Chae Man-sik’s novella, Frozen Fish, was published in Inmun Pyeongron in 1940. The title depicts Joseon intellectuals that were unable to live autonomous lives due to Japanese oppression during the 1940s when the Japanese Empire’s nationalist, fascist system kicked into full swing. In the story, protagonist Moon Dae-yeong meets a Japanese woman, Sumiko, by chance. His fondness for her develops into a love affair, and in the end, they go their separate ways, with Dae-yeong returning home to his wife. Frozen Fish is sometimes interpreted as a work that reveals hints of the author’s pro-Japanese sympathies, but ultimately, it describes the intellectuals of the colonial era who were unable to play any sort of productive or independent role.
Transgressor of the Nation is a novella that was serialized in the magazine, Baik Min, from 1948 to 1949. This is the author’s self-reflection on his involvement in pro-Japanese activities, and at the same time, an apologia against the wholesale punishment of people who collaborated with the Japanese without specific consideration that pertained to each complex case. Through this work, one can fathom the profundity with which Chae Man-sik contemplated the problem of pro-Japanese activities in which he participated even after the restoration of independence.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.