“A Pair of Cripples”: Yi Sang’s Perspective on the Relationship Between a Modern Girl and a Modern Boy in “Wings”

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As the discourse on modernism expands, non-Western modernism challenges the notion that it is primarily a Western European phenomenon. Korean modernism, developed within the constraints of Japanese imperialism, is being re-evaluated, revealing its unique context and complexities. Due to the historical context of under Japanese rule, Koreans—especially the elite often referred to as “modern boys”—experienced modernity with ambivalent feelings, perceiving it both as a liberation from traditional conventions and as a symbol of oppression. However, while modern boys experienced a “double bind” and faced discrimination and inner conflict, contemporary women, such as “modern girls,” endured an additional layer of oppression—gender inequality—further restricting their engagement with modernity, and thereby, modernism. In this context, Yi Sang’s short story “Wings” presents a perspective on modern girls that differs from that of his contemporaries, especially male authors. The story has been regarded as a reflection of the despair experienced by intellectuals under colonial subjugation, often portraying the narrator as a victim of the times. Consequently, in line with existing analyses, it has been criticized for engaging in self-rationalization and victimization by othering the female character. However, this paper examines the unique but relatively underexplored relationship between the narrator and his wife as a modern boy and a modern girl, the primary consumers of colonial modernity in Korea. Focusing on the enigmatic metaphor “a pair of cripples,” I will analyze Yi Sang’s genuine modernist approach to the relationship under the circumstances of colonized Korea, where previously absolute standards and values collapsed. The model of mutual recognition without rigid logic, as portrayed in Yi Sang’s short story, offers a potential framework for how modern Korean men might engage with contemporary feminist movements in the gender-polarized context of 21st-century Korea.