Chôn Sang-Pyông
Encyclopedia
Chon Sang-pyong was a Korean poet.
Born in early 1930 in Japan, Chon returned to Korea with his family in 1945 and resumed his interrupted schooling at Masan
. The first of his poems to be published was the poem 'River waters' that appeared in the monthly review Munye in 1949, when the poet was still at school. By 1952 he was established as a poet, with recognition from already reputed writers. By this time he was studying at Seoul National University
. After finishing his studies there, he worked for a while in Pusan. His best-known poem is "Kwicheon" [back to heaven]. In addition to writing poems, he had also already begun to compose literary essays that were published in various periodicals. They constitute the other important aspect of his life's work as a writer.
In 1967, agents of the National Security Agency
(KCIA) whisked him away to the dreaded cellars of their building in central Seoul
. There he was subjected to torture by water, and also by electric shock
applied to his genitals. His name had been found in the address-book of a friend from university days, a friend who was now accused of being a communist spy, of having visited the North Korea
n embassy in East Berlin
. After six months in detention, he was finally freed, having nothing to confess except the fact that he had friends.
Deeply traumatized by the violence he had undergone, he began to roam about, drinking wildly until at last, in 1971, he disappeared. Months passed, his friends and relatives searched for him everywhere to no avail. They could only conclude that he had died and been buried somewhere anonymously, unknown. In sorrow, they collected the poems they could find, and published a posthumous memorial volume. Suddenly news came that he was alive after all, interned in the Seoul municipal asylum where he had been taken after he had collapsed in the street.
He showed a clear improvement after being visited by Mok Sun-ok, the younger sister of one of his university friends. The doctor told her that she could help him by her visits and that if all went well he might be ready to return to life in the outside world after a couple of months. So Mok came to visit her brother's friend frequently, until he was as ready as he ever would be to come back to life in society. Only it was clear that he would hardly be able to fend for himself on his own. He had the heart of a child, and a child's fragility. Chon and Mok were married in 1972, a marriage that endured through twenty years of sometimes terrible hardship and struggle.
Friends helped Mok Sun-ok open a cafe in a small room in the Insadong
neighborhood of Seoul, much frequented by artists, writers, journalists and intellectuals. The name given to the cafe was "Kwi-ch'ŏn" (Back to heaven), the title of Chon's most popular lyric.
By 1988, years of drinking had eroded the poet's liver until at last a doctor told Mok that her husband had reached the end of the trail, that he would never recover and she must prepare for the inevitable end. Another doctor, a friend of theirs, with a small clinic in the town of Chuncheon
, twenty or thirty miles outside of Seoul, decided to try to help. Chon was admitted there and for the following months Mok took the bus every evening to be with him. She has written how, returning to Seoul from her daily visits, she used to pray silently in the bus: "God! Not yet. Give him another five years, please. Five more years."
Amazingly, strength returned and the poet was able to leave the clinic to resume a measure of normal living for another five years. In the space of this reprieve he saw the publication of new volumes of poetry and of essays. Until at last he made his final journey Back to Heaven on April 28, 1993.
Back to Heaven. Ithaca: Cornell East Asia Series, 1995 (English only) also available in a bilingual Korean-English edition published by DapGae (Seoul) and Cornell East Asia Series in 1996
Translations also exist in German, French, Spanish and Romanian.
About the author: Mok, Sun-ok, 2006, My Husband the Poet, translated by Brother Anthony of Taize.
Born in early 1930 in Japan, Chon returned to Korea with his family in 1945 and resumed his interrupted schooling at Masan
Masan
Masan was a formerly a municipal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The city was situated on Masan Bay , approximately 35 km west of Busan. It was known for its textile industry, and it was the site of Hite Brewery's production facilities.During the control of the Mongolians, the...
. The first of his poems to be published was the poem 'River waters' that appeared in the monthly review Munye in 1949, when the poet was still at school. By 1952 he was established as a poet, with recognition from already reputed writers. By this time he was studying at Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
. After finishing his studies there, he worked for a while in Pusan. His best-known poem is "Kwicheon" [back to heaven]. In addition to writing poems, he had also already begun to compose literary essays that were published in various periodicals. They constitute the other important aspect of his life's work as a writer.
In 1967, agents of the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
(KCIA) whisked him away to the dreaded cellars of their building in central 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...
. There he was subjected to torture by water, and also by electric shock
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
applied to his genitals. His name had been found in the address-book of a friend from university days, a friend who was now accused of being a communist spy, of having visited the 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...
n embassy in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
. After six months in detention, he was finally freed, having nothing to confess except the fact that he had friends.
Deeply traumatized by the violence he had undergone, he began to roam about, drinking wildly until at last, in 1971, he disappeared. Months passed, his friends and relatives searched for him everywhere to no avail. They could only conclude that he had died and been buried somewhere anonymously, unknown. In sorrow, they collected the poems they could find, and published a posthumous memorial volume. Suddenly news came that he was alive after all, interned in the Seoul municipal asylum where he had been taken after he had collapsed in the street.
He showed a clear improvement after being visited by Mok Sun-ok, the younger sister of one of his university friends. The doctor told her that she could help him by her visits and that if all went well he might be ready to return to life in the outside world after a couple of months. So Mok came to visit her brother's friend frequently, until he was as ready as he ever would be to come back to life in society. Only it was clear that he would hardly be able to fend for himself on his own. He had the heart of a child, and a child's fragility. Chon and Mok were married in 1972, a marriage that endured through twenty years of sometimes terrible hardship and struggle.
Friends helped Mok Sun-ok open a cafe in a small room in the Insadong
Insadong
Insadong is a dong, or neighborhood of the Jongno-gu district of the South Korean city of Seoul. The main street is Insadong-gil, which is connected to a multitude of alleys that lead deeper into the district...
neighborhood of Seoul, much frequented by artists, writers, journalists and intellectuals. The name given to the cafe was "Kwi-ch'ŏn" (Back to heaven), the title of Chon's most popular lyric.
By 1988, years of drinking had eroded the poet's liver until at last a doctor told Mok that her husband had reached the end of the trail, that he would never recover and she must prepare for the inevitable end. Another doctor, a friend of theirs, with a small clinic in the town of Chuncheon
Chuncheon
Chuncheon is the capital of Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies in the northeast of the country, located in a basin formed by the Soyang River and Han River. There are some large lakes around the city, most notably Lake Soyang and Lake Uiam...
, twenty or thirty miles outside of Seoul, decided to try to help. Chon was admitted there and for the following months Mok took the bus every evening to be with him. She has written how, returning to Seoul from her daily visits, she used to pray silently in the bus: "God! Not yet. Give him another five years, please. Five more years."
Amazingly, strength returned and the poet was able to leave the clinic to resume a measure of normal living for another five years. In the space of this reprieve he saw the publication of new volumes of poetry and of essays. Until at last he made his final journey Back to Heaven on April 28, 1993.
Works
Translations of his poems have been made into English:Back to Heaven. Ithaca: Cornell East Asia Series, 1995 (English only) also available in a bilingual Korean-English edition published by DapGae (Seoul) and Cornell East Asia Series in 1996
Translations also exist in German, French, Spanish and Romanian.
About the author: Mok, Sun-ok, 2006, My Husband the Poet, translated by Brother Anthony of Taize.