Kang Eun-gyo is a South Korean poet and
Professor Emerita
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
at
Dong-a University.
Life
Kang Eungyo was born on December 13, 1945 in
Hongwon
Hongwŏn County is a county in South Hamgyong Province, South Hamgyŏng province, North Korea. It is flanked by the Sea of Japan (East Sea of Korea) to the south, and by the Hamgyong Mountains, Hamgyŏng Mountains to the north.
Physical features
...
, Hamgyeongnam-do. She was raised in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, and graduated from Gyeonggi Girls’ Middle School and Gyeonggi Girls’ High School. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in English Literature and Ph.D. in Korean Literature from
Yonsei University
Yonsei University (; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a member of the " SKY" universities, Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country. It is particularly respected in th ...
. Kang has a daughter. She made her literary debut with the publication of "Night of the Pilgrims" (Sullyejaui bam), which earned her the 1968 New Writer Prize, sponsored by the journal ''World of Thoughts'' (Sasanggye). She was a member of the coterie that published ''The Seventies'' (Chilsimnyeondae) along with
Kim Hyeong-yeong,
Yoon Sang-gyu,
Lim Jeong-nam, and
Jung Hui-seong. She is at present a professor of Korean Literature at Dong-a University. ''House of Nothingness'' (Heomujip), ''Diary of a Pauper'' (Binjailgi), ''House of Noises'' (Sorijib), ''Red River'' (Bulgeun gang), ''Song of the Wind'' (Baram norae), ''Song of Sadness'' (Seulpeun norae), and ''Letter in the Wall'' (Byeoksogui pyeonji) are her most significant poetry collections. Kang was also the recipient of the Korean Writer’s Prize and the
Contemporary Literature (Hyundae Munhak) Award
The company Contemporary Literature (“Hyundae Munhak” in Korean), founded in South Korea in 1954, is one of the leading publishing companies in the literary field and has been publishing the nation's most prestigious monthly literary magazine ...
.
Work
In her early career Kang utilized nihilism as a point of departure from which to blueprint a future of free thought and equality between men. In response to the government’s violations of human rights and fundamental liberties during the late 1960s, the poet struggled to map a new path opposed to persecution and oppression; her works contained a measure of hope at the same time despairing at the then social and political situation. This focus resulted in Kang's name being associated with the "people's poetry" movement.
Kang was also in the camp of 'lyrical' (as opposed to 'ontological) poets like Heu Young-ja, Chung Jin-kyu, Lee Keun-bae, Kim Huran, Oh Tak-bon, Yoo An-jin, Park E-dou, Ra Tae-joo, Lee Soo-ik, Song Soo-kwon, Oh Sae-young, Lee Geon-cheong,
Kim Jong-hae
Kim Jong-hae (born July 23, 1941) is a Korean author, ex-sailor, and publisher.
Life
Kim was born in Busan, South Korea. He was a founding member of the journal Sinnyeondae, a member of the journal Modern Poetry (Hyeondaesi) and also participa ...
, Shin Dalja, Lim Young-jo, Lee Sung-sun, Moon Chung-hee, Kim Hyeong-young, Cho Jeong-kwon, Hong Shin-seon, Sin Dae-chul, Kim Jong-hae, Kim Jong-chul,
Lee Garim
Lee Garim (Hangul: 이가림; born 1943) is a South Korean writer.
Life
Lee Garim was born in Yolha, Manchuria. He graduated from Song Kyun Kwan University and Graduate School with a degree in French Literature. He received his Ph.D. in French ...
, Kim Seung-hee, Lee Jun-gwan, Lee kee-chul, Cho Chang-whan, and Yoon Suk-san
Kang's poem "Blades of Grass" (Pullip) demonstrated her concern and affection for the powerful forces of life that shape communities and override any human machinations, including governments. Her later work, less dark and tragic than her previous poetry, contains optimism for the future while it still acknowledges the problems of the social conditions of the time. "Blades of Grass, Arise" (Ireoseora pura), one of her most famous poems, uses the vitality and resiliency of grass as a metaphor for the powerful will of life that exists in all mankind. In "I Await You Again Today" (Oneuldo neoreul gidarinda), the commonplace, ordinary “you” gains a new significance; “you” becomes an entity that has a brilliance in and of itself. Her later works, with their soulful attention to the glory of life and earnest quest for its meaning, place her in the school of poetry known as 'People’s Poetry'. Yet, as Kang's early poetry appropriated and altered the nihilistic school of thought, her later poetry also changed the standards of the "People's Poetry" school. While much of the rest of "people’s poetry" has been criticized for only offering simplistic, normative perspectives of social reality, Kang’s poetry achieved a remarkable balance between the tangible and the abstract, the real and the ideal.
Awards
* 2011 Yousim Literature Prize - Poetry
* 2006
Jeong Jiyong Literature Prize
Jeong Jiyong Literature Prize (Hangul: 정지용문학상) is a literary award established in 1989 for poet and poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic ...
* Sowol Poetry Award of Excellence
* 1992 Contemporary Literature (Hyundae Munhak) Award
* 1975 Korean Writer's Prize
* 1968 Sasanggye Newcomer's Literary Prize
Works in Translation
None to date
Works in Korean (Partial)
Poetry
* ''House of Nothingness'' (''Heomujip'' 1971)
* ''Diary of a Pauper'' (''Binjailgi'' 1977)
* ''House of Noises'' (''Sorijib'' 1982)
* ''Song of the Wind'' (''Baram norae'' 1987)
* ''I Await You Again Today'' (''Oneuldo neoreul gidarinda'' 1989)
* ''Letter in the Wall'' (''Byeoksogui pyeonji'' 1992)
* ''A Day on a Star'' (''Eoneu byeoleseo ui haru'' 1996)
* ''One lamp is coming'' (''Deungbul hanaga geoleo-onda'' 1999)
* ''Time goes about with a silver star in its pocket'' (''Siganeun jumeoni-e eunbit byeol hana neot-go danyeotda'' 2002)
* ''The Green Spider's Love'' (''Chorok geomi-ui sarang'' 2006)
* ''Song of Sadness'' (''Seulpeun norae'')
Anthologies
* ''Blades of Grass'' (''Pullip'' 1974)
* ''Red River'' (''Bulgeun gang'' 1984)
* ''We Become Water'' (''Uri-ga mul-i doe-eo'' 1986)
* ''You are a Deep Deep River'' (''Geudae-neun gip-eun gang'' 1991)
Prose
* ''Between that Water'' (''Geumul sai-ro'' 1975)
* ''My Memories'' (''Chueokje'' 1975)
* ''Children of the City'' (''Dosi-ui ai-deul'' 1977)
* ''If We Met as Water'' (''Uri-ga mul-i doe-eo mannatda-myeon'' 1980)
* ''Who Wakes Up Again from Blades of Grass'' (''Nu-ga pullip-euro dasi nuntteurya'' 1984)
* ''Falling Asleep while not actually being able to fall asleep'' (''Jamdeulmyeonseo cham-euro jamdeulji mot hamyeonseo'' 1993)
* ''The Empty Notebook'' (''Heomu sucheop'' 1996)
See also
*
List of Korean-language poets
This is a list of Korean-language poets.
Twentieth-century poets
Alphabetical list
B
* Baek Seok (1912-1996)
* Bok Koh-il (born 1946)
C
* Chae Ho-ki (born 1957)
* Cheon Sang-byeong (1930-1993)
* Cheon Yang-hee (born 1942)
* Cheong Chi-yong ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kang, Eun-gyo
1945 births
Korean writers
Living people
South Korean women poets
Jeong Jiyong Literature Prize winners
Academic staff of Dong-a University