Yu Chin-O (1906 – 1987) is a Korean novelist. His novels from the Japanese colonial period[1] are notable in that they thoroughly illustrate the ideological conflicts among intellectuals while providing detailed psychological descriptions of characters.[2] After Korea’s liberation from the colonial rule, Yu worked in a wide array of fields, for instance, as a law scholar, an educator, and a politician. His representative works are “Gimgangsawa tigyosu” (김강사와 T교수 Lecturer Kim and Professor T) (1935) and “Changnangjeonggi” (창랑정기 The Story of the Changnagjeong House) (1938).
1. Life
Yu Chin-O was born in 1906, during the Korean Empire period, to a representative reformist (known as Gaehwapa) family in Seoul. He entered and graduated first in his class from the Department of Law at Keijo Imperial University, where most students were Japanese. Not only did Yu work in diverse fields (e.g. as a writer, law scholar, educator, and politician), but he also made his mark in all of these fields. He had suffered from cerebral thrombosis since 1983 and passed away in 1987 at the age of 82.[3]
Period of Literary Activities
The period of Yu’s literary activities is limited to the time before Korea’s liberation in 1945. His interest and talent in literature were displayed early, as demonstrated by the fact that, during high school, he won literary awards several times by anonymously submitting manuscripts to newspaper companies.[4] Even after he began to study law, he continued to participate in a literature club with his friends. Then, at the age of 21, he made his literary debut by publishing his first short stories “Seuri” (스리 Three) and “Boksu” (복수 Revenge) (1927). During college, he also established the “Society of Economic Studies,” a Marxist organization, to study economics and socialism.[5] Likewise, his early works tend to be Marxist in orientation, similar to Pro-literature (proletarian literature)[6] by members of the Korea Artista Proletara Federatio (KAPF), a socialist cultural organization which led Korea’s literary circles at the time. Along with Chae Man-sik and Lee Hyo-seok, Yu Chin-O is considered a companion writer[7] who shared political and literary views with the KAPF, without joining the organization.
In the 1930s, after the Sino-Japanese War (1931) broke out, the Japanese colonial government began to suppress ideas in earnest. Published in the mid-1930s, Lecturer Kim and Professor T (1935), Yu’s representative work, elaborately depicts the mental conflicts and frustrations facing intellectuals who can barely maintain their ideologies.
However, since 1939, he had actively defended Japan’s colonial rule and advocated its war of aggression. Due to these pro-Japanese activities, he was later put on the list of pro-Japanese and anti-national collaborators.[8]
Non-literary Activities
After the Korean liberation in 1945, Yu was not engaged in literary activities except for the writing of some light essays.[9] Instead, he was active in non-literary fields, for instance, as a law scholar, an educator and a politician. After the establishment of the Republic of Korea Government in 1948, he wrote the first draft of the 1948 Constitution of the Republic of Korea[10] and served as the President of Korea University, demonstrating strong capability as an educational administrator.[11] In the 1960s, he had also entered politics and actively worked as a politician of the opposition party for a lengthy period, even serving as a party leader and a presidential candidate.[12]
2. Writing
During his literary period (1927 – 1944), Yu wrote one novel, over 50 short stories and five dramas.[13] Revolving around the anguish of intellectuals and psychological descriptions, his literary world had undergone change from companion literature to the theme of “the return to living” and to the theme of “restoration and the world of daily living.”
Companion Literature
His short stories published between the late 1920s and the early 1930s, such as “Seuri” (1927), “Oworui gujikja” (오월의 구직자 May’s Job Seeker) (1929)[14] and “Yeojikgong” (여직공 A Factory Girl) (1931)[15] illustrates the lives of the impoverished class and the mental conflict of intellectuals.[16] In these short stories, the intellectuals come to observe the lives of the poor and laborers, which leads to their mental conflicts and their realization of the cruelty of the colonial rule and its systemic harms. Yu’s representative work from this period, “Yeojikgong” is a typical work of companion literature. After experiencing unjust incidents, Ok-sun, the lead character, comes to a realization and determines to struggle on behalf of the poor and the oppressed. Until this period, Yu’s works had maintained a certain level of optimistic hope that class consciousness and people’s conviction can change reality.
