Spiritual Growth Under the Hero’s Journey: The Portrayal of the Little Man from Korean Film Ode to My Father

Abstract

The research on the inner growth of characters is something lacking in current cinematic characterization. Little characters have an inherent commonplace nature that easily resonates with the audiences, but also usually have a tendency to get trapped in the description of the grueling daily grind. Therefore, the key is how to break through the insignificance of their roles to shape the little people’ personality charm in films. Ode to My Father, a Korean film for “millions of viewers”, successfully created a heroic little protagonist, following the framework of a hero’s journey with a plot of departure, enlightenment and return. Under the mask of the “elder” personality, this character reaches his self-reconciliation and completes the journey of individuation after a gradual self-awakening and valiantly confrontation with his inner shadows. Furthermore, this technique definitely provides an inspiration for the characterization of little characters.