A study on Alienoid as the deconstructive re-reading of the Korean Classic

This essay focuses on contemporary interpretations of the classics, as the repro duction of these texts reflects the interaction between classical works and modern society. In particular, with the amplified interest in K-content in recent years, it is imperative to examine not only the content itself but also the expansion of this content across various media. This study analyzes how deconstructive re-readings of Korean classics are reproduced in films, with a specific focus on Alienoid + 1 (2022) and Alienoid + 2 (2024), directed by Choi Dong-hoon. As Alien+ shares a significant relationship with the director’s previous film, Jeon Woo-chi (2009), this study examines the commonalities between the classic tale of Jeon Woo-chi, the film Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard, and Alienoid. The classic and the movie share similarities in terms of characters, while the movie and Alien+ share structural commonalities. Conversely, Alien+ performs a modern transformation by fragmenting the characters and their functions, arranging some of them in pairs, thus differentiating itself from the previous film Jeon Woo-chi. This study aimed to capture the nuanced yet intimate interaction between the mod ern and the classic.