2006, Vol., No.15

Journal of Popular Narrative 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.85

pISSN : 1738-3188
https://journal.kci.go.kr/djnar

The Formation and Development of Ddakjibon Popular Novels Kang, Ok-Hee This article/essay/thesis will define the modern-inclined literary works published after 1910 in old print. Furthermore it will organize and categorize works that have been lost and the characteristics of such novels will be examined. Ddakjibon Popular Novels have been referred to as youkjeon novels or ddakjibons and was regarded as inferior literary works. Thus they were neglected in the studies of literary history and research. Though Ddakjibon Novels suceeded commercially and formed a modern general multitude of readers, reacting sensitively to the taste of public and thus is very significant, even the most basic bibliography had not been compiled. 1920s and the 1930s were the zeniths/pinnacles of Ddakjibon Popular Novels, with 'sechangseokwan's xylographic books leading the way. Ddakjibon Popular Novels published by 'sechangseokwan' appealed not to the elite, but to the public with inexpensive prices and literary works that properly addressed the interests of readers. Though Ddakjibon Popular Novels where actively issued during the colonial times and remained in existence until the 1960s, the experiences and values of the public had changed and consequently its downfall commenced after the Independence. Since Ddakjibon Popular Novels were aimed, written and circulated to the common and general readers, it is possible to observe the contemporary readers' interests and their desired realities. The significance can be placed at the various ways the preference of readers appeared throughout the novels.

The Six-pence Pop Novel and Feature of Sin-pa Lee Young Mee This paper is to analyse the six-pence pop novel(short and brief novels which were popular among the masses between 1920s and 1950s in Korea) in terms of feature of sin-pa and examine its status in the local pop art history. The six-pence pop novel are commonly called as 'sin-pa novels,' however most of them are not sin-pa at all. There are a whole range of such novels and they vary from those close to old-style novels to those similar to sin-pa. Some of them don't have a characteristic of old-style novels and that of melodramatic ones, either. Their main characters have a simple and formal composition of good and evil, however, such a composition is not linked to medieval world view and in this regard, is different from old-style novels. And their main characters do not possess physical handicaps which are the prominent figure in sin-pa novels and do not explore into the characters' psyche to expose their sin-pa sentiments. But how their survival is described in specific and myriad ways. These six-pence pop novels are expected to be appreciated by classes which possessed relatively less culture capital of new culture. This proves that sin-pa which have been considered to be low class were appreciated by classes with more culture capital of new culture compared to those who enjoyed six-pence pop novels.

The Popular Novel: the Confusion and Fantasy Kim Chung-Kang This essay examines the characteristics of so-called "cheap" popular novel and its historical condition, which has long been excluded in the study of South Korean modern literature. By using the concept of "confusion" and "fantasy," I analyze three popular novels, "Saving My Life"[Chŏlchŏpongsaeng], "The Tears of North Kanto"[Pukkanto ŭi nu], and "The Dream of Golddiggers"[Hwangkŭm ŭi mong] produced in 1910s and 1930s. In particular, despite each texts' different periodical and political circumstances, these three novels aptly delineates the confusion and practical difficulty that common people had, and speaks especially the desires of the male subjects including the generations of fathers and ruined aristocratic class who were not able to be "modern" subject, however, had they such desire. These three novels capture the moment of difficulty that these male characters are confronting and expresses "the sorrowness of males," which is differenciated from that of womans'. In addition, by adapting themselves in the fast-changing social atmosphere with their own favoritism, they regain their lost socio-cultural status. The use of "fantasy" becomes the literary strategy to overcome the narratives of "hardships of old male generation" and subverts their reality by dreaming the recovery of patriarch in the text. The narrative structure of this "cheap" popular novel provides the clear picture of common people's life which is not found in any other historical materials. Although these novels has been despised and neglected in the world of academia, due to it coarseness of narrative style and "lack of seriousness" in its thematic convention, they should be re-evaluated in that it reflects the "reality" of people's life and their taste.