If Koreans were asked to pick two of the most beloved Korean writers in history, many would
choose Lee Hyo-seok and Park Kyong-ni . With their celebrated short stories and epic
saga, they both made a huge contribution to Korean literature.
Let’s learn more about their lives and legacy in Gangwon-do Province.
Pyeongchang is the place where Lee Hyo-seok was born in 1907.
He then moved to Seoul and Pyongyang ( and ) to pursue his career as a writer, yet many
of his stories are set in his hometown.
(korean, ) "The late Lee Hyo-seok’s literature crystallizes
the longing for one’s hometown, lyricism, human emotions, and love."
“When the Buckwheat Blossoms” is Lee’s most famous story and one of the most celebrated
Korean short stories to date.
Full of poetic symbols, metaphors and implications, it is praised for its beautiful literary expressions.
The story revolves around a poor, old trader that meets a young trader in Bongpyeong, who
turns out to be his son, and reminisces about his past love.
Using Pyeongchang’s stunning natural beauty as the backdrop, the story depicts the pure-hearted
nature of human beings and inextricable human relationships.
Also, it captures the lifestyle and local culture of Pyeongchang in the early 1900’s.
(korean, ) "Set in Bongpyeong and Pyeongchang, “When
the Buckwheat Blossoms“ captures the social culture and sentiments of the time
as well as the landscapes of farm villages, making it the perfect reference to study the
Korea of the past."
“The burgeoning flowers of the buckwheat, growing thick in the surrounding fields, looked
to be a profusion of sprinkled, white salt on the terrain.
These surroundings under the warm moonlight felt extremely gratifying and suffocating.”
And the village offers breathtaking scenery of buckwheat flowers every September, just
like in the story.
The village also has a watermill, where the protagonist Heo Saeng-won falls in love with
a beautiful woman one night.
Next to the village is Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall.
The hall displays Lee’s writing room, the chronicle of his writings, handwritten manuscripts,
and keepsakes
(korean, ) "I was able to discover the very old books
of the late Lee Hyo-seok and learn more about him."
About an hour drive from Bongpyeong is Wonju where Park Kyong-ni Literature Park is located.
She wrote Korea’s symbolic epic novel “The Land,”
“The Land” is exceptionally long by both Korean literature and world literature standards.
Park devoted 26 years of her life to finish this grand work, using some 31,200 pages of
squared manuscript paper for 200 characters written by fountain pens.
From the late Joseon Dynasty to the liberation of Korea from Japan’s colonial rule in 1945,
the dramatic saga depicts many significant events in modern history.
(korean, ) "What makes “The Land“ noteworthy is that
Pak Kyong-ni highlighted the dignity of humans through every one of the nearly 700 characters
featured in the saga.
Whether they are talented or incompetent, rich or poor, the late novelist emphasized
the fact that everyone is equal and born with dignity."
“The Land” is deeply connected with Park’s life journey.
Born in 1926 while Korea was under Japanese rule, she experienced the Korean War and dictatorship.
Her husband went missing during the war and eventually died in prison, and she also lost
her 3-year old baby son the same year.
Therefore, Park began her career as a professional writer to make a living for her daughter and
herself.
The city still preserves the old house where the master novelist lived and wrote the novel.
The saga is comprised of 5 parts, and Park wrote the fourth and fifth parts here before
eventually completing the novel in 1994.
This old fountain pen seems to show traces of the turmoil and torment she suffered for
26 years.
(korean, ) "Through “The Land,” I was able to take
a glimpse into how our ancestors overcame the painful moments in our history, although
I didn’t live through the times.
It was moving."
Park Kyong-ni and Lee Hyo-seok ( and ) offered different portrayals of Korea’s turbulent
modern history using the power of their pens.
Visit Pyeongchang and Wonju ( and ) in Gangwon-do Province to learn more about not only their
celebrated literature but also their personal lives.