KJCKorea
Journal Central

In overall history of Korean literature, there is few evaluations on writers who had defected or had been abducted to North Korea. Since the nation is divided into South and North Korea, there are many writers whose presence have been forgotten by most of people. And Jeong, Tae-Byeong is one of them. Even though he had left a lot of accomplishments regarding juvenile literature, his name has not been remembered by people not only due to lack of materials but also due to idleness of researchers. Therefore, this thesis covers the life and literal accomplishments of Jeong, Tae-Byeong in South Korea since there are no records of him after his defect to North Korea. Jeong, Tae-Byeong had grown up by being affected by anti-Japanese movement in Yeongkwang, Jeonnam which had been named as 'Utopia of Honam area'. Therefore, he naturally participated in anti-Japanese movement and also served time in prison as well. He had lived his whole life in his home town, Yeongkwang. In this sense, Yeongkwang was his literary nutrients as well as his source of creativity. Jeong, Tae-Byeong dreamed of the world without discrimination where the innocence of childhood is intact. Therefore, various sides of his activities in juvenile literary world confirms his overall literary status. He started his literacy career as a fairy-tale writer as his work, 'The picture of Ilnam' was ranked the 1st place in <Maeil Sinbo> in January 1939. He was the first writer who started his literacy career with juvenile literature in Gwangju and Jeonnam area. After that, his had left a lot of stories until liberation period and also translated Korean children's songs into Japanese. After independence, he compiled the Children's songs of Chosun to recover the innocence of childhood while writing Chosun creative folktales(novels) and critiques. He was also a member of Children's literature branch in Korea Writers Alliance. These facts confirm that he was not only Korean fairy-tale writer but also a writer who has devoted himself to development of juvenile literary world, furthermore a writer who has greatly contributed to the development of Korean juvenile literature. In this sense, the children's stories in Gwangju and Jeonnam area during the Japanese colonial period that have been recognized as the blank period can now be included as part of history of literature in Gwangju and Jeonnam area. Not only that, literary status of Jeong, Tae-Byeong could be included as part of history of Korean juvenile literature. Based on this perspective, the detailed analysis of Jeong, Tae-Byeong's children's stories will be covered in the next thesis.

JeongTae-Byeong, Yeongkwang, juvenile story, juvenile literature, Gwangju and Jeonnam, Chosun children's song