Pak Hwasong


Pak Hwasŏng or Pak Kyŏngsun was a Korean novelist, short story writer and essayist. A witness to both Korea under Japanese rule and the Korean War, Pak's stories foregrounded social concerns and the particular situation of women caught in circumstances out of their control.

Life

Pak Hwasŏng's first published story, 'Ch'usŏk chŏnya' - the story of a girl working in a textiles factory - appeared in the literary magazine Chosŏn mundan in 1925. In 1926 she enrolled in the English department of Nihon Women's College in Japan, joining the Tokyo branch of Kŭnuhoe. Unable to complete her studies, Pak returned to Korea, working as an educator in schools and for a variety of literary organizations.

Works

  • 'Ch'usŏk chŏnya', 1925, first published in the literary magazine Chosŏn mundanHongsu chŏnhu, 1932Paekhwa, 1932. Serialised in Tonga ilbo.
  • 'Kohyang ŏmnŭn saramdŭl', 1936Hyuhwasan, 1977Kohyang ŏmnŭn saramdŭl, 1994

Awards