Abstract
In this paper, 274 traditional fairy tales of South and North Korea were selected for research. The research was performed using a content analysis chart, and found differences in the number of characters, how ideology and social setting affect categorization of the characters, and what values are represented in the fairy tails of each country. Analysis of the general characteristics of traditional fairy tales of South and North Korea shows that South Korean traditional fairy tales have more cases where $1{\sim}4$ characters appear. In North Korean fairy tales, 5 or more characters generally appear. Analysis of the categories of characters in traditional fairy tales of South and North Korea found that characters fall into categories of family, friend and tutor, village, and the native country more often in South Korean fairy tales than in North Korean fairy tales. Character categorizations of county and foreign countries are found more often in North Korean fairy tales. In particular, the difference in character categorization of family, friend and tutor, and county shows that different ideology and social setting affected categories of characters. Research on traditional fairy tales of South and North Korea shows that traditional fairy tales of South Korea have chosen self-respect, self-restraint, fidelity(responsibility), understanding others, manners and honesty as themes more often than those of North Korea and subjects such as frugality, sharing, order and rules, cooperation and patriotism(ecosystem protection) we found more often in those of North Korea.
