ISSN : 1738-3188
The Formation and Development of Ddakjibon Popular Novels Kang, Ok-Hee This article/essay/thesis will define the modern-inclined literary works published after 1910 in old print. Furthermore it will organize and categorize works that have been lost and the characteristics of such novels will be examined. Ddakjibon Popular Novels have been referred to as youkjeon novels or ddakjibons and was regarded as inferior literary works. Thus they were neglected in the studies of literary history and research. Though Ddakjibon Novels suceeded commercially and formed a modern general multitude of readers, reacting sensitively to the taste of public and thus is very significant, even the most basic bibliography had not been compiled. 1920s and the 1930s were the zeniths/pinnacles of Ddakjibon Popular Novels, with 'sechangseokwan's xylographic books leading the way. Ddakjibon Popular Novels published by 'sechangseokwan' appealed not to the elite, but to the public with inexpensive prices and literary works that properly addressed the interests of readers. Though Ddakjibon Popular Novels where actively issued during the colonial times and remained in existence until the 1960s, the experiences and values of the public had changed and consequently its downfall commenced after the Independence. Since Ddakjibon Popular Novels were aimed, written and circulated to the common and general readers, it is possible to observe the contemporary readers' interests and their desired realities. The significance can be placed at the various ways the preference of readers appeared throughout the novels.
The Six-pence Pop Novel and Feature of Sin-pa Lee Young Mee This paper is to analyse the six-pence pop novel(short and brief novels which were popular among the masses between 1920s and 1950s in Korea) in terms of feature of sin-pa and examine its status in the local pop art history. The six-pence pop novel are commonly called as 'sin-pa novels,' however most of them are not sin-pa at all. There are a whole range of such novels and they vary from those close to old-style novels to those similar to sin-pa. Some of them don't have a characteristic of old-style novels and that of melodramatic ones, either. Their main characters have a simple and formal composition of good and evil, however, such a composition is not linked to medieval world view and in this regard, is different from old-style novels. And their main characters do not possess physical handicaps which are the prominent figure in sin-pa novels and do not explore into the characters' psyche to expose their sin-pa sentiments. But how their survival is described in specific and myriad ways. These six-pence pop novels are expected to be appreciated by classes which possessed relatively less culture capital of new culture. This proves that sin-pa which have been considered to be low class were appreciated by classes with more culture capital of new culture compared to those who enjoyed six-pence pop novels.
The Popular Novel: the Confusion and Fantasy Kim Chung-Kang This essay examines the characteristics of so-called "cheap" popular novel and its historical condition, which has long been excluded in the study of South Korean modern literature. By using the concept of "confusion" and "fantasy," I analyze three popular novels, "Saving My Life"[Chŏlchŏpongsaeng], "The Tears of North Kanto"[Pukkanto ŭi nu], and "The Dream of Golddiggers"[Hwangkŭm ŭi mong] produced in 1910s and 1930s. In particular, despite each texts' different periodical and political circumstances, these three novels aptly delineates the confusion and practical difficulty that common people had, and speaks especially the desires of the male subjects including the generations of fathers and ruined aristocratic class who were not able to be "modern" subject, however, had they such desire. These three novels capture the moment of difficulty that these male characters are confronting and expresses "the sorrowness of males," which is differenciated from that of womans'. In addition, by adapting themselves in the fast-changing social atmosphere with their own favoritism, they regain their lost socio-cultural status. The use of "fantasy" becomes the literary strategy to overcome the narratives of "hardships of old male generation" and subverts their reality by dreaming the recovery of patriarch in the text. The narrative structure of this "cheap" popular novel provides the clear picture of common people's life which is not found in any other historical materials. Although these novels has been despised and neglected in the world of academia, due to it coarseness of narrative style and "lack of seriousness" in its thematic convention, they should be re-evaluated in that it reflects the "reality" of people's life and their taste.
The Narrative of Nation and Romantic Character - concentrating on the prince Ho-Dong, written by Lee Tae-jun Jin, Young-Bok This study observes the system composition of the Subject and Others that appeared in the historical novel the prince Ho-Dong, written by Lee Tae-jun, through examining narrative and popular aesthetic of Nation. As a result, I have noticed that this novel expresses both the delicately balanced gaze of imperialism and the resistance to it through popular aesthetic principals that include romantic irony and a romantic love. This novel leads the reader to spontaneously adapt to nationalism, then to realize both the sense of unity towards consciousness of the Korean race and the sense of imaginative unification through resistance /adaptation of the Japanese militarism. This is accomplished by yearning the primitive source and expanding romantic love to the love of the nation, ironically denying the process at the same time. Namely, this novel partially accepts the aspects of imperialism which could be sympathized, concurrently following the contrary principle of resistance /adaptation portrayed typically in colonial life by making the second best choice. In short this novel is offering a sense of imaginative unification through the concept of Nation carrying both the meaning of nation/empire. At the same time, the novel is seeking for a compromised equilibrium by nationalism.
'The Symbol of Evil' as a Method of Literary Study Park Sang-Min This thesis deals with 'the Symbol of Evil' as a Method of Literary Study. The main premise of this study is that a literary works is a useful device to perceive the negative existence of evil by providing narrative and symbolic resources. In that sense, this thesis analyzes the destruction of sex-related taboo. Destroying taboo represents the 'Stain' that Paul Ricoeur saw as the first symbol of evil. His perspective is based on the belief that any stain will pay the price eventually. However, it is an unreasonable justification from examining the agony to avoid it. On the bases of this discuss, this thesis research for 'the symbol of Evil' in Park Kyung-Ni's Toji(土地). Because Toji(土地) shows a model of 'the symbol of Evil' on modern literary narrative. The main character that destroys sex-related taboo is Kim Hwan. He lured his sister-in-law and ran away, and the catastrophe of Choichampan Familly started from that incident. Kim Hwan is the center of obscene behaviors in this book, but he does not have any image of a villain. He is only a sympathetic character that struggles to overcome the pain. Even though he plays a role of diabolic incubus with his father, Kim Gae-Ju, the narrator embellishes him. The conflict between the romantic description of adultery and the tragic death is the most important symbol of evil in Toji(土地), which demolishes the erroneous justification of taboo.
The Enjoyment and Narrative Appropriation to the Travel Culture in the Colonial Period Kwag, Seung-Mi This eassy considers how the culture of travel, in Chosun under in colonial system, which mainly takes roles in process of the formation of modernity had been enjoyed in everyday life and appropriated in narratives. Be systemized for teaching the logic of a colonial policy by Japan, travel had been usual culture in Chosun. And the people in Chosun recognized tour as an index of modern life. The experience of travel in the Occidental, Abroad Travel Literature, was both interpreted by modern subject eye and the moment of taking their bearings not as modern subject but as an Oriental and people under colonial rule. For these factor, travel in the fictions functioned exotic interests and appropriated self-recognition as the other.