Black Rubber Shoes

Black Rubber Shoes (Korean romanization: Geomjeong Gomusin) is a Korean animated television show for children. The stories take place in the city of Seoul in the sixties/seventies of the 20th century. The title refers to black gomusin, shoes made of rubber which children frequently had to wear because they were cheap and lasted for long times.

Black Rubber Shoes
Front cover for volume 1
Korean name
Hangul
검정고무신
Revised RomanizationGeomjeong gomusin
McCune–ReischauerKumjong komushin

The background of the animation is based on Mapo, Seoul. Since first broadcast in 1999, it has become beloved by many children. It was broadcast on KBS 2 TV. The original version is a comic by Lee Woo-Young. The first broadcast for a special for Lunar New Year's Day program was so popular that it was made into a new series from 2000~2004. [1]

The cartoon describes poverty and difficulties in the Korea of the 1960s. The main characters are Giyoung and his older brother Gichul, a middle school student. Even though they are poor, Gichul and Giyoung always live happily and have fun. The episodes of the brothers and family arouse nostalgia and memories about the past in many older Korean viewers. Black Rubber Shoes is considered one of the best works of Korean animation. The show is known catch people's attention regardless of sex or age.

It was nominated as a 'Best Program' by the Korean Broadcasting Commission and recognized as a 'Common Good Animation' in September, 2004.[2]

In addition, the Seoul YMCA Association of Children's Culture chose it as a 'Good Program Selected by Children'.[3]

Synopsis

The story focuses on a Korean family that lives in 1960s Seoul.[4] In the 60s, South Korea was still a developing country with many of its citizens living in poverty. Because of this, there are a lot of references to that time period such as the street vendors and the school bread deliveries.

Characters
  • Lee Gi Yeong (이기영)

The second son of the family and the main character of the show Born 1960 (age 10 in the television)

  • Lee Gi Cheol (이기철)

Older brother of Gi Yeong. Born 1956 (age 14). He is greedy.

  • Choon Sim (춘심)

Mother of Lee Gi Yeong, Lee Gi Cheol, Lee Oh Deok. Born 1929, age 40.

  • Mal Ryong (말룡)

Father of Lee Gi Yeong, Lee Gi Cheol, Lee Oh Deok. Born 1927, age 42.

  • Lee Oh Deok (이오덕)

Youngest of the family and sister of Gi Yeong and Gi Cheol (age 1). First appeared in 2005.

  • Seong-Chul (성철)

Friend of Lee Gi Yeong

  • Do Seung (도승)

Friend of Lee Gi Yeong

and so on.

History

The show started in 1999 and is now broadcast on the Korean network Tooniverse and KBS.

References
  1. Financial news
  2. Financial news
  3. Financial news
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2009-03-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  • Show's KBS homepage
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