• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.79
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• pp.243-271
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• 2024

Purpose of the Study : This study aims to explore the symbolic commonalities between the image of 'KWANGYA' in Korean pop music (K-Pop) and the biblical wilderness theology. By analyzing the interaction between modern popular culture and ancient religious texts, this research seeks to investigate how the narrative of the biblical wilderness can be reinterpreted and received by contemporary youth. Contents and Method : This study analyzes the image of 'KWANGYA' as depicted in the worldviews of Korean pop songs by artists such as Lee Yuk-sa, Kim Min-ki, and aespa. It examines how this image connects with the symbolic aspects of the biblical wilderness. In the Bible, the wilderness is a space symbolizing trials and overcoming, spiritual growth and self-discovery, and the coexistence of chaos and order. These characteristics are observed not only in Lee Yuk-sa's poem 'Wilderness' during the Japanese colonial period but also in the imagery of the wilderness in the 1970s-80s folk songs and 2020s K-Pop songs. In particular, in K-Pop, the wilderness is utilized as a symbolic space where protagonists undergo and overcome various challenges and trials, leading to spiritual growth and self-discovery. This study aims to explore the possibilities of how the biblical wilderness narrative can be newly received by contemporary youth through this interaction between modern popular culture and ancient religious texts. Conlusion : The wilderness in K-Pop symbolizes the trials, self-discovery, and spiritual growth experienced by youth, encapsulating the process of finding order within chaos, much like the biblical wilderness. This research contributes to understanding how popular culture and religious symbolism interact to create contemporary meaning, showing how the message of the Bible is reinterpreted and received in today's culture. Based on these findings, it is suggested that Christian education today should consider reinterpreting and utilizing biblical symbols within new cultural contexts.