Dooly the Little Dinosaur
Dooly the Little Dinosaur (Korean: 《아기공룡 둘리》) is a 1983 South Korean cartoon and animated film created by Soo Jung Kim.
Dooly is one of the most respected and commercially successful characters of South Korean animation. Dooly became the first cartoon character to be featured on a stamp. It was printed in 1995 in South Korea. Dooly has a resident registration card, which means he is a citizen of South Korea.
History
Dooly (Korean: 둘리) was first created when its creator Soo Jung Kim issued the manhwa(cartoon in Korean) under comic book named Bo-Mool Sum (Treasure Island). It was first shown in the first week of April, 1983, finished about ten years later. There are two spin-offs of the manhwa, one of which is still being aired today.
The original animation and airing was done by South Korean broadcaster KBS. When it was first broadcast in 1987, there were only six episodes, with seven more later added during the second season. A video cassette was released in 1989, and re-broadcasting was first done in 1990.
This show was rebroadcast again in 1993, 1996 and 1998, but due to the choosing inappropriate broadcasting dates (usually on Sunday), its recognizance and the viewer rating were critically low. In 1998, however, KBS noticed the increased viewership in October 1998, the broadcasting time was changed to 5:30 p.m. starting May 12 through June 23, 2003, Monday and Tuesday (known as the 'Golden Viewing Time'). With more people watching the show, its ratings was improved. A new version of the TV series, which began broadcasting in late 2008, is currently shown Monday through Friday, at 4:00 PM on the Korean Animation channel Tooniverse, Korea's first all-anime/manhwa channel.
The cartoon was once reported to the officials as a bad example for children because of the using of Dooly's care-giver's name in a friendly fashion. Koreans usually speak to adults with respect and with the use of proper additions in speech done so specifically for adults by younger people. This was seen as hazardous for the basic thinking of the children who watch it.
Tooniverse also released an educational English dub in 1995, and a theatrical release came out in 1996 under Dooly Nara (Dooly Nation).
Characters
- Dooly (Korean: 둘리) is a baby dinosaur that was kidnapped by aliens, who had been experimented to give him magical powers. When he returned to Earth, he was trapped in the ice glacier causing him to faint during the Ice Age. About 100 million years later, one of the glaciers broke off and he came to Seoul. Standing 4 feet and 6 inches tall, Dooly is a Ceratosaurus with an oversized head, meant to draw attention toward the character's facial expression, which he rarely changes. He has a tail as long as his height, and he sometimes uses it to make himself look taller than other characters, usually Kildong Go. He displays many human-like characteristics, including a habit of sticking out his tongue. His underside is full-white, as are his hands and feet. He has three toes per foot, and has five fingers on each hand, unlike a real Ceratosaurus which has four. As well as shiny white teeth. He is like a typical kid who likes to eat and play all the time, but he can come across as being somewhat audacious, living the life of an orphan. Behind his thoughtful words, Dooly is just another baby dinosaur who misses mother dinosaur. While in Seoul, he was found by a girl who named Younghee (Korean: 영희), and took him home with her elder brother Chulsoo (철수), because Dooly was mistook for a dog, and makes him live with her as pet. However, her father Kildong (Korean: 고길동) hates Dooly and just beats him up whenever Dooly is annoying. He has super powers that he received from an extraterrestrial, but doesn't know why. He doesn't quite know how to use it deliberately but in times of danger he somehow manages to use the power. He points his right finger and yells 'Hoihoi!' He is always biting his tongue and looks silly, but he is mischievous and loyal. Once in a while he'll resist, like when he turns Kildong into a dinosaur and sends him to the Amazon, but when he does it always turns against him. Dooly's name, according to the cartoon, is a pun. His older sister - Dooly called 'brother' because he confused that exact nominal - is named Hana, meaning One or First while Dool, or Dul mean Two in Korean and y or ei mean the same thing in Korean Traditional-Chinese, making him the Second. This is mentioned around the end of then 2nd set of episode, or 6th episode, but it is not certain if this is true in manhwa canon due to the anime and manhwa having many storyline differences. While Dooly is having adventures in Seoul or having fun, he met some three friends who Kildong hates too and beat up except Heedong (희동).
