In novel, tense of narration is closely related to the point of view. Especially, when the text is about fate, tense can show the ‘fatal moment’ or ‘diachronic process of fate-acceptance’ of characters.
As theories about narrative discourse is developed, past-tense is proved to show authoritative narration and present-tense is to figural narration. The former makes the discourse separated from the story, meaning the narrater is prospecting the situation out of the text. On the other side, the latter makes story and its narration synchronize, meaning the narrater’s POV is restricted in the text.
In 〈Daughters of Kim pharmacy〉 and〈Tak-Ryu〉, the basic tense is present. But when critical action is done to determine main character’s fate, past-tense appears suddenly. This means advent of authoritative narrater, who can tell what the characters cannot perceive. While characters cannot perceive their emotional impulse, the authoritative narrater can catch it.
In addition, in 〈Hwang-to-gi〉 and 〈Yuk-Ma〉, the process of fate-acceptance is more important. In these texts, characters’ attitudes towards their fate is different between fore part and rear part. At first, characters behave regardless of their forecast fate. But at last, they realize the absoluteness of fate and accept it. In〈Hwang-to-gi〉 tense changes from present to past, helping readers prospect the whole situation which is forcing him not to go where he wants to. In the case of〈Yuk-Ma〉, imperfective past tense is used more frequently at the rear, making The POV shifting from author to the characters so that the impact of fate be described more vividly.