Progressive literature in South Korea (1965)

 <남조선 문학에서의 진보적 경향> (경일, 근로자,1965년) 제목의 기사의 요약입니다. 

A summarized translation of the article Progressive Trends in South Korean Literature, by Kyeong-il, published in the cultural journal Keunloja (Workers),1965. 

As Lenin pointed out, two cultures coexist in class societies, the burgeoise culture and another that reflects the aspirations and hopes of the working class. 

Like any other form of social counsciousness, literature grows with class struggle and social development. 

(...) 

20 years after the Liberation, antipopular manoeuvres by US imperialism and its puppets keep South Korea immersed in political chaos and economic crisis. By repressing the people´s national and class conscience, elementary democratic freedom and rights are denied. 

In the literary sphere, national and democratic trends are mercilessly repressed, destroying our outstanding cultural tradition. 

The decadent "American culture" and "American way of life" predominate; nihilism and pessimism are widely preached via reactionary forms of culture which paralise the people´s national and class conscience and are used as political tools for eating away the people´s healthy imagination, conceal the contradictions of South Korean society and try to put a makeup on the colonial rule. 

The April popular uprising not only opened a new stage in the struggle of South Korean people but also introduced a direction change in the writer´s creativity, creating advantageous conditions for conscious writers. 

It contributed greatly to awakening the consciousness of many authors who had previously been influenced by decadent and bourgeois ideas. Many of them became aware of the historical mission that the times were spreading before them, thus being able to jump over the fence of bourgeois and decadent literature. Through their works, they bravely denounced social evil. 

Important among them are antiamerican works that denounced US policies, which destroyed national economy and brought the people to extreme poverty, and claimed the need to find again the nation´s autonomy and spirit. 

But they don´t just condemn the US´crimes. Poetic pieces like Let´s go, let´s exit (가다오 나가다오) (1), together with many short stories and other works, directly argue for the dismantling of American bases in South Korea. In the poem The US' VIII Army's car (2), the author shows a wide and deep insight of the South Korean society and denounces the agressive nature of US imperialism. With an ardent and passionate style, the poet claims that what US imperialism brought to this land is not freedom and bread but just poverty and wretchedness, lack of rights and tyranny, war and destruction: 

What came back to Choseon 
is not spring. 
What came back to this landscapes, to our mountains and rivers, 
is mercilessness 
(...)
What those guests brought us 

is an invitation of ruthlessness 
a burning cauldron, 
a spiked invitation to war 

from the magazine Hyundai Munhak (Today's Literature), december 1963

The poet sharply denounces US imperialism as a thief and the firebug who set fire to our beautiful land. 
By means of the metaphor of "the deserted tree branches of Korea", the author also denounces the extreme poverty suffered by the South Korean people, unveiling plunder and pillage as the essence of American imperialism. The poem raises awareness about the struggle and resistance for the country´s liberation from American occupation.


From his work, we know he is a counscious poet who opposes the fascistic oppression from American imperialism and its puppets and sings with the voice of his people. 

The short story Manure (3), published in Hyundae Munhak (1965) echoes the people´s indignation towards the cruelty and inhumanity of an invasion force disguised with the mask of "liberation".
To be recognised as human beings and live honorably, the author said, our sagatious and brave nation must never become slaves who blindly obedient to the American´s exorbitant greed for sex and food and, instead, be full of pride and self-esteem and pull up that evil root. 
This narrative is a sharp artistic reflection of the people´s consciousness about their struggle to gain agency and national dignity. 

Another short story, The reply (4), tries to identify the very agent who pushed South Korea towards hunger and poverty and reveals the influence of American "cooperation" policies on the South Korean people, denounces the extreme poverty of the people, who were "not even able to wrap a newborn baby in a piece of cloth" and the maneouvres intended to conceal the increasing anti-US consciousness. 

The author fiercely criticizes American culture imposed in South Korea through symbols like high heels and pointed noses mocking the impoverished locals, who wear only tatters. 

In one scene, people in a village set fire to the "relief supplies", symbolizing the claim for autonomy and the growing antiamerican sentiment.  

Reactionary writers, who follow the "American culture" and "American way of life" preach nihilism about Korean folk culture and they get to the point of jabbering stuff like dissipation and prostitution is better than our Chunhyang´s rigid chastity or that that freneticless noise they call jazz is better than our elegant national tunes. 

In the short story The Scene, published in Sasanggye in 1963, (...) the author shows well the mental destruction and moral decadence of those contaminated by the "American culture" and "American way of life" through the story of a poor young woman who goes out everyday and rushes to the "jazz hall" (...) Getting mixed with men, she tangles in a provocative way and shakes her buttom all the time. 

That's why her older brother, who hates western styles, grumbles that "although she is undeniable my sister, she´s actually not a member of our family. Jazz is regretably her true family."
Thus, western customs (...) appear as an opium that brings misfortune (...). By using symbols and the description of circumstances, the author shows how the revolutionary storm to come must necessarily sweep away western customs from this land. 

It is a fact that new sprouts of progressive literature, which reflects the people´s yearn for the unification of the land, are growing fast in recent literary works from the South. This is a natural outcome of the life conditions of progressive authors and a manifestation of their counsciousness as authors who have to give a response to the demands of the times. This trend is contributing very importantly to the people´s national and class awakening. 

The most important thing is that writers with progressive inclinations, based on the creative method of realism and produce realistic images of the fighting people, starting with workers and farmers. 

An honest artistic image created by an author can be more powerful and mighty than any weapon. Specially, for today's fighting people in the Southern half of Korea, the influence given by literary works that earnestly reflect their reality is incomparably great. 

Numerous and excellent works must be produced that sharply denounce the evil and crime caused by the antipopular policies of US imperialism and Park Chun Hee's gangs. (...) Thus, writers must be able to keep glory and honour and contributing to the shiny blossoming of national literature. 

1) A poem by Kim Sooyeong
2) A poem by Cheong Kongchae
3) A short story by Nam Jung-hyun 
4) Unknown author, published in the literary journal Munhak Chunchu in 1965

Image: from left to right, Kim Sooyeong, Cheong Kongchae, Nam Jung-hyun, 1965 issue of journal Munhak Chunchu