The Politicality of Modern Japan: Korea Editions’ Use of Korean Literature

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

It is well known that the editor of Modern Japan (Modan Nippon), published by Bungei Shunju, was Ma Haesong, a native of the Korean peninsula. Although Modern Japan fell short of attaining the same level of popularity as Kōdansha’s King (Kingu), it reached a broader range of readers than the rival modern magazine New Youth (Shin seinen), associated with the important writers Edogawa Ranpo and Yokomizo Seishi. Indeed, Modern Japan cultivated a profile somewhere between that of King and New Youth. However, perhaps due to its middling status, the magazine has yet to be the subject of a comprehensive study in any of the fields of literary, cultural, or publishing studies.
This paper looks specifically at two special extra editions of Modern Japan, called the Korea Editions, published in 1939 and 1940 respectively. These special editions contained a hybrid of both state propagandistic elements and editor Ma Haesong’s perspective on his homeland. Although there is some extant research on the Korea Editions from several points of view, there is still room for a detailed analysis of how exactly Korean writers and literary works were introduced in their pages, and what type of literature was included. Specifically, this paper examines the literary criticism of Kim Saryang and Han Sik, clarifying their differing appraisals of the contemporary literary situation. Then, it analyzes the style and content of Pak T’aewŏn’s short story, “A Street Darkly” (Michi ha kuraki wo). Through highlighting this combination of perspectives, I hope to illuminate the politicality of Modern Japan realized through a rereading of the Korea Editions.

참고문헌 (Reference)

1 Hong Sŏnyŏng, "Zasshi Modan Nippon to Chōsen ban no kumiawase, sono sogo" 138 : 55-65, 2010

2 Jang You-Lee, "Zasshi Modan Nippon ga kōchiku shita ‘modan’: Zasshi no burandoka to dokusha senryaku" 211 : 32-46, 2014

3 Ma Haesong, "Zakki" 246-, 2009

4 Kusaba Sakae, "Noro kōchi" Masu shobō 1941

5 Kikuchi Kan, "Modan Nippon ni tsuite" 1 (1): 1930

6 Yasufuku Tomoyuki, "Modan Nippon kara mita Dazai Osamu ‘Uba-sute’ ni tuite" 5 : 226-235, 2000

7 Pak T’aewŏn, "Michi ha kuraki wo" 266-280, 2009

8 Jang You-Lee, "Ma Haesong ni okeru kokkakan keisei: Seizon wo meguru minzoku to kokka no mondai wo chūshin ni" 6 : 130-143, 2015

9 Aikawa Takuya, "Higeki wo genzen saseru tekusuto he" 12 : 145-161, 2014

10 Yi, Christina, "Colonizing Language: Cultural Production and Lan-guage Politics in Modern Japan and Korea" Columbia University Press 2018

11 Kim Saryang, "Chōsen no sakka wo kataru" 270-272, 2009

12 Han Sik, "Chōsen bundan no kinkyō" 264-265, 2009

13 Konoe Fumimaro, "Chōsen ban he no koto-ba" 82-83, 2009

14 Jang You-Lee, "1930 nendai kōhan ni okeru zasshi Modan Nippon no henshū Taisei: Zensen to jūgo, shokuminchi chosen wo megutte" 107 : 13-26, 2014