- Heedong (Korean: 희동) came to live with Uncle Kildong after his parents went abroad to study. He misses his mom everyday, but feels utterly entertained by Dooly the Brother. Thanks to the excessive amounts of time he spends with Dooly, he isn't afraid of anything. He is also really good at biting someone or scratches them when they make him mad. He has broken Douner's Time Cosmos' Spaceship
- Douner (Korean: 도우너) the Prince of Planet 'Kanttappia' makes an emergency landing on the planet Earth due to the malfunctioning of the 'Time Cosmos' Spaceship. His head may be really hard and his thoughts very simple, but the word "loyalty" was made for Douner. He can travel back and forth in time and space in the Time Cosmos Spaceship which looks like a violin.
- Ddochi (Korean: 또치), the Ostrich that successfully escaped from a Las Vegas circus troop, always insists that she used to be a noble mistress from Africa. She is a little bit selfish, and little bit shy, but Ddochi is the most softhearted ostrich that anyone will ever come across. She also insists on calling herself a girl. Ddochi has many talents as she learned from the circus.
- Michol (Korean: 마이콜, pronounced as "Maikol") is aspiring singer who lives next to Kildong feeds on his passion for dreaming, though he may lack the necessary talent. He is quite lost most of the time, but he does know how to take care of himself. Although he is South Korean, his appearance is noticeable different. His surname is Ma. According to his name, his role model is Michael Jackson. Dooly once joined a band with Douner and Michol.
Controversy
When Dooly was first created as a TV animation, it received much criticism from South Korean Catholics, South Korean public citizens, and the government. Reasons cited included the fact that the animation was a bit violent, which was oppressed by South Korean government, and the adult general public was angered due to its character's attitude of disrespect towards elders. However, this was when freedom of speech was not taken seriously into account. Generally speaking, the younger generation has fond memories of this series and find that the violence is actually a quite realistic portrayal of family dynamics in contemporary South Korea.
The character "Michol" has also received criticism in more recent years due to the character's appearance being likened to blackface.
List of episodes
Original series (1987–1988)
- "The Birth of Dooly" (Korean: 둘리의 탄생; original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "Grand Park Disturbance" (Korean: 대공원 소동; original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "My Friends" (Korean: 내 친구들; original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "Hyeongah! Do Not Go" (Korean: 형아! 가지 마; original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "Travel to the Past: Part 1" (Korean: 과거로의 여행 (상); original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "Travel to the Past: Part 2" (Korean: 과거로의 여행 (하); original airdate: October 7, 1987)
- "Dooly's Anger" (Korean: 둘리의 분노; original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "Michol's Debut" (Korean: 마이콜 등장; original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "Ddochi's Escape" (Korean: 또치의 탈출; original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "The Strange Lamp" (Korean: 이상한 램프; original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "Dooly's Miniature" (Korean: 둘리 소인국; original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "The Invaders from the Squid Planet: Part 1" (Korean: 꼴뚜기 별의 왕자님 (상); original airdate: May 5, 1988)
- "The Invaders from the Squid Planet: Part 2" (Korean: 꼴뚜기 별의 왕자님 (하); original airdate: May 5, 1988)
In popular culture
- The Dooly theme song was sung in "A Gentleman's Dignity" 2012 South Korean drama, In episode 13 at 58.48min into the show by Collin acted by Lee Jong-hyun member of CNBlue rock band
- The stuffed dooly dolls and his girlfriend Gong Sil was in "Master's Sun" 2013 South Korean television series episode 7 at 52.17 min and episode 10 39.52min episode 13 44min
- "My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox" when Dae Woong teaches Miho the fox how to be friends with hoi hoi
- He also has several appearances in "Protect the Boss" in stuffed and other forms.
- "Running Man" cast sung the Dooly theme song in Episode 25