2025, Vol., No.71

Mourning Through the Record of a Dying Body -Focusing on Jang Hon's “Gicheok(記慽)”-

Soojin Kang | 2025, (71) | pp.5~32 | number of Cited : 0

Jang Hon, a commoner writer (yeohang munin) active in the 18th and 19th centuries, composed “Gicheok(記慽)” to mourn the death of his six-year-old grandson, Jeungheup, who passed away in 1807. A characteristic feature of “Gicheok” is that its content focuses more on recording the process of the grandson's dying than on expressing grief. This paper focuses on the fact that Jang Hon, in a text intended to mourn his prematurely deceased grandson, primarily recorded the process of the deceased's dying instead of expressing the sorrow of loss. The study aims to investigate why he chose this particular method of mourning. Jang Hon meticulously and realistically documented the material changes in his grandson's body from the onset of the illness to his death. This detailed record aimed to concretely evoke the author's painful experience of failing to treat his grandson suffering from smallpox and ultimately facing his death. He elaborately recorded the symptoms that appeared on his grandson, the types of medicine administered, the resulting effects, and the changes observed in his grandson's body from the point treatment was abandoned until his final moment. By thoroughly documenting his grandson's dying process, Jang Hon intended to return to the period when his grandson was ill and reflect upon his own failure to properly fulfill his role as the head of the family at the time. Furthermore, by recording the experience of losing his grandson on the last day of the year, the author sought to commemorate his grandson's final moments and, through this act, accept the reality of his loss. In essence, the author composed “Gicheok” with the intent to remember and mourn his grandson's death through the act of writing. To achieve this, he adopted the fundamental form of existing elegiac writings but restructured the content by introducing modifications. Jang Hon's “Gicheok” presents a new mode of mourning: one that utilizes the act of recording to evoke the memory of the deceased's dying body, thereby facilitating the acceptance of the sorrow of loss. Moreover, its significance lies in deviating from the conventional, abstract representation of the human process of death found in ritualistic elegies. By depicting this process realistically and concretely within the literary domain, it suggests a novel method for commemorating the deceased

The Performance of Jeju Muhon-gut and Mourning Based on the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) -Based on the Case of Jeju and Sewolho Muhon-gut

kang ji-yeon | 2025, (71) | pp.33~64 | number of Cited : 0

This study analyzes the process and effects of mourning performed in ritual by drawing on Bruno Latour's Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and the concept of ‘translation’. The purpose of the Muhon-gut is to console the deceased and enable the bereaved family and community to mourn the death. Focusing on photographic materials from a Jeju Muhon-gut held in 1981 and video materials from a Sewol Ferry Muhon-gut conducted at Jeju Tapdong Plaza in 2014, this study examines the translation of mourning and its effects within the relational networks formed by human and non-human actors. From the ANT perspective, the world always exists as a hybrid world composed of humans and materials. From this ANT perspective, shamanic rituals contribute to dynamically understanding the form of the gut as multiple heterogeneous actors form networks. In the Muhon-gut, human actors include the shaman (somi), musicians, and shamans (simbang) who perform or support the gut's progression, as well as the bereaved families and villagers directly participating in the gut, and the photographers and participants documenting the ritual site. Moreover, the diverse materials used in the ritual not only represent the presence of the deity but also, in conjunction with all actors, reveal the network of the ritual itself. Thus, in the spirit-less ritual, the practice of mourning is continuously generated and reconfigured through the interactions of various actors, ceaselessly creating new mourning subjects. The mourning practiced within the network of the Muhon-gut can be understood not as a temporary feeling or experience, but as a dynamic process and relational practice. First, the Muhon-gut evokes affective effects within the process of interaction among actors possessing different natures and attributes. This affect is practical in that it transforms the emotions of despair and grief into a will for new life. Second, the Muhon-gut's network translates the incomplete death of ta drowned person into a mournable event. Thus, the deceased's existence is salvaged, summoned, and reconstituted as a being to be guided to the afterlife within the ritual. Third, through the connection of technical non-human actors, the mourning of the Muhon-gut is inscribed into media environments like online platforms. This network not only captures and stores mourning within the medium but also materializes it, rendering it a sensuous entity. In the Muhon-gut, mourning manifests not as a simple act of recollection to remember the deceased, but as a relational practice that seeks to reconstruct and sustain the relationship with the deceased. The Muhon-gut's network holds significance as a practical act that forms a new order connecting life and death, reconfiguring the mode of existence of the deceased.

