Goryeoin Diaspora and Korean Literature... Special Exhibition in Gwangju

Revisiting Koryoin Diaspora Literature and the "Seonbong Newspaper"
on the 80th Anniversary of Liberation

A forgotten newspaper page and a single line of poetry marked the beginning of Koryoin literature. In celebration of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation, an exhibition revisiting the literature and lives of the Koryoin diaspora is being held in Gwangju.

The Koryoin Cultural Center, under the Gwangju Koryoin Village, announced on the 26th that it will hold a special exhibition on Korean literature, highlighting the lives and literary achievements of the Koryoin diaspora to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation. This exhibition retraces the trajectory of Korean literature that blossomed within the Koryoin community through the periods of Japanese colonial rule, exile, and oppression. It focuses on the literary activities of the independence activist and writer Cho Myunghee (1894-1938) and the 'Seonbong Newspaper,' the representative Korean-language publication used by the Koryoin community.

Gwangju Koryoin Village has prepared a special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, reflecting on the history and pain of Koryoin literature.

First published in 1923, the Seonbong Newspaper served as a channel for literary creation among Koryoin communities in Russia and Central Asia, and Mr. Cho led the Koryoin literary movement through this medium. After participating in KAPF (Korean Proletarian Artists Federation) activities in Korea, Mr. Cho went into exile in the Soviet Union in 1928, where he dedicated himself to the dissemination of Korean literature and the education of new writers. In 2019, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation by the government.

The exhibition revives the pulse of Korean literature through various historical materials, including Cho Myunghee's major works, original copies of the Seonbong Newspaper, and records of creative activities by his literary disciples. The exhibition will continue until the end of this year, and in April, there will be special lectures featuring novelist Lee Jeonghee from Sakhalin and former deputy editor-in-chief Kim Sungjo of the Koryo Ilbo in Kazakhstan.

Director Kim Byunghak said, "We organized this exhibition to shed new light on the historical significance and identity of Koryoin literature and to restore the literary history of our ancestors."

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