Yi Sang’s 70-page notebook revealed in original form

The original creative notebooks by poet Yi Sang (1910-1937) have been made public. The 70-page notebook, written in Japanese, includes 23 of his rough drafts, such as 'Record of Fear' and '1931.'

On Thursday, the National Museum of Korean Literature released Yi Sang’s posthumous notebooks, stating that they were “eagerly sought after by researchers who wanted to understand the creative form before translation intervened,” and that “the meticulously written creative notebooks provide a glimpse into the depth of Yi Sang’s literature.”

The notes were donated by the family of literary critic Cho Yeon-hyeon, who passed away in 1981. Yi Sang’s notes have been published four times since 1960 in Korean translations by Kim Soo-young, Kim Yun-sung, and Yoo Jung. However, this is the first time the original Japanese text has been made public.

These notes will be featured in Pulse of Korean Literature, an exhibition of rare collections from the National Museum of Korean Literature's archive, which opens on September 28 and runs through November 24 on the first floor of the Chunchugwan at Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul.


김소민 somin@donga.com