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After studying the nature of some of the spookier non-human character types such as vampires and ghosts, we end this series on a brighter note with largely benevolent celestial beings — angels and deities.
Angel
Originating from many Western culture religions, angels are spiritual beings superior to humans in power and intelligence. They’re typically described as merry, kind, and compassionate creatures with white wings and gold halo, but not infallible. Most of them serve either as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits for humans. With the influence of Christianity, angels have indeed made their appearances and helped their human counterparts in Kdramas.
Padam Padam: The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats (2012)
A man serves 16 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. His innocent nature is protected by his best friend who happens to be his “guardian angel” assigned to save his life. After he gets release from prison, he falls in love with a veterinarian who happens to the niece of the victim in his murder case. So, he must prove his innocence and bring the real killer to justice to save his relationship.
High School Love On (2014)
A high school kid who’s struggling with school and life gets a lucky break when his guardian angel is sent to Earth to protect his life, disguised as a naive teenage girl. But she soon discovers that she’s got a thing or two to learn about life as a teenager, including the pains of falling in love.
Deity
According to Korean mythology, everyone is created by Samshin Granny, the Goddess of Childbirth who protects mothers and children until they’re 10 years old. We all live a life under the rule of cheon-ji-shin-myeong, the gods of heaven and earth, led and governed by the Jade Emperor in the heaven. When you die, a grim reaper will shepherd you to the courtroom of netherworld, where everything you did during your lifetime will be judged by King Yeom-Ra, who rules the netherworld. If you’ve been good, you will be sent to heaven or reincarnated into the next life. But if you’ve been bad, you will be sent to the 18 levels of hell and tortured for a long time. As such, the Jade Emperor and Yeomra make the most frequent guest appearances in Kdramas, but others are still few and far in between.
Arang and the Magistrate (2012)
In this drama embodying many mythical figures, not only does the grim reaper play an important role, so do the twin brothers of the heavens. The Great Jade Emperor, also known as the King of Heaven is the prettier twin god, as he’s got power over life, nature, and all living things, with the added benefits of eternal youth. While his brother is the famed Yeomra, or King of the Underworld, who looks like an old man but is actually full of childish tantrums.
Please Come Back Mister (2016)
Yeomra, or a modern adaptation version of him in the form of the elder man at the Re-Life Centre also appears early on in this drama. When the ahjusshis receive tickets for their final destination at the Afterlife Train Station, one was shocked to find hell printed on it while the other had heaven printed on it. When contested, the elder man calmly tallies up the sins of the ahjusshi during his life that led to the ticket to hell. This is precisely what the Yeomra does.
Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (2017)
In this drama of many mythical references, we meet the goblin, the grim reaper, but also a few deities in the process as well. Firstly, there’s Samshin, the goddess of childbirth who protects children up to a certain age. She appears as a grandmother to children and pregnant women, but appears as a young lady to adults. Secondly, there’s strong evidence that one of the key characters was really a vessel for God, as he appears to have a strong connection to Samshin and is always omnipotent even more so than Goblin himself.
In any case, there’s plenty of room for more gods and angels alike. In fact, an upcoming 2017 Kdrama by TVN titled the Bride of the Water God will feature more of these non-human character types. Which other deities, from Eastern or Western culture would you like to see in Kdramas? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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