Abstract

In case of long novels, many of them are published in newspapers or magazines in the form of serial publications, and then they are published as a single book. It has been asserted that the level of completion of a work becomes enhanced once those novels are published as a single book after going through this process; however, a single book is not always of a higher level of literary work than a serial novel. Park Kyung-ni's “Toji” was published over a period of 25 years. It was published in a series while being moved to nine media, and it began to be published as a single book before the completion of the series. Also, no less than eight publishers published it as a single book. These characteristics are not uncommon. This study was conducted based on a premise that correct versions should be determined to solve problems incurred as novel work in series was published in complex and diverse books (several versions). We have intensively examined several issues which were regarded as dilemma among the matters to be considered for determination of correct versions. The first one is the part revising the nonstandard language used in serial novel at the time of publication of book. Second one is the revised parts when book was published due to self-censorship of author after release as the serial novel. Since the intention of author is important for determining the correct versions, it is natural to accept and reflect it in the correct versions if the author actively revised it. If such reflection deleted the personality of expression or sense of author when releasing the work originally, better selection should be made. It seems best to select the critical good version in a way to raise the personality and literary value of author in the situation when author is not alive.