Kim Dong-in facts for kids

Kim Dong-in (Hangul: 김동인) (1900–1951) was an important Korean writer. He is known for helping to start new styles of writing in modern Korean literature.

Life of Kim Dong-in

Kim Dong-in was born on October 2, 1900, in Pyeongyang. He came from a rich family. Like many young Korean thinkers, he went to college in Japan. He studied at the Meiji Academy in Tokyo. He also went to the Kawabata School of Fine Arts.

Kim decided to become a writer and left school. In 1919, he and other writers started a magazine called Creation (Changjo). This magazine was very important. It supported "art for art's sake." This meant they believed art should be beautiful and creative, not just teach lessons. This was different from what another writer, Yi Kwang-su, believed. Kim published his first story, “The Sorrows of the Weak,” in Creation.

In 1925, Kim published "Potato." This story was a big step forward for "realist" writing in Korea. Realist writing tries to show life as it truly is. This story also continued his friendly competition with Yi Kwang-su about how literature should be.

Kim lived a very fancy life for a while. He spent a lot of money he inherited from his father. By 1930, he started to have money problems. Before this, he wrote in a very pure and realistic way. But because of his money troubles, he started writing popular stories for newspapers. These included many historical novels.

In 1934, Kim wrote a detailed study about Yi Kwang-su. This was interesting because they had different ideas about writing. In 1935, Kim started his own monthly magazine called Yadam.

In 1939, Kim was still poor and also sick. He joined some other writers on a trip to Manchuria. This trip was supported by the Japanese army. This action is still seen as a difficult part of his writing career in Korea today. Later, in 1942, Kim was put in jail. This was because something he wrote was seen as disrespectful to the Emperor of Japan.

After Korea became free in 1946, Kim helped create the Pan-Korea Writers Association. This group worked against other groups that supported "proletarian literature." Proletarian literature focused on the lives of working-class people.

In the years after, Kim wrote more stories. These included “The Traitor” (Banyeokja, 1946) and “Man Without a Nation” (Manggugingi, 1947). These stories criticized writers who worked with the Japanese during their rule. Kim Dong-in died at his home in Seoul on January 5, 1951.

To remember Kim's important work, the magazine World of Thoughts (Sasanggye) created the Dong-in Literary Award in 1955. This award celebrates great writing in Korea.

Kim Dong-in's Works

Kim Dong-in is most famous for his short stories. These stories combine beautiful artistic feelings with clear and simple writing. He also wrote from an objective point of view, meaning he tried to show things without his own feelings getting in the way.

He first became known for stories like “Distinguished Statement” (Myeongmun, 1924) and “Potato” (Gamja, 1921). At a time when many writers used art to discuss politics or social changes, Kim Dong-in believed in "pure aestheticism." This meant he thought literature should be art for its own sake. It should be independent and beautiful.

This idea is shown in his stories like “Sonata Appassionato” (Gwangyeom sonata, 1930). These stories often feature artists who are obsessed with making perfect art.

Many of Kim's stories have been made into movies. Another Korean author, Kim Seungok, wrote the movie script and directed the first film of "Potato" in 1968. The story was made into a movie again in 1987. Other works that became movies include The Young Ones (1985) and Identical Toes (1976).

Works in English

• Sweet Potato: Collected Short Stories by Kim Tongin (2017), translated by Grace Jung
• "Potato" in Modern Korean Fiction: An Anthology
• "The Rock" in Meetings and Farewells: Modern Korean Stories
• The Post Horse in Meetings and Farewells: Modern Korean Stories
• "The Red Hills: A Doctor's Diary" in Modern Korean Short Stories
• "The Seaman's Chant" in The Rainy Spell and Other Korean Stories
• "The Photograph and the Letter" in A Ready-Made Life: Early Masters of Modern Korean Fiction

Works in Korean (Partial)

Historical Novels

• The Young Ones (Jeolmeun geudeul, 1930–1931)
• Spring at Unhyeongung Palace (Unhyeongungui bom, 1933)
• The Decline of the Dynasty (Wangbuui nakjo, 1935)
• Great Prince Suyang (Dae Suyang, 1941)

Collections

• Life (Moksum, 1924)
• Potato (Gamja 1935)
• Short Stories of Kim Dong-in (Kim Dong-in danpyeonjip, 1939)
• The Sunset of the Palace (1941)
• Roaming (Baehoe, 1941)
• Identical Toes (Balgaragi dalmatda, 1948)
• A Weak Man's Sorrow (Yakhan ja-ui seulpeum 1919)
• Baettaragi (1921)
• Flogging (Taehyeong 1922)
• The Wedding (Gyeolhonsik 1931)
• Traitor (Banyeokja 1946)
• Popularity of a Ruined Nation (Manggukin-gi 1947)

See also

In Spanish: Kim Dong-in para niños

• Korean literature
• List of Korean novelists