Kang Kyeong-ae
Encyclopedia
Kang Gyeong-ae was a South Korea
n writer.
, Hwanghae-do, and had an unhappy childhood. She was the daughter of a servant, fatherless by five years of age, forced to moved to Changyeon where her mother married a man with three children, all of which resulted in substantial unhappiness.
Kang was something of a prodigy, reading the Tale of Ch’unhyang
by age eight and beginning to learn the Korean alphabet at a time in which literacy was not valued for females. By age ten she had been nicknamed the “little acorn storyteller” by neighborhood elders for whom she read traditional Korean tales. She was a literary success as well, praised in school for her essay writing and writing and reading fictions for her friends.
Kang was a rebel who enrolled in a Catholic boarding school
from which she was expelled for participating in a sit-in. She met a college student who was visiting from Tokyo
, moved to Seoul
with him, and began an affair. When the affair failed, she moved back to her family in Hwanghae-do.
In 1931 Kang began publishing her writing (“P'ag ŭm” or Broken Zither, 19310), and moved to Manchuria
as a newlywed, married to a communist
who divorced his first wife. She lived as a housewife in Yongjin and began to churn out work. This period lasted seven years after which Kang ceased writing fiction
altogether. This was partly related to the fact that she became the managing editor of the Manchurian Chosun Ilbo.
On April 26, 1944, one month after her mother died, Kang Kyŏng-ae died at her home in Hwanghae Province.
. She produced works focusing on the Korean underclass often based on her experiences with extremely poor Koreans in Manchuria, where many of her works are sited. These include: The Broken Geomungo (Pageum), Vegetable Garden (Chaejeon), Football Game (Chukgu jeon), and Mother and Child (Moja). She also wrote proto-feminist works focusing on women’s oppression including Mothers and Daughters (Eomeoni wa ttal). Most of her works are anti-love/anti family, in which only those women who cut their ties with their failed relationships can achieve freedom.
The Human Problem (Ingan munje), which many consider her best work, deals with a multiplicity of class and gender issues in its story of an educated man troubled by economic struggles who ultimately meets a sad death.
Vegetable Garden (Chaejeon)
Football Game (Chukgu jeon)
Mother and Child (Moja)
Mothers and Daughters (Eomeoni wa ttal)
The Human Problem (Ingan munje)
Salt (Sogom 1934)
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n writer.
Life
Kang Gyeong-ae was born in SonghwaSonghwa
Songhwa is a county in South Hwanghae province, North Korea.Joint a Pungchen at 1909 AD-poeple:*Pungchen Im clan*Im Kkok-jeong, leader of a peasant rebellion in Hwanghae Province...
, Hwanghae-do, and had an unhappy childhood. She was the daughter of a servant, fatherless by five years of age, forced to moved to Changyeon where her mother married a man with three children, all of which resulted in substantial unhappiness.
Kang was something of a prodigy, reading the Tale of Ch’unhyang
Chunhyangga
The Chunhyangga is the most famous Pansori in Korea. The Chunhyangga has delighted all Korean for a century. The Chunhyangga is the best Pansori as musically, literary, and a well-made play....
by age eight and beginning to learn the Korean alphabet at a time in which literacy was not valued for females. By age ten she had been nicknamed the “little acorn storyteller” by neighborhood elders for whom she read traditional Korean tales. She was a literary success as well, praised in school for her essay writing and writing and reading fictions for her friends.
Kang was a rebel who enrolled in a Catholic boarding school
Roman Catholicism in Korea
The Roman Catholic Church in Korea is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.See the separate entries:*Roman Catholicism in North Korea*Roman Catholicism in South Korea...
from which she was expelled for participating in a sit-in. She met a college student who was visiting from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, moved to Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
with him, and began an affair. When the affair failed, she moved back to her family in Hwanghae-do.
In 1931 Kang began publishing her writing (“P'ag ŭm” or Broken Zither, 19310), and moved to Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
as a newlywed, married to a communist
Communism in Korea
The Communist movement in Korea emerged as a political movement in the early 20th century. Although the movement had a minor role in pre-war politics, the division between the communist North Korea and the anti-communist South Korea came to dominate Korean political life in the post-World War II era...
who divorced his first wife. She lived as a housewife in Yongjin and began to churn out work. This period lasted seven years after which Kang ceased writing fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
altogether. This was partly related to the fact that she became the managing editor of the Manchurian Chosun Ilbo.
On April 26, 1944, one month after her mother died, Kang Kyŏng-ae died at her home in Hwanghae Province.
Work
Kang is often mentioned by literary critics as one of the extraordinary female writers of the colonial periodKorea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
. She produced works focusing on the Korean underclass often based on her experiences with extremely poor Koreans in Manchuria, where many of her works are sited. These include: The Broken Geomungo (Pageum), Vegetable Garden (Chaejeon), Football Game (Chukgu jeon), and Mother and Child (Moja). She also wrote proto-feminist works focusing on women’s oppression including Mothers and Daughters (Eomeoni wa ttal). Most of her works are anti-love/anti family, in which only those women who cut their ties with their failed relationships can achieve freedom.
The Human Problem (Ingan munje), which many consider her best work, deals with a multiplicity of class and gender issues in its story of an educated man troubled by economic struggles who ultimately meets a sad death.
Works in English
On Wonso Pond ISBN 978-1558616011Works in Korean (Partial)
The Broken Geomungo (Pageum)Vegetable Garden (Chaejeon)
Football Game (Chukgu jeon)
Mother and Child (Moja)
Mothers and Daughters (Eomeoni wa ttal)
The Human Problem (Ingan munje)
Salt (Sogom 1934)