So Chong-ju (May 18, 1915 – December 24, 2000) was a Korean poet and university professor who wrote under the pen name Midang.
1. Life
So Chong-ju was born in Gochang, North Jeolla Province. The traditional stories told him by his grandmother and his youthful experiences influenced his literary style. He went to Jung-Ang Buddhist College, but he dropped out of school in 1936 after being involved in a demonstration. In 1936, his poem, "Byuk" (벽 Wall), was published in the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper. The same year, he founded the literary coterie journal Siin burak along with fellow writers Kim Dong-ni and Ham Hyeongsu, among others, marking the beginning of his literary career.
From 1942 to 1944 So became a pro-Japanese activist. He wrote various poems for the newspaper Maeil Sinbo under the Japanese pen name, Datsushiro Shizuo, in praise of Japanese Imperialism in the late colonial period.
After Korea's liberation, So was actively involved in the formation of the Association of Joseon Literary Youth and in 1949 he became one of the key founding members of the Association of Korean Writers. He was nominated as a lifetime member of the Arts Center in 1954.
From 1959 to 1979, he worked as a professor of literature at Dongguk University and others from 1959. Following his wife's death in October 2000, he barely ate or drank anything besides beer and died on December 24, 2000.
2. Writing
So Chong-ju's early works were modernistic and also surrealistic, influenced mostly by foreign literature. His first collection of poems, Hwasajip (화사집 Flower Snake Poems), was published in 1941. The book explores humanity's feelings of guilt and folklore.
So's influence on Korean poetry stems in part from his early lyrics written between 1941 and 1960. Baudelaire's influence is unmistakable in his early poetry. Primeval and even demonic in tone, So's first volume of poetry, Flower Snake Poems, explores man's awareness of original sin and the primeval life force against the backdrop of local or indigenous colors.
After the liberation of Korea, however, the concept of original sin and predestination that marked his early poetry was replaced by the quest for never-ending life found in eastern philosophy. His second volume of poetry, Gwichokdo (귀촉도 Nightingale), for example, suggests the poet's return to Buddhist ways of thought and classical style. So Chong-ju Siseon (서정주 시선 Selected Poems of So Chong-ju), his third collection, contains work that sings of a certain reconciliation between nature and han, a deep-seated sense of grief, as well as the poems "Hak" (학 The Crane) and "Gido 1" (기도1 Prayer I ) and "Gido 2" (기도2 Prayer II) that show the poet's artistic maturity and his capacity for self-perception.
With Sillacho (신라초 The Essence of Silla), So reached a new artistic height. The ancient country of Silla has long been the wellspring of the poet's artistic inspiration and transcendental vision, a country more akin to an imaginary homeland where nature and men exist in perfect unity, than a historical entity. Rooted in Buddhist thought, it revives the concept of karma and the philosophy of Zen Buddhism. Dongcheon, (동천 Winter Sky) a collection of poems published in 1969, also reveals So's interest in Buddhist symbolism.
It is generally agreed that Seo Jeong-ju was the greatest poet of modern Korea, and his works have been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Spanish, and German. In 2007, he was listed by the Korean Poets' Association among the ten most important modern Korean poets. The Midang Literary House was opened the year after his death at the poet's native village and final resting place. The Midang Literary Award is presented there during chrysanthemum season, in commemoration of his most famous poem, "Gukwayeopeseo" (국화옆에서 Beside a Chrysanthemum).
