South Korean literature isliterature written or produced inSouth Korea following the division ofKorea intoNorth and South in 1945.[1] South Korean literature is primarily written inKorean.
Also referred as 'pure literature' in South Korea. Most authors translated by theKorea Literature Translation Institute for translation falls into this category. The terminology is often criticized, and is a constant theme of discussion in the literature of South Korea.
Some of the notable[according to whom?] Korean mainstream fiction writers include:
There are also Korean-American writers writing in Korean, e.g.Kim Yong-ik.
This term, the popular fiction, is defined as the mass market-targeted works, or as an opposite of thepureliterature. This terminology comes from the equivalent Japanese word.[2][3] But since early 2000, the distinction between mainstream and pop became faint, and some mainstream authors likeGu Byeong-mo orChung Serang are well-received in both genre, and there is a clear tendency of authors refuse to define themselves as the 'pure literature' author.[4]
Historical fiction, or alternative history fiction, is one of the largest selling genre in South Korea. For more serious works, authors likeJo Jung-rae andPark Wan-suh fall into this category. For lighter works, Kim Jin-myung, the author ofThe Rose of Sharon Blooms Again, is one of the best selling writers. The historical fiction of South Korea often covers theJoseon period and the colonial era.Lee In-hwi's novels often depict historical labor rights issues in South Korea in the 1980s and 1990s.[5]
Examples of South Korean fantasy writers and their works include:
Examples of South Korean sf writers and their works include:
Non-fiction essayists includeChang Young-hee.
Notable modern poets includeMoon Deok-soo [ko] (문덕수, 文德守, b.1928),[6]Choi Nam-son (1890–1957)[7] andKim Sowol,[8]Ki Hyung-do,Chon Sang-pyong.
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