Kim Naesung (1909-1957) is a Korean writer. An unparalleled mystery fiction writer in colonial Korea, he was praised for his meticulously designed narratives and foreshadowing.[1] As a writer of popular novels, he thought deeply on the mass appeal of literature and was active as a radio script writer after Korea’s liberation from the Japanese rule. Ttolttoriui moheom (똘똘이의 모험 Ttolttori’s Adventure), penned and designed by Kim, was the first Korean children’s drama, which also signaled the beginning of radio drama series. His major works include novels Baekgamyeon (백가면 White Mask), Ma-in (마인 Devil), and Cheongchun geukjang (청춘극장 Youth Theater), as well as adaptations of foreign works such as Jinjutap (진주탑 Pearl Tower) and Goeamseong (괴암성 Fortress of Strange Rocks). Many of his works were turned into TV shows and films.
1. Life
Kim was born in Daedong-gun, South Pyeongan Province, in 1909. Under strict parents, he studied Chinese classics at an early age. At the age of 13, he married a woman five years his senior against his wishes, following an old custom in Korea at the time. One of the ways for him to escape the pressures of his marriage at such a young age was to read novels, especially detective stories.[2] In 1931, when he turned 22, he ended his long-suffering marriage and left for Japan to study German law. However, when his detective story was selected and published by a Japanese literary magazine dedicated to detective stories,[3] Kim began his writing career.
In 1936, he graduated with a major in law from Waseda University and returned to Korea. He married Kim Yeong-sun and started working at a newspaper and wrote detective novels. His first work in Korean was Gasang beomin (가상범인 A Hypothetical Culprit), which was a translation and adaptation of a story he published in a Japanese detective fiction magazine. Afterward, he wrote Baekgamyeon, starring detective Yu Bul-lan, which was serialized in a newspaper. He then published “Sarin yesulga” (살인예술가 An Artistic Murderer), which was a translated adaptation of “Tawonhyeongui geoul” (타원형의 거울 An Oval Mirror) published during his study abroad in Japan, and “Yeonmungidam” (연문기담 A Strange Story from Yeonmun), which drew great public attention. In particular, Ma-in, which was serialized in The Chosun Ilbo in 1939, became a huge success that made Kim famous.
After Korea’s liberation from the Japanese rule, Kim Naesung continued to be active in various circles. From 1948 to 1949, he was appointed as a non-regular committee member of the Ministry of Justice, and also served as a politician, working as a committee member for culture and arts policy in the main opposition party. He continued to write as well, publishing Cheongchun geuknjang and Insaeng hwabo (인생화보 Pictorial Life), and also working as a radio script writer. In 1946, Kim successfully penned and planned the first Korean children’s drama Ttolttoriui moheom, as well as a radio drama series Jinjutap, a Korean adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo. He fell ill while writing Silnagwonui byeol (실낙원의 별 Star of Paradise Lost) and died from cerebral hemorrhage in 1957 without finishing the novel. Silnagwonui byeol was completed by his daughter Kim Mun-hye, based on his notes.[4] In 1958, a literary award was created, bearing his name, but was discontinued after two years.[5] Kim Naesung Mystery Literature Award (김내성 추리문학상) was established in 1990.
