Kim Huran (born 1934) is a Korean poet.
1. Life
Kim Huran was born in Seoul on December 26, 1934. Her professional career has been in journalism; she served as a reporter then as editorial writer for various major newspapers. She left her studies at Seoul National University to work as a reporter for the Hankook Ilbo, the Seoul Shinmun, and the Kyunghyang Shinmun. Her literary career was officially launched when her poems "Oneureul wihan norae" (오늘을 위한 노래 Songs for Today) and "Dalpaengi" (달팽이Snail) were recommended for publication in Hyundae Munhak in 1960. She published her first collection of poetry, Jangdowa jangmi (장도와 장미 Ornamental Knife and Rose) in 1968; this was followed by other volumes, including Eumgye (음계 Musical Scale) in 1971, Eotteon pado (어떤 파도 Certain Waves) in 1976, and Seourui saebyeok (서울의 새벽 Dawn in Seoul) in 1995.
2. Writing
Kim Huran's poetry is characterized by an intense exploration of symbolist imagery, in an elegant language which at times verges on weightiness. Her work is deeply rooted in the more traditional forms of Korean lyricism. Among the themes most frequently found in her work is a constant celebration of the mystery of vitality. Nature becomes a mirror of the ways in which life succeeds in breaking through the walls of darkness.
One of Kim's's favorite images is the budding and opening of flowers. Life burgeons out of darkness, emerging, developing, growing to perfection. Nature in her work is a place of hope and life, light and beauty. She frequently explores images of water emerging from the depths, brought out from below into the light of day to quench thirst and irrigate dry places.
In her poetry, Kim attempts to create a world of perfect equilibrium and absolute beauty through the practice of self-discipline and control. This great artistic endeavor coincides with the poet's approach towards life seen in "Namueseo" (나무에서On The Tree), in which the poet cultivates mind and soul in order to attain wisdom and maturity. Her poems analyze the conflicts and contradictions of life with a modernist sensibility and capture the beauty and complexities of nature. Her early poems "Ganggae seon namu" (강가에 선 나무Trees on the Riverside), "Badae mearichineun" (바다에 메아리치는 Echoing in the Sea) and "Dabotab apeseo" (다보탑 앞에서 In Front of the Pagoda) aptly portray the many trials and tribulations inherent in life.
