Ahn Soo-kil
Encyclopedia
Ahn Soo-kil was a Korean novelist and journalist who devoted much of his life to depicting the lives of the Korean settlers in Jiandao, Manchuria. He was born on November 3, 1911 in Hamhŭng
, Hamgyŏngnamdo, in present-day North Korea
. Graduating from local schools, he attended Waseda University
in Tokyo in the 1930s.
Ahn made his debut as an author with the publication of the short story "Director of Red Cross Hospital" (적십자병원장) in 1935. His first novella was Rice Plant, which was his first work to deal with Manchuria. He began to receive serious critical attention in 1959 with the publication of Northern Kando, an epic novel which covers four generations of a family's life in Jiandao from 1870 to 1945.
Ahn emigrated to the South after the liberation of Korea in 1945, and eventually became a professor of creative writing
at Sorabol Art College in Seoul
(this later became the Arts faculty of Chung-Ang University
). He wrote short stories including "The Third Type of Man" (제3인간형) which told the story of city life during the Korean War
.
Hamhung
Hamhŭng is North Korea's second largest city, and the capital of South Hamgyŏng Province. In late 2005, nearby Hŭngnam was made a ward within Hamhŭng-si. It has a population of 768,551 as of 2008.-Geography:...
, Hamgyŏngnamdo, in present-day North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Graduating from local schools, he attended Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in Tokyo in the 1930s.
Ahn made his debut as an author with the publication of the short story "Director of Red Cross Hospital" (적십자병원장) in 1935. His first novella was Rice Plant, which was his first work to deal with Manchuria. He began to receive serious critical attention in 1959 with the publication of Northern Kando, an epic novel which covers four generations of a family's life in Jiandao from 1870 to 1945.
Ahn emigrated to the South after the liberation of Korea in 1945, and eventually became a professor of creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
at Sorabol Art College in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
(this later became the Arts faculty of Chung-Ang University
Chung-Ang University
The Chung-Ang University is a private comprehensive institution in South Korea, located over two campuses in Seoul and Anseong. It was founded subsequent to liberation from Japanese colonial rule for the benefit of the nation and advancement of civilization, with the educational philosophy of...
). He wrote short stories including "The Third Type of Man" (제3인간형) which told the story of city life during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Awards
- Asian Liberty Literature Prize, 1955
- Seoul City Cultural Award, 1968
- Samil Cultural Award, 1973