Sensory Residue, Material Return, and the Configuration of Mourning in the Folktale The Bride Abandoned on the First Night

Han Yujin | 2025, (71) | pp.65~92 | number of Cited : 0

This paper analyzes how the losses experienced by the bride and groom in the folktale The Bride Abandoned on the First Night are materialized when the wedding is interrupted and mourning fails to occur. First, the bride appears in the forms of the “immobilized bride” and the “transformed bride.” The “immobilized bride” is a figure fixed at the moment when the wedding was interrupted, which is the result of the wedding’s failure, the absence of a funeral, and the neglect of the community converging and solidifying materially. The “transformed bride” can be interpreted as a form in which resentment and grievance caused by the bride’s injustice transform her body and return emotions in material form. In this way, the “immobilized bride” testifies to the unacknowledged event and calls the community to responsibility, while the “transformed bride” more actively explodes her resentment and demands a response from the community. Meanwhile, in the case of the groom, loss appears in the forms of “the externalization of inner anxiety” and “the recall of the past.” The wedding failure, engraved as threat and wound to the groom, remains as an unresolved residue and continues to affect the present as a material remnant. In the narrative, the groom receives a divination that he will soon face death or will never succeed in the state examination, which can be interpreted as a result of unacknowledged loss returning materially and permeating the present. In addition, the groom’s path through the bride’s village functions as a medium that recalls memories of the past, and the recalled memories overlap with the present space and are rearranged within the folds of time. In this way, the bride and groom come to mourn the situation of loss and recover their social positions and severed time through the re-performance of the interrupted rite of passage. The bride who slept with the groom remains the next morning as a pile of bones, and the groom collects them and holds a funeral, which functions as an act that socially acknowledges death and at the same time completes the mourning procedure. On the other hand, some versions reveal the impossibility of mourning. In this narrative, the groom avoids direct confrontation by setting up a scarecrow in his place. As a result, the bride ultimately fails to be recognized as the subject of the wedding, so that the loss is extinguished as a materialized form, while the groom’s loss is sealed by oblivion, showing a phase in which mourning does not come to be established.

The Convergence and Intersection of Joseon Society and Culture -Focusing on Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism Discourses in 18th-Century Korean Novels and Chinese Diaries-

Kim, Sooyoun | 2025, (71) | pp.93~140 | number of Cited : 0

Affective Reading and Continuous Rewriting of Sijo and Gasa

Park Yeongmin | 2025, (71) | pp.141~184 | number of Cited : 0

This paper is an exploratory study examining whether affect research, which has been active in Korea since the 2010s, can contribute to re-reading sijo and gasa. Affect theory rejects the transcendental dualism of mind and body, and focuses on the body that transforms while giving and receiving influences in relationships. Affect is a concept that evokes the intensity of encounters, unstoppable tension, the agency of the body, and the indeterminacy of life, distinguished from emotion, which selectively activates and fixes affect based on experience, memory, thought, and habit. The analysis of Hunminga reveals that Songgang Jeong Cheol reproduced and shared with the people of Gangwon Province bodies in relationships, such as children respecting elders, farmers helping each other, and relatives caring for one another. This was a strategy to induce synchronization among bodies through affective contagion and form a sense of community. However, it has limitations in that the orientation was restricted by Confucian ethics, failing to fully capture the infinite potentiality and indeterminacy of affect. Dendongeohmihwajeon-ga deals with the affective events experienced by a young widow within the social bonds of hwajeon-nori (flower pancake outing). The pre-conscious state of tension expressed through tears and mucus vividly reproduces the collision of relationships. However, as Dendong mother's experience is reconstructed into the code of 'chastity-right/remarriage-wrong,' the young widow's affect is suppressed and her future is forced into unhappiness. Through the logic of homogenization, the ideology prohibiting remarriage operates, revealing the problem that fixed norms are prioritized over the indeterminacy of affect. The analysis of Saseol-sijo captured aspects where the body moves before consciousness and transformations according to relationships. While previous studies interpreted Saseol-sijo with limited logic based on dichotomous codes such as 'pre-modern/modern,' 'yangban/commoner,' and 'male/female,' this study raises the need to focus on the dynamism of relationships and the indeterminacy of affect. In conclusion, this study emphasizes that while emotional reading is based on fixed notions that seal off transition and variation, affective reading affirms the potentiality for infinite transformation and seeks what lies beyond system and order. Through this, the study aims to provide an opportunity to re-read sijo and gasa and explore clues for new readings.