The Return to Living
In 1935, the KAPF was dismantled. Yu’s works published around this time do not feature characteristics of companion literature. They focus on the daily lives of intellectuals removed from their class consciousness and Marxist ideologies. Gimgangsawa tigyosu is a representative work from this period.[18] The novel thoroughly depicts the psyche of an intellectual who lives in a quandary and emotional conflicts because if he wants to maintain his ideological beliefs, he cannot make a living, whereas if he makes a compromise with reality, then he will have to abandon his ideals. In the end, Lecturer Kim is fired from school, which implies the path an intellectual, who is defeated by the oppressive conditions of his age and his reality, is forced to take in a colonized country.
Restoration and Daily Living
The late 1930s was a dark period where, among all thoughts and ideologies, only Japanese imperialism were allowed by the suppressive Japanese colonial government. During this period, Yu’s literature returned to the world of restoration and the description of reality as it was. Escaping from the pressure of contemporary reality while resorting to the reminiscence of the past and focusing on personal daily life was the typical way Korean writers at the time surrendered to the oppressive reality.[19]
“Changnangjeonggi” (1938), Yu’s autobiographical short story from this period, is another of his representative work.[20] The narrator “I” recalls his childhood memories associated with the dignity and spirit of Seogangdaesin and with the Changnangjeong House, falling deeply into a romantic nostalgia.[21] The denouement recounts the fall of Changnangjeong, in juxtaposition to the roaring sounds of a latest passenger airplane, suggesting the change of the times. The story implies that, faced with the great movement toward modernization, the dignity of the mind cannot but fall just as Changnangjeong did. On the other hand, the passenger airplane symbolizes the empire destined for constant expansion, thereby overtly revealing the author’s support of modernity in the battle between tradition and modernity.[22] The failed reactionism depicted in this short story is now considered a literary justification of the author’s pro-Japanese activities.
Reference
[1] Japanese colonial period refers to the period from August 29, 1910 to August 15, 1945 (the year of Korea’s liberation), during which Korea was colonized by Japan.
Wikipedia Korea “Japanese Colonial Period.” https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9D%BC%EC%A0%9C_%EA%B0%95%EC%A0%90%EA%B8%B0.
[2] Kim, Sang-ung. A Critical Biography of Hyeonmin Yu Chin-O. Chaeryun, 2018.
[3] Wikipedia Korea. “Yu Chin-O.” https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9C%A0%EC%A7%84%EC%98%A4.
[4] Kim, In-hwan. “Hyeonmin Yu Chin-O as a Literary Person” In The Road to Intelligence. Korea Research Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, 2007.
[5] Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Yu Chin-O.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=539667&cid=46625&categoryId=46625.
[6] Korea Artista Proleta Federacio (KAPF) was a socialist literary organization established in 1925. It aimed to promote a working class revolution and Pro-literature (proletarian literature) based on class consciousness. For ten years until 1934, the KAPF held a strong influence on not only Korean literature but also in the political realm.
Wikipedia Korea. “Korea Artista Proleta Federacio (KAPF).”
https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%A1%B0%EC%84%A0%ED%94%84%EB%A1%A4%EB%A0%88%ED%83%80%EB%A6%AC%EC%95%84%EC%98%88%EC%88%A0%EA%B0%80%EB%8F%99%EB%A7%B9#%EC%9E%91%ED%92%88%EA%B3%BC_%EC%9E%91%EA%B0%80.
[7] Companion writer is a term used in the history of Korean literature and refers to a writer who was not a member of the KAPF but shared the same ideology with the organization. Some of Yu’s works that provide evidence for his companion writership include “Seuri” (1927), “Paak” (파악 Grasp), “Nektaiui chimjeon” (넥타이의 침전 The Plunge of a Necktie) (1928), “Oworui gujikja” and “Yeojikgong.”
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Companion Writer.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=544302&cid=46645&categoryId=46645.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Yu Chin-O.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=333669&cid=41708&categoryId=41737.
