Dragon Pearl

Dragon Pearl pulls much of its worldbuilding and character attributes from Korean mythology and culture. Korean myth (also known as Hanja) is divided into two categories: fixed written tales of historical monarchies and supernatural elements, and fluid oral tales that are more modern, arising around 1930. Dragon Pearl utilizes the concept of spirits and incorporates many aspects of traditional Korean culture into the plot structure of a space adventure that blends genres and time periods. Whereas Korean culture maintains a healthy respect for supernatural beings, the author turns this idea on its head and creates a world in which humans are fearful and distrustful of supernatural creatures, especially foxes like Min, known in traditional Korean folklore as kumiho—shape-shifting, nine-tailed foxes that can transform into beautiful women. Within the context of the novel, the author uses the word “Charm” to describe Min’s magic because the protagonist uses her power to bend emotions to her will and “Charm” people with a type of innate, magical charisma; this power also allows her to convince people that her lies are in fact true: a useful plot device without which several aspects of the story would instantly become impossible for readers to believe.