Need Help With An Idea I have for My BL Novel?

[KUUPID]

Hello! I need help with an idea I have with my BL novel! T^T

My novel is centered around the protagonist, Yohan Yoo, who has an irrational fear about falling in love all because of what a fortune teller had told him years earlier when he was in university. Fast forward nine years later, he's a novelist based in Los Angeles and ends up having to work with a new editor, Andrew Nam, who ends up confessing to him. So, as you can see, I already have a supernatural (?) element to the story!

Here's the problem... I'm not sure if I should continue to add supernatural scenarios involving Korean folklore/ myths about gods and goddesses. I know Tapas is big on fantasy, but I'm not sure if anyone would necessarily be interested in reading a BL novel that has Korean folklore in it (as I'm assuming many people are not aware of Korean folklore). What are your thoughts on incorporating folklore/ myths into stories? Do you have any tips I can maybe use?

Anything would honestly be very very helpful! Thank you in advance!

[Kaydreamer]

I find it usually comes of as rather weird for a story set in America to have eastern folklore pop up. Having a supernatural element with the fortune teller is all well and good, and you could expand upon that, but I'd go with western mythologies. I wouldn't use Korean folklore unless you shift the setting to Korea.

People used to do this with Japanese folklore, and it just came off as strange. Gods, myths and legends are often tied to important locations in the countries they're from, and they just don't work well outside of their setting. (With the notable exception of American Gods by Neil Gaiman, because a major theme of that novel was how immigrants to America bought their gods with them.)

[KUUPID]

Ahh got it! I'll keep that in mind! I was a bit hesitant as I wasn't sure if any of these folklores would even translate well to the audience T^T And I would have to explain a ton for my readers to understand the context/ significance... Thank you so much for your feedback!

[Aleksei]

Most times than never, Gods gets involved just when they got something from it, or to prove a point to another god. If you gonna use gods, and folklore from a particular place, but on another part where they are not knowed, that would be an interesting setting. Because, you know, that place might have other gods and folklore already, and they would not like another deity on their backyard, but also nobody like to start gods wars, because that 's too much problem and if a gods dies, there is not much gods birthing right now, so maybe they would have to start some kind of agreement, and your character will be at the center of this (but of course, to his dismayal)... anyway, you get the drill.
As I have just throw a lot a ideas out of what you said, you can also. Nobody really knows the legend of the monkey king, but everyone enjoyed Dragon Ball nevertheless, so add as much as you think its necessary, and leave some clues for people to search further if they want. Neil Gaiman did that all the time on his comics.

[KUUPID]

Ooh, those are really cool ideas! I'm thinking of incorporating some supernatural elements but probably stay away from adding too much! I don't want this story to take a more fantasy approach than romance xD Thank you so much for your feedback/ advice! Was definitely helpful~

[AnimeKitty]

If you want to have Korean folklore, then why not have the setting of your story in Korea? Or, is there a reason why it needs to be in Los Angeles? Having Korean folklore would be awfully strange in LA, but that doesn't mean you can't do it. I'm just not sure if it would work well together. You also make up your own folklore and Gods too, if you wanna get really creative with it.

[Matoki]

Beides this points made here, if it fits with the setting or audience I think the theme of your story should also factor in to this decision.
Why would you want folklore? Is it a specific story/legend/magic that is important to the story you want to tell?
Will the romance you want to tell work without it?
Or is it all just superstition? You could add the folklore as the belief of one of the characters without making it a fantasy story where these things are "real". What a person belives in can change their behaviour just as much, as if that thing was really there.

Keep in mind what you want to say, and what you need in the story to do it.

[joannekwan]

I mean, LA has a large Korean immigrant population, so you could probably tie the supernatural elements to the Korean populace that have established themselves there.

[KUUPID]

I wanted the story to be set in Los Angeles as I wanted to discuss some of the issues many Asian Americans go through. Koreans in Korea wouldn't necessarily experience them, so it's a bit hard to change the setting to Korea ^^"
I do see what you're saying though! I'm still playing around with some ideas but wanted to see what others do for these types of elements! Thank you for your advice!

[KUUPID]

This was sort of what I was going for in the beginning! xD Where this "fortune" is all just a superstition the protagonist firmly believes in... But then I wanted to bring in supernatural elements and welp xD I'm now playing around with various ideas T^T Thank you for your advice! Will definitely keep these questions in mind while writing ^^

[KUUPID]

I'm planning on doing something like that! Just need to figure out how

[joannekwan]

I wanted to discuss some of the issues many Asian Americans go through.

I like this!
I've been developing a short novel about a guy who meets a Chinese dragon in contemporary times, and the dragon got to America by following immigrants here in the latter 1870's. I'll incorporate a little about the issues they faced, discrimination and all that, since I really like history and I think it's important to at least acknowledge the hardships they went through.

[KUUPID]

Yes! I love novels that have to do with real-life events and/or history! I think it's a fun and interesting way to learn about a different culture from your own. I honestly believe that myths/ folklore is always a great resource to look at to understand more about a certain tradition/ culture! If you ever publish your novel, please post a link! I'd love to check it out~!

[SleepingPoppy]

I think using folklore and cultural mythologies is a great way to add depth to a story in an interesting way! Rather than off putting to non-Koreans, I think many people would be very engaged in this, as long as you can deliver in a way that's not confusing. Not everything needs to be 100% explained, mind you, so don't feel like you have to completely hold your readers hands through it all!

Some of the points about Korean folklore happening in America are good points, but I have to say, I don't think this would bother me at all? Especially when it sounds like the main characters are Korean. While magic being location specific is an interesting thing to explore, there's no reason it has to be location specific. Maybe this magic is everywhere, and your MCs are sensitive or notice it because it is more culturally relevant to them! Whose to say? That said, I think @joannekwan 's suggestion is already pretty perfect (and I do see you responded to her, so you're obviously already thinking about this! lol )

But yeah, speaking on the main thing. If it is something you are interested in exploring in your story, I wouldn't personally be put off by that kind of thing. I think it's great. =)

[sorible]

Another possibility could be to have the setting in Korea, but the characters are Asian American. A lot of people say that they felt ostracized in Korea because they were so out of touch with the country + culture. It would be interesting to see a story that has it switched as I don't see that a lot. It could also apply to North Korean defectors, as some of them are discriminated against even though they are still a part of Korea. I love mythology, especially stories about kumiho, foxes, dragons, imugi, etc. so if you add in those kind of fantasy elements I would totally check it out!