Magic and Childhood: The Magician's Rose-Tinted World

Note: This post is the second part of a series that explores the main message of the Korean webtoon Annarasumanara. You might want to read the introduction and the first part first.

The magician in chapter 4

One main character in Annarasumanara aside from Ah-ee and Il-deung is the mysterious magician, R. He suddenly appears in an abandoned theme park to perform magic. Though R’s childlike demeanor and odd way of living invite the suspicion of many, Ah-ee and Il-deung find themselves drawn to him. Eventually, the two students discover that R was once a top-of-the-class student called Min-hyuk, and that he has been living like this ever since his damaging high school years. R, previously a believer in the necessity of becoming a good typical adult, now believes in “magic”.

As Min-hyuk

Min-hyuk was similar to Ah-ee, and even more so to Il-deung. To begin with, Min-hyuk believed in the same ideals as Il-deung and Ah-ee (chapter 25): We must become typical adults as dictated by society, and society defines such adults as those who are academically and economically successful. He reasons it must be so since all the adults around him say so. Min-hyuk’s close similarity to Il-deung is further seen through his possessing both great academic and economic condition. He is consistently the top student since middle school. In terms of economy, his family is implied to be wealthy. His parents are college professors and his relatives are elites (chapter 24). In chapter 12, Ah-ee wonders how R, being unemployed, is able to get by. This seems to be a nod to his family’s wealth since they are able to support R’s presumably income-less life as a magician. The similarity with Il-deung does not end there. Min-hyuk and Il-deung both have experienced the asphalt road, as depicted in chapter 25 (depicting Min-hyuk on an asphalt road) and chapter 13 (in which R confesses that he has left that road). In conclusion, Min-hyuk is the prototype of a “typical” adult, just like Il-deung.

Min-hyuk in chapter 25

Regrettably, those beliefs led Min-hyuk down the road to mental instability. He starts seeing and hearing things that are not there. But even his hallucinations tell him to study harder – how deeply ingrained are those values in Min-hyuk! His descend to mental instability is proof of how damaging the pressure of becoming a typical adult can be. As a result, Min-hyuk transforms into R. In my opinion, the name “R” shows how he is now merely a fragment of who he used to be. His current name symbolizes Min-hyuk’s loss of self. When Min-young asks why Min-hyuk studies so hard, he cannot provide an answer (chapter 25). Min-young then asks if Min-hyuk has nothing else he wants to do except study hard, to which he says that he just doesn’t want to be an adult who is a failure. The notion of becoming a typical adult has consumed Min-hyuk. Fortunately, a part of him is left preserved, symbolized by the single letter “R”. He is now a magician with strikingly different values than Min-hyuk. In Min-young’s words (chapter 25), “Isn’t it funny? The kid that had worried so much about reality was now saying he could do magic.”

As R

What kind of worldview does R have, then? R believes that you should live life doing what you want. Chase your dreams. No buts! He reiterates this multiple times, including in chapter 4, 9, 15, and 26. Although it sounds positive, many instances indicate that R’s view is rather on the naïve side. He does not seem to acknowledge that some people may not be able to simply ditch everything and go for their dreams due to external factors. Someone living in poverty like Ah-ee may not have the leeway to just do whatever they want. When Ah-ee expresses this to R in chapter 4, he responds, “Why? What’s so hard? If you like magic, just go for it, right?” He fails to see the difficulties Ah-ee has been facing in life. It may be easy for him because his family is wealthy. Although R believes in a positive message, that message is rather out of touch with the reality that people like Ah-ee are facing.

