Cosmic Imagination in 1990s Korean Animation : Focusing on “Amageddon” and “Baby Dinosaur Dooley: Ice Star Adventure”

This paper examines the spatial significance of the universe in Amageddon and Baby Dinosaur Dooley: The Ice Star Adventure through the lens of the political and social contexts of 1990s Korean society, the scientific and technological understanding of the universe, and gender perspectives.<br/> A distinctive feature of Amageddon is its depiction of the universe through biotechnology imagery. Unlike animations from the 1970s and 1980s, where the universe was imagined through “mechanics” such as robots and space battleships, Amageddon takes an intrinsic perspective, visualizing the universe through sensory experiences, such as “skin” and cellular imagery. While the work incorporates cyberpunk elements like computers, spaceships, and advanced weaponry, it simultaneously portrays the universe as an internalized space, reduced to individual exploration and imagination within oneself.<br/> In contrast, Baby Dinosaur Dooley: The Ice Star Adventure connects the universe to everyday life. The characters transition from the courtyard of Go Gil-dong’s house to outer space almost instantly, without any mechanical mediation. This differs from the “science and technology”-driven cosmic imagination of earlier decades.<br/> In both works, the universe is no longer depicted as a developmental space symbolizing “highly advanced technology.” Instead, the narratives incorporate metaphors reflecting Korea’s historical memories of colonial rule and military dictatorship. This study also explores how the fantasy and reality of the cosmic space overlap in these works, framing the universe within a geopolitical structure. Furthermore, it examines how gender narratives contribute to the construction of feminized spaces.<br/> This paper highlights the unique perspectives of Amageddon and Baby Dinosaur Dooley: The Ice Star Adventure, which reimagined the universe in ways distinct from earlier works. It investigates how the political climate and feminist ideologies of the 1990s influenced these representations. Ultimately, this study seeks to re-contextualize the depiction of space in 1990s Korean animation and to explore the collective unconscious it reflects.