South Korean literature


South Korean literature is literature written or produced in South Korea following the division of Korea into North and South in 1945. South Korean literature is primarily written in Korean.

Literature by genre

Mainstream fiction

Also referred as 'pure literature' in South Korea. Most authors translated by the Korea Literature Translation Institute for translation falls into this category. The terminology is often criticized, and is a constant theme of discussion in the literature of South Korea.
Some of the notable Korean mainstream fiction writers include:
There are also Korean-American writers writing in Korean, e.g. Kim Yong-ik.

Popular fiction

This term, the popular fiction, is defined as the mass market-targeted works, or as an opposite of the pure ''literature''. This terminology comes from the equivalent Japanese word. But since early 2000, the distinction between mainstream and pop became faint, and some mainstream authors like Gu Byeong-mo or Chung Serang are well-received in both genre, and there is a clear tendency of authors refuse to define themselves as the 'pure literature' author.

Historical fiction

Historical fiction, or alternative history fiction, is one of the largest selling genre in South Korea. For more serious works, authors like Jo Jung-rae and Park Wan-suh fall into this category. For lighter works, Kim Jin-myung, the author of The Rose of Sharon Blooms Again, is one of the best selling writers. The historical fiction of South Korea often covers the Joseon period and the colonial era. Lee In-hwi's novels often depict historical labor rights issues in South Korea in the 1980s and 1990s.

Fantasy

Examples of South Korean fantasy writers and their works include:

Science fiction

Examples of South Korean sf writers and their works include:

Essayists

Non-fiction essayists include Chang Young-hee.

Poetry

List of Korean-language poets
Notable modern poets include, Choi Nam-son and Kim Sowol, Ki Hyung-do, Chon Sang-pyong.

South Korean literary awards