[8] Wikipedia Korea. “The List of Pro-Japanese and Anti-national Collaborators Issued by the Republic of Korea Government (Culture Category / Literature subcategory).” https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%EB%AF%BC%EA%B5%AD_%EC%A0%95%EB%B6%80_%EB%B0%9C%ED%91%9C_%EC%B9%9C%EC%9D%BC%EB%B0%98%EB%AF%BC%EC%A1%B1%ED%96%89%EC%9C%84%EC%9E%90_%EB%AA%85%EB%8B%A8_-_%EB%AC%B8%ED%99%94.
[9] Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Yu Chin-O.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=539667&cid=46625&categoryId=46625.
[10] Wikipedia Korea. “Yu Chin-O.” https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9C%A0%EC%A7%84%EC%98%A4.
[11] Namuwiki. “Yu Chin-O.” https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%9C%A0%EC%A7%84%EC%98%A4.
[12] There remains a campaign poster from his days as a politician.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge. “A Campaign Poster of Yu Chin-O, member of the National Assembly, for the 7th Legislative Election (Seoul 1 Constituency).” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=5614230&cid=60378&categoryId=60383.
[13] 김인환, 〈문학가로서의 현민 유진오〉, 한국인문사회연구원 편, 《지성의 길》, 2007. 138쪽 / Kim, In-hwan. “Hyeonmin Yu Chin-O as a Literary Person” In The Road to Intelligence. Korea Research Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, 138. 2007.
[14] For detailed information on “Oworui gujikja,” consult the following website.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Doosan Encyclopedia. “Oworui gujikja.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=1216731&cid=40942&categoryId=32876.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Oworui gujikja.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=568345&cid=46645&categoryId=46645.
[15] For detailed information on“Yeojikgong,” consult the following website.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Doosan Encyclopedia. “Yeojikgong.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=1216732&cid=40942&categoryId=32876.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Yeojikgong.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=581274&cid=46645&categoryId=46645.
[16] Jeong, Han-suk. “Broad and Blithe Classical Dimension: A Study on Yu Chin-O’s Works.” http://www.seelotus.com/gojeon/hyeon-dae/soseol/jak-ga-lon/u-jin-o.htm.
[17] Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Gojeonhaeseol ZIP. “The Works of Yu Chin-O,” by Yeong-bok Jin. https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=730755&cid=60608&categoryId=60608.
[18] Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Lecturer Kim and professor T.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=659222&cid=46645&categoryId=46645.
[19] 김윤식, 《한국 현대문학 명작사전》, 일지사, 1982 / Kim, Yun-sik. The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Korean Literary Masterpieces. Iljisa, 1982.
[20] For detailed information on “Changnangjeonggi,” consult the following website.
네이버 지식백과, 한국현대문학대사전 [창랑정기]
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Contemporary Korean Literature. “Changnangjeonggi.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=335183&cid=41708&categoryId=41737.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. “Changnangjeonggi.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=562686&cid=46645&categoryId=46645.
[21] Seogangdaesin in “Changnangjeonggi” is based on the real figure Yu Kil-chun, the first Joseon person to study in the U.S. As close relatives, he and Yu Chi-hyeong, father of Yu Chin-O, frequently met and exchanged thoughts. This explains the reason why “modernity” is at the core of Yu Chin-O’s literature and thought.
윤대석, 〈유진오〉, 《약전으로 읽는 문학사》, 소명, 2008 / Yun, Dae-seok. “Yu Chin-O” In Learning the History of Literature through Short Biographies. Somyeong, 2008.
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Gojeonhaeseol ZIP. “The Works of Yu Chin-O,” by Yeong-bok Jin. https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=730755&cid=60608&categoryId=60608.
[23] Online content on the essay “Haebaragi” (해바라기 Sunflower) listed in the essay collection Gureum wiui mansang (구름 위의 만상 Scattered Thoughts on the Clouds).
Naver Encyclopedia of Knowledge / Doosan Encyclopedia. “Haebaragi.” https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=1216834&cid=40942&categoryId=33385.
