much of its worldbuilding and character attributes from Korean mythology and culture. Korean myth (also known as Hanja) is divided into two categories: fixed written tales of historical monarchies and supernatural elements, and fluid oral tales that are more modern, arising around 1930. Dragon Pearl utilizes the concept of spirits and incorporates many aspects of traditional Korean culture into the plot structure of a space adventure that blends genres and time periods. Whereas Korean culture maintains a healthy respect for supernatural beings, the author turns this idea on its head and creates a world in which humans are fearful and distrustful of supernatural creatures, especially foxes like Min, known in traditional Korean folklore as kumiho—shape-shifting, nine-tailed foxes that can transform into beautiful women. Within the context of the novel, the author uses the word “Charm” to describe Min’s magic because the protagonist uses her power to bend emotions to her will and “Charm” people with a type of innate, magical charisma; this power also allows her to convince people that her lies are in fact true: a useful plot device without which several aspects of the story would instantly become impossible for readers to believe. Like the foxes of traditional myth, Min is cunning and sly, but in a departure from traditionally “evil” depictions of the kumiho, she is essentially a caring person who is willing to fight for what she believes. Other cultural aspects are demonstrated in the nature of some of the novel’s supporting characters, particularly among the “supernatural” cadets aboard the Space Forces vessel that Min infiltrates, the Pale Lightning. For example, the goblin-natured, gender-neutral cadet, Sujin, stays true to the helpful, if tricky, nature of the goblins of Korean mythology. Similarly, the dragon-natured cadet Haneul possesses great power, just like the dragons of Korean mythology.

In an even more expansive example using cultural references to enhance world-building, the author incorporates elements of Korean culture into even the most everyday details of the world. For example, in the gambling den of Min’s cousin, Nari, traditional Korean wine is served, and Nari herself wears fancy clothing that matches Korean styles. Similarly, the Space Forces cadet, Sujin, is known for conjuring snack foods such as shrimp crackers that are linked to Korea, and he experiments in the Pale Lightning’s kitchen with different mixtures of Korean spices and foods. Kimchi and other Korean dishes are frequently mentioned.

Most importantly, however, the author utilizes the principles of traditional Korean medicine by incorporating the concept of meridians into both human physiology and ship mechanics. Traditional Korean medicine posits that the human body contains 12 meridians: channels for qi, or life-energy. Each meridian is associated with a different physiological process, such as respiration or digestion. Because all meridians are interconnected, they can directly affect one another, and in this understanding of medicine, a physical or spiritual injury may cause a meridian imbalance. Acupuncture—the process of inserting needles at key pressure points—is the primary traditional treatment to correct a meridian imbalance. In the world of the novel, the author makes heavy use of the principles of traditional Korean medicine and even expands upon them considerably, for just as characters in the novel are healed when their meridian imbalances are corrected, the Pale Lightning itself suffers imbalances in its own meridians due to damage caused by mercenary attacks. Similarly, at one point in the novel, Min is able to merge her own meridians with those of the ship to gain a much deeper understanding of both the ship’s functions and its position within (and relationship to) the surrounding region of space. By giving the Pale Lightning meridians of its own, the author attempts to bridge the gap between ancient myth and futuristic technology. Likewise, Min’s ability to link herself to the ship via meridians is a separate skill from her Charm power. Along with the unsettling reality of ghosts and hauntings, these incidents serve to show that a variety of ethereal forces are at work in the universe of the novel, many of which have their basis in Korean culture and mythology.