Early Autumn is Reminiscent of a Poet

Baekro(백로), one of the 24 seasonal divisions referring to the day when white dew forms, fell on September 7th. Autumn is in full swing around this time of year. In the minds of Koreans, the season of autumn has set in.

This year’s Baekro marked the 110th anniversary of the birth of renowned poet Kim So-wol. Kim, who remains one of Korea’s most beloved poets to this day, is recognized for his use of fine lyrics and the unique Eastern tone when expressing Koreans’ grief and endurance.

Kim was Born 110 Years Ago

Kim So-wol was born in Guseong(구성), North Pyongan Province, on September 7th, 1902. His real name is Kim Jeong-sik(김정식). When his father was assaulted by a Japanese man and became insane, he was raised by his grandfather who was a mine operator. When he was two years old, his grandfather began to teach him Chinese classics.

He graduated from Namsan(남산) Elementary School and entered Osan Middle School. Unfortunately, the middle school was forced to close following the March 1st Independence Movement. He then transferred to Baejae(배재) High School. But it was in his middle school years in 1915 when he had an important encounter with his teacher Kim Eok(김억), who helped turn ordinary student Kim Jeong-sik into poet Kim So-wol and remained his mentor for the rest of his life.

Kim Eok began to publish his poems in 1912 when he was 20 years old. In 1921, he translated poems of Verlaine and Baudelaire and created Korea’s first collection of poems called ‘Dance of Agony.’ In 1923, he published his own collection of poems ‘The Song of the Jellyfish.’ His poems had great influence in shaping modern Korean poetry. Kim Eok taught at Osan Middle School, which he had attended himself. After Kim Jeong-sik entered the school, he began to write poems under Kim Eok. In 1920, he published poems such as ‘Spring Traveler’ and ‘I Miss You’ on the literary magazine [Changjo](창조), making his literary debut.

Masterpiece that will Shine throughout the History of Korean Literature

From then on, he published his works under his penname So-wol.

If you come and look for me some day, I’d say “I forgot”
If you blame me inwardly, “After missing you so much, I forgot”
If you still blame me, “I couldn’t believe it, so I forgot”
Not today, not yesterday, but some day in the distant future “I forgot”

He began to draw attention from the literary community as he published a poem ‘Some Day,’ which describes immortal love indirectly but more desperately than any direct expressions do.

While attending Baejae High School, Kim published poems such as ‘Golden Turf’ and ‘Mom and Sister’ on the literary magazine [Gaebyeok](개벽) in 1922. On the same magazine, he published another poem ‘The Azaleas,’ which is regarded as his masterpiece.

If you would go, tiring of me, nothing will I say
I shall pick azaleas at the Yaksan, Yongbyon, and deck the path you tread
Tread gently on my azaleas where the path is decked
If you would go, tiring of me, no cry shall you hear of mine
(Translated by Kim Dong Sung)

The poem has a cadence to breathe and recite naturally. It portrays love and departure with extremely restrained emotions and reveals Korean-style love that no Western poems can ever express.

The 20-year-old Kim was neither a thinker nor an activist who cried out for a new life of Korean people during the Japanese colonial period. But the lyric poet naturally inherited the tradition of Korean folk songs, singing about Koreans’ grievance and acceptance of fate in both feeble and strong voices through indigenous language and tunes. The poetic rhythms and feelings did touch the hearts of Koreans, and people called this young man a national poet.

Kim reached the summit of his literary career in 1925 when he published a collection of poetry [The Azaleas] and an essay on poetry ‘Poetic Spirit.’ But his literary fame did not guarantee happiness in his personal life.

Genius Poet Dies Young

He went to Japan to study at a college of commerce in 1923 but dropped out after the Great Kanto Earthquake hit the Tokyo metropolitan area in September that year. Kim returned home to help his grandfather run a mine. But the mine business failed and his family’s fortune was on the wane. He moved to Guseong County where his wife’s parents lived. There, he ran a branch office of the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper but he failed in business again. He lost the will to live. On December 24th, 1934, he was found dead, apparently killing himself by ingesting poison. He was 32.

The young poet left us a long time ago. But his 154 pieces of poetry and essays that he left during his 5-6 years of literary life have comforted many Koreans suffering from troubles and emotional scars. To this day, Koreans love to recite his exquisite works as their favorite poems.