Revisiting the Works That Preserved the Language and Spirit of the Nation: Novelist Gye Bongu

Special Exhibition of Koryoin Korean Literature Marks 80th Anniversary of Liberation
Shedding New Light on the Life of Gye Bongu, Who Dedicated Himself to Literature, Education, and the Independence Movement

In a special exhibition prepared by the Gwangju Koryoin Village to mark the 80th anniversary of Liberation, the life and works of Gye Bongu (1880-1959), a poet and novelist representing Koryoin literature, are being newly highlighted.

According to Koryoin Village on the 3rd, this special exhibition has been underway at the Koryoin Culture Center since the 1st of last month, with support from Gwangsan-gu. The exhibition traces the footsteps of Koryoin literary figures who lived through the turbulent history of the Japanese colonial period, forced migration, and exile, reflecting on the value of the era and language they testified to through literature.

On the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, the life and literary world of Gye Bongu (1880?1959), a novelist and poet representing Koryoin literature, are being newly highlighted in a special exhibition organized by the Gwangju Koryoin Village. Provided by Koryoin Village

At the center of the exhibition is Gye Bongu, who devoted his life as a literary figure, anti-Japanese independence activist, and national educator to preserving the Korean language and national identity.

Born in Yeongheung, South Hamgyong Province, Gye Bongu began his career as a teacher in 1906, participated in the Shinminhoe movement, and went into exile in Bukgando in 1911, where he founded Gwangseong School and compiled textbooks himself as part of the educational movement. Later, in 1919, he served as a representative member of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Bukgando and left records of history and the independence movement through works such as "Uibyeongjeon," "Kim Alexandra Sojeon," and "Bukgando: The Past and Present."

Even after the forced relocation of Koreans in Primorsky Krai under the Stalin regime in 1937, he continued to teach Korean language and history for 22 years in Kazakhstan, producing educational materials such as "Korean Grammar," "History of Korean Literature," and "Korean History" based on national identity.

The government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Independence Medal, in 1995 in recognition of his achievements. Both within and outside the Koryoin community, he is regarded as a model intellectual who embodied the values of literature, education, and practice.

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