R and Ah-ee in chapter 9

Now, there is one instance in which R offers a (slightly) different view. In chapter 9, R says, “I’m not saying that you should only do what you want to do. I’m saying you should do what you want to do as much as you do the things that you don’t want to do. That’s life, isn’t it?” How do we make sense of this when the majority of what R says points toward only doing the things we want to do? Here’s how I like to interpret it. I think R understands what he is saying, but either cannot or is not ready yet to fully accept and live it out due to his mental condition. If he could or is ready to truly endorse this statement, why didn’t he do it? Why didn’t he do the things he doesn’t want to do (e.g. trying to be involved in society as much as he can) as much as the things he wants to do (magic)? I’m not saying R should be exactly like all the other “normal” adults by finishing his education and perhaps working in a company – that would go against the message of the story. But he cannot hide away in his tent forever either. What I’m saying is that hopefully, R will be able to become the adult he wants to be instead of staying a child forever. To sum up, although R may understand what he says in chapter 9, he is not ready yet or not able to actually live it out. He actions demonstrate that he clings to the view initially mentioned: completely ditching everything to chase your dreams.

R's slightly different view in chapter 9

Although R’s remark in chapter 9 is indeed an upgrade from his initial view, Ah-ee’s negative response to it demonstrates that the remark is still rather insensitive. Not everyone can do the things they want to do as much as the things they don’t want to do. We may have time to indulge in our hobbies, but certainly not that much time. In the same way, it is impossible for Ah-ee to neatly spend half the day doing what she doesn’t want to do (perhaps school and work) and spend the other half doing magic. She probably has to spend more time doing what she doesn’t want to do. This is why Ah-ee does not react positively to R’s statement in chapter 9.

What is Magic?

An examination of R’s perspective would not be complete without a discussion on magic. Annarasumanara opens and ends with the question “Do you believe in magic?”, underscoring its importance. In order to answer that question, however, we must first ask, what is magic? I believe answers may vary. The webtoon itself leaves the question as an open-ended one, after all. But personally, I think magic generally symbolizes childlike zeal in life. Childlike zeal is often only considered appropriate in children, just like how magic is often only considered appropriate for children.

Several things in the story point toward magic being a symbol for childlike zeal. To begin with, the question “Do you believe in magic?” is associated with R, a childlike individual. Ah-ee mentions that R reminds her of her father – “an adult with the attributes of a child” (chapter 3). In chapter 9, Ah-ee makes another comparison, this time noting R’s similarity with her younger self. Ah-ee makes many more of these observations throughout the story. As a result, magic is closely linked with childlike qualities.

In chapter 17, Ah-ee feels that abandoning R is like abandoning a child

Furthermore, magic is considered as something only an innocent, naïve child would believe in. In chapter 4, Ah-ee asserts that she does not believe in magic because she is no longer an immature child. This implies that Ah-ee believes magic to be something for children. This is also apparent from Ah-ee’s inner thoughts about Yui in chapter 5. Ah-ee attributes Yui’s fascination with magic to the fact that she is still a child. Il-deung concurs, deeming magic to be childish (chapter 12).

Although society says otherwise, this childlike zeal is very important in R’s eyes. His endorsement of fully chasing after your dreams is an endorsement of fully living by that childlike zeal. In addition to dreams, I believe “childlike zeal” encompasses many things. Hopes, hobbies, and passion can be considered as a manifestation of that childlike zeal. Simple wonder and fascination at mundane things in life, too, are part of that childlike zeal.

Therefore, the question “Do you believe in magic?” is question about that childlike zeal. Do you still have that childlike zeal in you, or have you abandoned it? Do you believe that your dreams, hobbies, and passions are valuable? Do you believe that you can still find wonderful and fascinating things in your mundane day-to-day life?

Conclusion

R, the mysterious magician, is one of the characters that Annarasumanara revolves around. His life as Min-hyuk demonstrates how damaging society’s typical demands can be. Consequently, R decides to live by the view that life is all about doing what you want and chasing your dreams. This belief, however, is more on the naïve side, as R cannot comprehend that people may not have the privilege to fully chase their dreams.

The story presents R’s perspective by using magic as a metaphor for childlike zeal. Our hopes, hobbies, and passions are manifestations of that childlike zeal. Wonder and fascination at mundane things, too, stem from the same source. The question “Do you believe in magic?”, then, prompts us to consider whether we treasure our childlike zeal.

It is tempting to embrace R’s rose-tinted perspective as the perspective one should adopt in life. Nonetheless, ultimately Annarasumanara does not fully agree with R’s view. How should we view life, then? Please kindly wait for the last post in this series!