Yun Heung-gil - Inkoukitsu

Korean novelist. Born in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do. Graduated from Wonkwang University's Department of Japanese Literature. In 1968, his short story "Season of the Grey Crown" won the Hankook Ilbo New Year Literature Contest, and he left his teaching career to focus on his writing career. Since then, he has been a dynamic author who has published many popular works. His consistent awareness of issues is the exploration of social contradictions and absurdity, which can be seen in a series of works that depict the distortions of society and humanity brought about by urbanization and rapid economic growth, as well as a series of works that exude the human suffering surrounding the Korean War, which brought about the tragedy of intra-family annihilation. Examples of the former include The Man Who Left Behind in Nine Pairs of Shoes (1977), which depicts workers and the urban lower class in the 1970s, and its sequels Straight Lines and Curves, Pale Middle Age, and Wings or Handcuffs (all 1977).Examples of the latter series include House at Dusk (1970), which depicts the Korean War through the eyes of an innocent boy, Long Rain (1973), and Sheep (1974). He also published four collections of his original works, including "When Will the Rainbow Appear?" (1979) and "The Castle of the Dreamers" (1987), and his full-length novels include "The Revelatory Sea" (1978), which is based on his experiences when he was transferred to a school with a sea view, "Mother (Emi)" (1982), which depicts a mother who lived a turbulent life within the constraints of a feudal extended family system, "Armband" (1983), which depicts a criticism of authority with satire and humor, and "Sickle" (1995), which depicts the tragedy of ethnic division. He has also produced many excellent literary works that make full use of his sharp gaze on human beings and unique expressive techniques. And "Wildfire," published in 2000, became a hot topic as it depicts the suffering and downfall of the protagonist, a university student who, despite being an orphan, once threw himself into an anti-establishment movement.

[Bae Miseon]

"Long Rain," translated by Kang Shun (1979, Tokyo Shimbun Publishing Bureau)" ▽ "The House of Twilight, translated by Ahn Woo-sik (1980, Tokyo Shimbun Publishing Bureau)" ▽ "Mother (Emi), translated by Ahn Woo-sik (1982, Shinchosha)" ▽ "Sickle, translated by Ahn Woo-sik and Kamiya Danro (1989, Kadokawa Shoten; written for Japan before Korea due to a publishing contract with Kadokawa Shoten)" ▽ "Collection of 13 Contemporary Korean Writers, edited by Furuyama Ko Ryo-woong and translated by the Korean Literature Editorial Department (1981, Shinchosha)" ▽ "Contemporary Korean Short Stories, edited by Nakagami Kenji and translated by Ahn Woo-sik (1985, Shinchosha)" ▽ "Contemporary Korean Literature (4) Novellas 2," translated by Kang Sang-gu, Shirakawa Yutaka, et al. (1992, Kashiwa Shobo)" ▽ "Conversation: Located in the East, written by Nakagami Kenji and Yoon Heung-gil (1981, Sakuhinsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

韓国（大韓民国）の小説家。全羅北道(ぜんらほくどう／チョルラブクト)井邑(せいゆう／チョンウプ)出身。円光大学国文学科卒業。1968年『韓国日報』の新春文芸に短編『灰色の冕旒冠(べんりゅうかん)の季節』が当選して、教員生活から作家活動に専心。以来多くの話題作を発表してきた気鋭の作家。一貫した問題意識は、社会の矛盾と不条理の探求であり、それは一方では都市化と高度経済成長のもたらす社会や人間のひずみを描いた作品系列として、他方、同族相殺の悲劇をもたらした朝鮮戦争をめぐる人間の苦悩をにじませた作品系列としてまとめられる。前者のものとしては、1970年代の労働者や都市の下層民を描いた『九足の靴で居残った男』（1977）、その続編ともいえる『直線と曲線』や『青ざめた中年』『翼または手錠』（いずれも1977）などの作品があげられる。後者の系列のものとしては、朝鮮戦争を純真な少年の目を通して描いた『黄昏(たそがれ)の家』（1970）、『長雨』（1973）、『羊』（1974）などがある。そのほかにも『虹(にじ)はいつ掛かるか』（1979）、『夢見る者の羅城』（1987）など4冊の創作集があり、長編小説では、海の見える学校へ転勤したころの体験をもとに描いた『黙示の海』（1978）、そして封建的な大家族制度のしがらみのなかで波瀾(はらん)に満ちた生涯をおくった母親像を描いた『母（エミ）』（1982）や、権力に対する批判を風刺と諧謔(かいぎゃく)で描いた『腕章』（1983）、民族分断の悲劇を描いた『鎌』（1995）など鋭い人間凝視と独特な表現手法を駆使して描いた優れた文学作品が多数ある。そして2000年に発表された『山火事』は、孤児でありながらかつて反体制運動に身を投じた主人公の大学生の苦悩と転落を描いた作品として話題作となった。

［裵　美善］

『姜舜訳『長雨』（1979・東京新聞出版局）』▽『安宇植訳『黄昏の家』（1980・東京新聞出版局）』▽『安宇植訳『母（エミ）』（1982・新潮社）』▽『安宇植、神谷丹路訳『鎌』（1989・角川書店、角川書店との出版契約により韓国よりも先に日本向けに執筆）』▽『古山高麗雄編、韓国文芸編集部訳『韓国現代文学13人集』（1981・新潮社）』▽『中上健次編、安宇植訳『韓国現代短編小説』（1985・新潮社）』▽『姜尚求・白川豊他訳『韓国の現代文学(4)中編小説2』（1992・柏書房）』▽『中上健次・尹興吉著『対談　東洋に位置する』（1981・作品社）』

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