Dark Hero Justice: Crisis of Faith in Law Through Korean Series
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Abstract
This research aims to analyze the representation of “dark hero justice” in contemporary Korean television series as a reflection of the crisis of faith in law and the judicial system. The study examines three Korean dark hero series, Vincenzo (2021), The Glory (2022–2023), and Taxi Driver (2021–2023, using qualitative content and discourse analyses. The theoretical framework is based on concepts of power, justice, and social domination developed by Foucault (1977), Bourdieu (2001), and Gramsci (1971). The findings indicate that all three series consistently portray structural failures within legal and judicial institutions, including inequality, corruption, and the abuse of power. These failures compel the protagonists to transcend the boundaries of formal law and assume the role of “dark heroes” in reclaiming justice through alternative means. Dark hero justice, therefore, represents not merely violence or personal retaliation but also reflects the decline of public trust in the state and judicial mechanisms in contemporary Korean society. Korean dark hero series thus function as cultural spaces for critiquing power structures and questioning the boundaries of law, legitimacy, and morality in modern society.
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