2. Writing
Kim is famous as the first detective novelist in Korea. He was loved by readers not only for his mystery novels but also for popular novels and held an unrivaled position in Korea as a popular novelist from the colonial period to after Korea’s liberation. With meticulously designed narratives and foreshadowing, his works are known to have been greatly influenced by the works of Edogawa Ranpo (江戸川乱歩), the Japanese master of mystery novels. In fact, Kim was said to have visited Edogawa Ranpo’s house during his study abroad in Japan, and they kept in touch via letters after Korea’s liberation from the Japanese rule.[6] Kim accepted Edogawa Ranpo’s position that detective novels should also be artistic and wrote “Siyuri” (시유리 Dead Yuri) and “Baeksado” (백사도 Painting of a White Snake), stories that veered away from the typical detective story formula and were praised for their artistry and literary value. This is also true in “Ma-in,” which solidified Kim’s position in the Korean literary scene. These works follow the general format of mystery novels but also tried to overcome the limitations of the genre of mystery novels by reflecting the complex psychology of humans.[7]
Kim is a writer who thought deeply about the popularity of literature. In a literary criticism piece “Daejungmunhakgwa sunsumunhak-haengbokhan sosujawa bulhaenghan dasuja” (1948, 대중문학과 순수문학-행복한 소수자와 불행한 다수자 Popular Literature and Pure Literature-Happy Minority and Unhappy Majority), he emphasized that literature should guard against falling into conventionality but also should not give up on being read by the public. He argued that fiction should be interesting to read and also be able to edify the readers by giving them a psychological thrill. This is why he started off as a mystery novelist and made efforts to expand his creative world by attempting at different genres, including popular fiction and children’s radio series. His various works across different genres also feature the superbly designed narratives that he showed in mystery novels. With the conviction to be “read by more readers,” Kim wrote stories on a big scale but reflected the experiences of his own and the people around him in detail, which allowed him to attract popular interest and make his fiction more persuasive. These characteristics of his works later became an advantage when many of them were turned into film and TV dramas.
His conviction to impress and inspire more readers is a clue to his colorful activities. During his creative writing career, Kim adapted a number of popular foreign novels and published them. These books include Simyaui gongpo (심야의 공포 Terror in the Night), which is an adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes series, Goeamseong, an adaptation of Maurice Leblanc’s The Hollow Needle, and Masim bulsim (마심불심 Heart of the Devil, Heart of Buddha), an adaptation of the first full-length mystery novel L’Affaire Lerouge. In particular, Jinjutap, which was an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, was serialized and regularly aired on Tuesday evenings, becoming a huge hit. Kim was a writer who quickly responded to new media and technologies as well. He planned the radio broadcasting of Jinjutap and Ttoltoriui moheom, which were both successful. Ma-in, Ttoltoriui moheom, Aein (애인 Lover), Insaenghwabo, and Silnagwonui byeol were turned into films during Kim’s lifetime, and many of his works were turned into films and TV shows after his death.[8]
Reference
[1] “The 60th Anniversary of the Death of Korea’s First Mystery Novelist, Kim Naesung,” Monthly Chosun August 2017.
http://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?ctcd=E&nNewsNumb=201708100064
[2] Baek, Cheol, “A Study of Modern Korean Writers 2 – Kim Naesung,” Saebyeok (새벽) April 1957.
[3] Kim’s short stories “Tawonhyeongui geoul,” “Yeonmungidam,” and “Tamjeong soseolgaui sarin” (탐정 소설가의 살인 The Murder of a Detective Novelist) were published, one after another, in Peuropil (프로필 Profile), a Japanese literary magazine dedicated to mystery fiction, and a popular magazine titled Modeon ilbon (모던 일본 Modern Japan). These works were later published in Korean as well. Park, Jin-yeong, “A Brief Biography of Ain Kim Naesung,” Jinjutap, Hyundae Munhak, 2009.
[4] Jeong, Se-yeong, The Theory of Kim Naesung’s Works, MA thesis, Dongguk University, 1991.
[5] “Naesung Literary Award,” Hanguk wiki baekgwa (Korean Wikipedia).
https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%82%B4%EC%84%B1%EB%AC%B8%ED%95%99%EC%83%81
[6] See “Japan Atwiki’s Special Feature on the History of Korean Mystery Fiction,” Kim Naesung Chapter 3 “Reception of His Works in Japan and Friendship with Japanese Detective Novelists” Section 2 “Friendship with Edogawa Ranpo.”
https://www36.atwiki.jp/asianmystery/pages/145.html
[7] Jeong, Se-yeong, The Theory of Kim Naesung’s Works, MA thesis, Dongguk University, 1991.
[8] According to Park Jin-yeong, about 20 films of Kim’s works were made, and quite a number of them were also turned into radio shows, TV dramas, plays, and comic books.
“Films and TV Shows Based on Kim Naesung’s Works”
https://blog.naver.com/bookgram/120061997985