The Criteria Underlying the Selection and Arrangement of Figures in Samguksagi, “Biographies” Book 8

UM, KI YOUNG | 2025, (71) | pp.185~214 | number of Cited : 0

This article examines the criteria underlying the selection and arrangement of figures in Samguksagi(三國史記), “Biographies”(列傳) Book 8. The compilers referred to the XinTangshu(新唐書) categories of “Filial and Fraternal Piety”(孝友), “Recluses”(隱逸), “Exemplary Officials”(循吏), “Literature and the Arts”(文藝), and “Exemplary Women”(列女). Thus, Hyangdeok(向德) and Seonggak(聖覺) were classified under filial and fraternal piety; Silhye(實兮), Mulgyeja(勿稽子), and Baekgyeol- seonsaeng(百結先生) under recluses; Geomgun(劒君) under exemplary officials; Kim Saeng(金生) and Solgeo(率居) under literature and the arts; and Jieun(知恩), Lady Seol(薛氏女), and Domi's wife(都彌妻) under exemplary women. This classification clarifies why “The Biography of the Filial Daughter Jieun” was not grouped with Hyangdeok and Seonggak, and reveals how Baekgyeol-seonsaeng and Geomgun were typologically perceived. Furthermore, the fact that figures corresponding to “Confucian Scholars”(儒學)—Kangsu(强首), Choe Chiwon(崔致遠), and Seol Chong(薛聰)—were placed separately in Book 6 demonstrates that while Samguksagi drew upon the XinTangshu, it did not adopt its structure wholesale. Within each category, ordering followed own principles. For filial piety, Hyangdeok precedes Seonggak not only because of chronological priority but also because his conduct became a model. For recluses, the sequence of Silhye, Mulgyeja, and Baekgyeol-seonsaeng reflects political conflicts, the role of music, and differing modes and ideological orientations of recluses, rather than simple chronology. In the case of literature and the arts, Kim Saeng precedes Solgeo in accordance with the East Asian cultural tradition that valued calligraphy above painting, as illustrated in the anecdote of a Goryeo(高麗) envoy proudly discussing Kim’s calligraphy with Song(宋) officials. Finally, the placement of Jieun, Lady Seol, and Domi's wife reflects Confucian prescriptions governing women’s conduct across life stages—before marriage, during betrothal, and after marriage—revealing the compilers’ Confucian construction of womanhood.

The Life and Poetic World of Okcheon Jo Deok-rin

Yoon JaeHwan | 2025, (71) | pp.215~246 | number of Cited : 0

Okcheon Jo Deok-rin was one of the scholars from the Yeongnam region who suffered political hardship under the ruling Noron faction during the late Joseon period. IThis is evident not only from his life but also from the relatively small number of works he left behind. It is therefore more appropriate to regard him as a representative figure among Yeongnam scholars who endured hardship under the political dominance of the Noron faction during that time. This evaluation is undeniable when we examine the surviving records and his collected writings. However, that does not justify disregarding the literary value of his works. His poetry, amounting to a mere 244 poems, tends to be rational rather than sentimental, with emotions concealed beneath the surface. Yet, his poems sincerely and transparently reveal the emotions he experienced. Though they may appear dry or plain, his feelings are deeply embedded within them. The intellectual and restrained, image-centered expression techniques he pursued render his poetry rather flat in tone. However, by suppressing sound and excluding dynamic expressions, his poetry avoids flamboyance and instead resonates more deeply. In reading Jo Deok-rin's poetry, one can see that his poems are aligned with the trajectory of his life. They aim to convey the truth of his existence more than to achieve literary success. Perhaps for this reason, the emotions expressed in his poetry are not dramatic or extreme. Yet, the absence of sharp emotional fluctuations or intense waves in his poems results in a deeper and more lasting resonance. His poems reflect a path consistent with his life—they aim less for literary achievement and more for conveying the truth of his lived experience. While it is clear that his poetry attained a certain level of accomplishment, it is more appropriate to view his work as that of a cultivated scholar than of a literary writer. He regarded himself as a scholar rather than a writer with a sense of authorship. Therefore, it is necessary to approach his poetry as the work of a scholar.

