The Kite Fighters

“I could tell what the wind is like because the kite [...] The kite talked to me.”

Lee Young-sup has an innate skill for kite flying, as evidenced by the first time he successfully flies his brother’s New Year kite. By hearing the kite “talk” to him, Young-sup demonstrates that he has a keen understanding and special connection to the kite. He cultivates his kite-flying skills with much practice, but part of his prowess is simply intuitive.

“[Kee-sup] took his time, ensuring that the frame for the kite he was making matched the first one in every way. Meanwhile, Young-sup had moved on to the kite paper. He guessed at where the center of the rectangle lay and cut a rather lopsided circle out of the middle.”

The brothers’ kite construction reveals much about their differing approaches and personalities. Where Lee Kee-sup is methodical, Young-sup is hasty and messy, which results in a useless kite for Young-sup. The two learn that they must use their strengths to help the other because, through collaboration, they make a winning team.

“The kite was like a part of him—the part that could fly.”

Kite flying allows Young-sup to temporarily escape the confines of Korean society, limiting him to his role as the second son and future rice merchant. As his kite soars, his aspirations do as well, his kite serving as a symbol of his freedom and potential to follow his dreams.