Lee Eung Jun
이응준
Lee Eung Jun (Hangul 이응준; born 1970) is a South Korean writer. He debuted as a poet in 1990 when the quarterly journal Literature & Criticism published his poem “Kkaedareumeun gapjagi chajaonda” (깨달음은 갑자기 찾아온다 Epiphanies Come Without Warning). In 1994 his short story “Geuneun chueogui sokdoro georeogatda” (그는 추억의 속도로 걸아갔다 He Walked at the Speed of Memory) appeared in the journal Imagination, marking the beginning of his career as a novelist. He has been noted for his portrayal of South Korean youths living through the 1990s. His characters tend to perceive pain over pleasure, sadness over joy, and solitude over companionship. Lee also writes screenplays and directs his own work. His cinematic flair is reflected in his novels.
In June 2015, Lee wrote an article entitled “Usangui eodum, munhagui tarak” (우상의 어둠, 문학의 타락 The Dark Side of an Idol and the Corruption of Literature) accusing the novelist Shin Kyung-sook of plagiarizing Yukio Mishima. The article caused an uproar in South Korean literary circles and sparked a debate on literary plagiarism.