The Characteristics and Significance of the ‘Chang’ in Yeogyuhyeong’s Chunhyangjeon

정유진 | 2025, (71) | pp.247~278 | number of Cited : 0

A Study on Sinjong Hwangje Mundap Housed at the Harvard-Yenching Library

Hyunsung Hong | 2025, (71) | pp.279~310 | number of Cited : 0

This study investigates the material characteristics and literary value of Sinjong Hwangje Mundap, a manuscript preserved at the Harvard- Yenching Library. The work narrates Emperor Shenzong’s secret excursion and his encounters with various figures during his journey to seek a bride, culminating in his return to the palace. The most prominent episode is his dialogue with General Li Rusong, portrayed as his elder brother-in-law. Despite its distinctive content—particularly the fictional setting of Shenzong and Li as brothers-in-law—the work has long escaped scholarly attention. It is presumed to be among the novels read by King Yeongjo, providing a significant clue for understanding the creative and reading culture of eighteenth-century Korean fiction. According to the Seungjeongwon Ilgi (Diary of the Royal Secretariat), King Yeongjo once remarked—based on a novel—that Emperor Shenzong and Li Rusong were brothers-in-law, and Sinjong Hwangje Mundap remains the only known work that includes this narrative setting. Centered on Shenzong’s secret journey and quest for marriage, the story actively incorporates oral narrative motifs such as the “King’s Secret Excursion” and the “Youngest Son-in-law’s Success.” By transforming the historical relationship between Shenzong and Li into a fictionalized, entertainment-oriented narrative, the work displays playful imagination while portraying the eunuch Jang Taegam as a loyal and capable aide. Merging folkloric imagination with historical narrative, it provides a multidimensional portrayal of Shenzong’s character absent from official histories, while overturning conventional negative views of eunuchs. Ultimately, Sinjong Hwangje Mundap stands as a unique fusion of historical fact and folkloric imagination, offering valuable evidence of eighteenth-century fiction’s fascination with amusement, its social engagement, and its role as a medium for articulating the voices of those on the social periphery.

The Aspects and Meanings of Prejudice in Yussi samdae-rok -Focusing on the Cases of the Daughters-in-Law-

Hwang Ji Hyun | 2025, (71) | pp.311~338 | number of Cited : 0

This study investigates the manifestations and functions of prejudice in the late Joseon Korean classical novel Yussi samdae-rok (The Three Generations of the Yu Family), focusing on the representation of daughters-in-law. During the Joseon period, women’s social positions shifted through marriage as they left their family and entered those of their husbands. Their success in adapting to these new environments determined the course of their lives. This study examines how prejudice—formed and perpetuated in these processes—affected women’s acceptance or exclusion within the patriarchal family system. The analysis centers on two characters, Jang Hye-aeng and Seol Cho-byeok, both of whom enter the Yu family as second wives and occupy marginal positions. The family’s evaluations of them arise from preconceptions based on prior information such as parental reputation, rumors, and regional background, which solidify into prejudice through initial encounters like wedding ceremonies and greetings. Jang Hye-aeng is branded as a “seductive woman,” while Seol Cho-byeok is dismissed as a “monster from the remote region,” each confronting distinct forms of bias. This study explores three dimensions of prejudice: its reinforcement through conformity and collective sharing, its influence on everyday life and interpersonal judgment, and its dissolution through acts of self-verification. Prejudice is shown to strengthen through hierarchical and generational dynamics—downward diffusion from elders in Jang Hye-aeng’s case and horizontal diffusion among sisters-in-law in Seol Cho-byeok’s. Initial prejudgments shape subsequent evaluations of behavior, with negative or positive first impressions determining whether similar actions are condemned or excused. Both characters eventually challenge and subvert these biases through self-proving actions. Ultimately, prejudice in Yussi samdae-rok operates as a social mechanism that upholds familial order and sets the boundaries between in-groups and out-groups. While women integrated into the in-group receive affirmation and protection, those excluded suffer unacknowledged pain. Although the novel presents women’s efforts as capable of overcoming prejudice, such a portrayal simultaneously erases the male household members’ responsibility, revealing the intense struggles women endured simply to sustain ordinary lives.

KJCKorea
Journal Central

The Research of the Korean Classic 2024 KCI Impact Factor : 1.22

2025, Vol., No.71