The Daesan Foundation - literary symposium celebrating Centennial Anniversary Writers

This program focuses on the works written in the first 100 years of Korea's early modern period and celebrates the writers who pioneered modern Korean literature so ardently while living the upheavals of the Japanese oppression and Liberation. Beginning in 2001, each year it commemorates writers born 100 years before in collaboration with the Association of Writers for National Literature, and in 2006 those writers included Gang Gyeong-ae, Kim O-nam, Eom Heung-seop, Yu Jin-o, Yi Jeong-ho, Yi Ju-hong, Yi Ha-yun, Jo Jong-hyeon, Choi Jeong-hui etc. A symposium was held and other subsidiary events were held that brought together members of the writers' families and the general public. A special symposium devoted to Yi Ju-hong was sponsored, while a collection of studies on Gang Gyeong-ae by scholars from South and North Korea was published for the first time, to commemorate 100th anniversary of the writer's birth. Also, a chronological record and bibliography of studies was established and published with the papers from the symposium.

Together with the Association of Writers for the National Literature of Korea, the Daesan Foundation co-hosted a Literary Symposium Celebrating Centennial Anniversary Writers in honor of ten major authors who were born in 1905: KIM Gwang-Seop, KIM Tae-Jun, KIM Tae-Jin, KIM Hwa-San, MA Hae-Song, PARK Ah-Ji, PARK Pal-Yang, YU Chi-Jin, YI Heon-Gu, JEONG In-Seop.

The fifth such event in as many years, the 2005 "Literary Symposium Celebrating Centennial Anniversary Writers" was organized as a literary retrospective that objectively examined the historical context of the Japanese occupation, with a particular emphasis on the roles played by the authors in question, and how they contributed to shaping the world of modern Korean literature. This was designed to help provide a new perspective on the present and future of Korean literature.

In addition to the annual 'Night of Literature,' and symposium, a documentary about authors was produced and broadcaston television and radio, with the support of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Furthermore, KIM Gwang-Seop's complete works and symposium theses were published. Together with relevant organizations, separate symposiums were held in honor of KIM Tae-Jun, MA Hae-Song and YU Chi-Jin. The 'Night of Literature' was attended by members of the literary community, relatives of the authors being honored, and ordinary Korean citizens. All present enjoyed various music and dance performances using themes from the literature of the authors being honored.

Together with the Association of Writers for the National Literature of Korea, the Daesan Foundation co-hosted a 100th Birthday Celebration in honor of six major authors who were born in 1904: Gye Yong-Muk, PARK Yong-chul, PARK Hwa-Sung, LEE Yang-Ha, LEE Yuk-Sa, and LEE Tae-Jun.

The fourth such event in as many consecutive years, 2004's "100th Birthday Celebration" was organized as a literary retrospective that objectively examined the historical context of the Japanese occupation with a particular emphasis on the roles played by the six authors in question and how they contributed to shaping the world of modern Korean literature. This was designed to help provide a new perspective on the present and future of Korean literature.

In addition to a number of other events, a two-day symposium held on April 29th and 30th at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' Conference Hall explored the dark historical period through which members of the Korean literary community had to struggle. The 'Night of Literature' that followed was attended by members of the literary community, relatives of the authors being honored, and ordinary Korean citizens, who enjoyed book readings, a traditional Korean concert, open forum discussions, and many other activities.

The Daesan Foundation and the Association of Writers for the National Literature of Korea co-organized a literary symposium for centennial anniversary writers. The symposium "Disputes, Stories and Songs" commemorated writers KWON Hwan, KIM Ki-Jin, KIM Young-Rang, KIM Jin-Sup, SONG Young, YANG Ju-Dong, YUN Geuk-Young, YUN Ki-Jung, LEE Eun-Sang, CHOI Myung-Ik who were born in 1903 and was held at the Conference Hall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on April 24∼25.

Following a general presentation by Prof. KIM Dae-Haeng and KIM Young-Min, 8 scholars gave presentations about the featured writers' lives and literary activities. These writers were active in various literary fields. In light of the fact that the history of modern Korean literature goes back nearly 100 years, they are the originators of all genres of Korean literature.

As part of the symposium, an informal literary event was held at the Neutinamu Café, where the relatives of the featured writers talked about the writer in their family.

The Daesan Foundation and the Association of Writers for National Literature co-organized a literary symposium for centennial anniversary writers. The symposium "Song and Dream in the Colony - KIM Sang-Yong, KIM So-Wol, NA Do-Hyang, JEONG Ji-Yong, JU Yo-Sup, CHAE Man-Shik" commemorated writers who were born in 1902 and was held at the Conference Hall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on September 26th∼27th.

Following a presentation by Prof. YU Jong-Ho entitled "The Formation of Korean Poetry in the first half of the 20th Century", 18 participants, divided into poetry and fiction, discussed the six writers' life and their literary activities. Also, as part of the symposium, a poetry reading was held at the Migliore Myungdong Event Hall on September 27th.

The Daesan Foundation and the Association of Writers for National Literature co-organized a literary symposium for centennial anniversary writers entitled "Modern Literature, Writers Standing in a Cross Road - KIM Dong-Hwan, PARK Jong-Hwa, PARK Young-Hee, SHIM Hoon, LEE SANG Hwa, CHOI Seo-Hae". In commemoration of the writers who were born in 1901, the symposium was held at the Conference Hall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on September 20∼21.

Following a keynote speech by Prof. KIM Yoon-Shik entitled "The Way of Looking Back at Modern Literature", 20 participants, divided into poetry, fiction, and criticism, discussed the six writers' life and their literary activities. As part of the symposium, six writers' bibliographies were published.