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The Life and Poetic World of Okcheon Jo Deok-rin

  • The Research of the Korean Classic
  • 2025, (71), pp.215~246
  • Publisher : The Research Of The Korean Classic
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature > Korean classic prose
  • Received : October 22, 2025
  • Accepted : November 20, 2025
  • Published : November 30, 2025

Yoon JaeHwan 1

1단국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

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.

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