Hwang Sun-won (1915–2000) is one of modern Korea’s masters of narrative prose. Trees on a Slope (1960) is his most accomplished novel―one of the few Korean novels to describe in detail the physical and psychological horrors of the Korean War. It is an assured, forceful depiction of three young soldiers in the South Korean army during the latter stages of the war: Hyŏnt’ae, the arrogant and overconfident squad leader; the stolid and dependable Yun-gu; and "the Poet" Tong-ho. The war affects the men in different ways. Before he can return home, Tong-ho takes his own life after shooting an officer and a prostitute. Hyŏn-t’ae, finding himself removed from situations of mortal danger, spends most of his time drinking; in the end he is arrested for abetting in the suicide of a young girl. Only Yun-gu is able to make the successful transition to postwar life. His ability to survive the encroachments of others, exploit limited resources, and capitalize on the lessons of harsh experience make him emblematic of Korea over the centuries. Trees on a Slope will introduce an English-reading audience to an important voice in modern Asian literature.

Trees on a Slope (Modern Korean Fiction)

Literature & Fiction

Bruce Fulton

Ju-Chan Fulton

Hwang, Sun-wŏn

Literary

University of Hawaii Press

Hwang Sun-won (1915–2000) is one of modern Korea’s masters of narrative prose. Trees on a Slope (1960) is his most accomplished novel―one of the few Korean novels to describe in detail the physical and psychological horrors of the Korean War. It is an assured, forceful depiction of three young soldiers in the South Korean army during the latter stages of the war: Hyŏnt’ae, the arrogant and overconfident squad leader; the stolid and dependable Yun-gu; and "the Poet" Tong-ho. The war affects the men in different ways. Before he can return home, Tong-ho takes his own life after shooting an officer and a prostitute. Hyŏn-t’ae, finding himself removed from situations of mortal danger, spends most of his time drinking; in the end he is arrested for abetting in the suicide of a young girl. Only Yun-gu is able to make the successful transition to postwar life. His ability to survive the encroachments of others, exploit limited resources, and capitalize on the lessons of harsh experience make him emblematic of Korea over the centuries. Trees on a Slope will introduce an English-reading audience to an important voice in modern Asian literature.

The short story has been the genre of choice for writers of literary fiction in modern Korea and it continues to thrive in the new millennium. Waxen Wings: The Acta Koreana Anthology of Short Fiction from Korea offers a diverse sampling from a century of modern Korean short fiction, beginning with stories from two early masters (Yi Hyosok and Ch'ae Manshik) and ending with works by four of the most imaginative contemporary writers (Kim Yongha, Ha Songnan, P'yon Hyeyong, and Kim Chunghyok). In between are the two writers who are primarily responsible for the visibility enjoyed by Korean women fiction writers today (O Chongh i and Pak Wanso), and a writer, Kim Wonil, who has made it his lifework to address the territorial and spiritual division of the Korean peninsula. The title of the anthology, from Ha Songnan's 1999 story, suggests the transcendental qualities of the finest Korean short fiction. 
 In The Mountains by Yi Hyoseok Constable Maeng by Ch'ae Manshik Weaver Woman by Oh Cheong-hui We Sell Shame by Park Wan-so Prison of the Heart by Kim Won-il The Pager by Kim Young-ha Waxen Wings by Ha Seong-nan Corpses by Pyeon Hye-yeong The Glass Shield by Kim Chung-yeok

Waxen Wings: The Acta Koreana Anthology of Short Fiction from Korea

United States

Koryo Press

Bi-lingual Edition Modern Korean Literature. "The Last of Hanak'o" by Ch'oe Yun. ASIA Publishers present some of the very best modern Korean literature to readers worldwide through its new Korean literature series . We are proud and happy to offer it in the most authoritative translation by renowned translators of Korea literature. We hope that this series helps to build solid bridges between citizens of the world and Koreans through rich in-depth understanding of Korea.

The Last of Hanak'o (Bi-lingual Edition Modern Korean Literature., Volume 13)

Ch'oe Yun

ASIA Publishers

In the Trunk (Bi-lingual Edition Modern Korean Literature, Volume 25)

Jeong Yi-jyun

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Books by Bruce Fulton