The trans-characters method in the novel Kim Ji Young, born in 1982 by Cho Nam Joo

Abstract

“Trans-characters” is associated with the traditional technique of disguise, where a person changes their appearance to avoid being recognized by others. This is a familiar activity in various forms of folk performances, gradually adopted in literature as an artistic method to describe characters, allowing them to remain anonymous to adapt to unusual situations in their lives. In the novel Kim Ji Young, born 1982, Cho Nam Joo adapted traditional disguise techniques by using the female protagonist's pathological condition to perform “trans-characters” through voice changes. This article draws on the principles and meanings of disguise techniques in literature and gender studies to analyze two surprising “trans-characters” versions of Kim Ji Young. By removing the protagonist's personal voice, the author reveals the serious reality of women's health issues in motherhood, and more broadly, reflects the “cultural syndrome” of Hwabyung [the depression caused by Han] linked to femininity in Korean culture. Additionally, through the voice borrowing, author Cho aims to grant dialogical authority, emphasizing the weaker social status of women in modern society, particularly the internal conflicts within the female community in South Korea.