I - (History of Korean Literature)

The Character of Korean Literature

• Korean literature is usually divided chronologically into a
classical and a modern period.

- Korea’s classical literature developed against the

backdrop of traditional folk beliefs of the Korean
people; it was also influenced by Taoism,
Confucianism, and Buddhism. Among these,
Buddhist influence held the greatest sway, followed
by enormous influences from Confucianism –
especially Song Confucianism – during the Choson
period.
- Modern literature of Korea, on the other hand,
developed out of its contact with Western culture,
following the course of modernization.

• Korean literature extends over a broad territory:

literature recorded in Chinese; and literature written in
Han-gul.

- Korean literature in Chinese was created when

Chinese characters were brought to Korea.
- The use of the Korean script began during the
Choson period with the creation of the Korean
alphabet (Hunmin Chong-um).
- The Korean script (Han-gul) assumed its place of
leading importance in Korean literature only during
the latter half of the 19th century.

Korea’s Classical Literature

Hyangga from the Shilla period

• The Hyangga poetry of the Shilla period signaled the beginning of a unique poetic
form in Korean literature. TheHyangga were recorded in the hyangch’al script, in
which the Korean language was written using “sound” (um) and “meaning” (hun)
of Chinese characters.

The Koryo Kayo (Koryo Songs)

• The literature of the Koryo period is marked by an increased use of Chinese
letters, the disappearance of Hyangga, and the emergence of Koryo kayo (Koryo
songs) which continued to be transmitted as oral literature until the Choson
period.

Shijo and Kasa

• It is said that the kasa and the shijo make up the two greatest forms of the Choson
period poetry.

- The shijo (“current tune”) is representative of Choson period poetry.

- The kasa is properly placed in the category of verse, but its content is not
limited to the expression of individual sentiment.

The Classical Fiction

• The first appearance of the classical fiction in Korea include Kim Shi-sup’s Kumo
shinhwa (Tales of Kumo) which was written in Chinese characters and Ho
Kyun’s Hong Kil-tong chon (Tale of Hong Kil-tong) written in Han-gul.

The Modern Literature of Korea

The Literature of the Enlightenment Period

• The literature of the Enlightenment Period secured Korea’s social base through
newly emerged media like newspapers.
• In this period, the ch’angga (new type of song) and the shinch’eshi (new poetry)
were hailed as the new poetic forms.
• While a professional class of writers began to be formed by men like Yi In-jik, Yi
Hae-cho, Ch’oe Ch’an-shik and Kim Ko-je, a new literary form called
the shinsosol (new novel) secured a popular readership base.

Literature of the Japanese Colonial Period

• Literary coterie magazines emerged, likeCh’angjo (Creation) (1919), P’yeho (The

Ruins) (1920), and Paekcho (White Tide) (1922), and literary circles formed.
• The poetry of this period also established a new and modern Korean poetry as it
borrowed from the French techniques of vers libre.
• By 1925 the class literature movement began to solidify with the organization of
the Korea Proletarian Artist’s Federation (KAPF).
• Many novels written during this period experimented with new styles and
techniques.
 • The modernism movement is the most impressive feature of the poetry of this
period. It emerged as sunsushi (pure poetry).

Literature of the Period of National Division

• The Korean War(1950-1953) was a tragic interim which solidified Korea’s

division into South and North.
• For the most part, the postwar novel in South Korea deals with the struggles
of the Korean people to achieve deliverance from their national pain and
anguish.

- The writings of Kim Tong-ri and Hwang Sun-won are representatives of

this new type of literature.
- Many of the postwar generation writers took as their predominant
theme the collapse of the traditional socio-moral value systems.

- The search for a new poetic spirit and technique was also a significant
feature of Korea’s postwar poetry.
- At the close of the 1950s, writers like Kim Sung-ok, Pak T’ae-sun, So
Jong-in, Yi Ch’song-jun, Hong Song-won and Ch’oe In-hun made their
literary debut.
- The most important characteristic of the Korean novel during this period
was its positive concern for various social problems which began to
appear during the industrialization process.
- There also emerged during this period what has been referred to as the
“division novel” (pundansosol) which brought to the fore a critical
examination of national division.

The Translation of Korean Literature in Foreign Languages

• Since the 1980s, Korean literature in English translation has spread widely in the
English-speaking countries.
• The Korean novelists whose works have been most widely translated are
Hwang Sun-won and Kim Tong-ri. Hwang’s novel Umjiginun song (The
Moving Castle).

• In francophone countries, the scope of literary translation activities from Korean

is limited compared to those in English-speaking countries; but in these
countries too, projects are actively underway.
 http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/literature.htm

II - (a movie, etc. sample that certify there literature of the country)

KOREAN NOVELS

North Korea
Sea of Blood is a revolutionary novel, film, and opera created in
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) about the mass killings during the
Japanese occupation. It is also a novel and a three hour black and white film rumored to
have been directed in part by Kim Jong Il, the son of Kim Il Sung.

South Korea
The Toji (literally "The Land") is a Korean saga novel written by Park
Kyung-nifrom June, 1968 to 1994, consisting of five volumes. The process of
a yangban(noble class)'s collapse and revival is set in the village of Pyeongsa-
ri, Hadongcounty, South Gyeongsang province, Longing in Jiandao, Jinju and Seoul.

KOREAN MUSIC/SONGS

North Korea
The first evidence of Korean music is ancient, and it has been well-
documented by surviving written materials since the 15th century and was brought to
heights of excellence during the Yi kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Japan's invasion of
Korea eliminated Korean music from 1905 to 1945. A brief post-war period rewakened
folk and patriotic music.
Ex. Reunification Rainbow, taejung kayo

South Korea
Popular Korean music is a highly commercial industry throughout Asia.
The music is created by young stars with high style, the latest looks, dance skills, and an
ability to synthesize the music of the moment of the West whether it is done as Korean
rap, Korean soul, Korean rhythm and blues, or Korean middle of the road music. Some
songs include World-known songs like Nobody byWonder Girls, Sorry Sorry by Super
Junior.
 III – (Present situation or condition)

North Korea’s present situation/condition

-North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least
open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock
is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages
of spare parts.
-A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded
severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by
February 2010. Nevertheless, firm political control remains the Communist
government's overriding concern, which likely will inhibit changes to North
Korea's current economic system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea#Economy

South Korea’s present situation/condition

-South Korea has a market economy which ranks 14th in the world by nominal
GDP and 12th by purchasing power parity (PPP), identifying it as one of the G-20 major
economies.
- The South Korean economy is heavily dependent on international trade, and in
2010, South Korea was the sixth largest exporter and tenth largest importer in the world.
- As of 2010, South Korea and Turkey are in negotiations regarding construction
of two nuclear reactors.
- Plans of creating English-teaching robot assistants to compensate the shortage of
teachers were announced in February 2010, with the robots being deployed to most
preschools and kindergartens by 2013.
- the country has developed the first Digital Textbooks in the world, which will be
distributed for free to every primary and secondary school nation-wide by 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea#Economy