Cho Se-hui
Encyclopedia
Cho Sehuiis Korean novelist. He attended Seorabeol Art College and Kyonggi University
in Seoul. Cho was a member of the so-called "hangul
generation," which was called that because its member were the first to be educated in the Korean language
(the previous years had been under Japanese
domination and language, and before the colonial period most scholars had studied Chinese
).
Cho's writing is sparse and explicit, though it can also seem surreal. His most famous work is The Dwarf. The Dwarf is a yŏnjak sosŏl (linked novel) or collection of separately published short stories which can stand alone or supplement each other. This fractured structure, along with Cho's jump-cutting, juxtapositional, and un-sign-posted narrative portrays a society that "severs men from the natural rhythms and shape of creation."
It is a powerful work of social criticism focusing on the forced redevelopment of Seoul in the 1970s, and the human costs that accompanied it. It combines biting realism with an often fantastic structure that pulls a reader into the difficult and fragmented era the work describes. Cho combines a kaleidoscopic narrative approach, powerful use of scientific symbols, and a dead-flat and deadeye narrative tone. Reading The Dwarf requires some attention, but the interlocking narrative arcs and often disconcerting internal shifts in narrator or time frame are both supportive of the theme of the book and ultimately rewarding. Koreans consider this work to be one of the critical works of the 70's.
Kyonggi University
Kyonggi University is a South Korean university which has two campuses, one in Seoul and another in Suwon. Over 13000 students are enrolled in Kyonggi University. Courses are taught in English in the international college and Korean in the rest of the university.- History :Founder: Dr...
in Seoul. Cho was a member of the so-called "hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
generation," which was called that because its member were the first to be educated in the Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
(the previous years had been under Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
domination and language, and before the colonial period most scholars had studied Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
).
Cho's writing is sparse and explicit, though it can also seem surreal. His most famous work is The Dwarf. The Dwarf is a yŏnjak sosŏl (linked novel) or collection of separately published short stories which can stand alone or supplement each other. This fractured structure, along with Cho's jump-cutting, juxtapositional, and un-sign-posted narrative portrays a society that "severs men from the natural rhythms and shape of creation."
It is a powerful work of social criticism focusing on the forced redevelopment of Seoul in the 1970s, and the human costs that accompanied it. It combines biting realism with an often fantastic structure that pulls a reader into the difficult and fragmented era the work describes. Cho combines a kaleidoscopic narrative approach, powerful use of scientific symbols, and a dead-flat and deadeye narrative tone. Reading The Dwarf requires some attention, but the interlocking narrative arcs and often disconcerting internal shifts in narrator or time frame are both supportive of the theme of the book and ultimately rewarding. Koreans consider this work to be one of the critical works of the 70's.
Partial list of publications
- The Dwarf University of Hawaii Press (October 2006) ISBN 0-8248-3101-2
- The Voice of the Governor-General and Other Stories of Modern Korea (Contributor) Eastbridge (June 2002) ISBN 1-891936-06-9
- City of Machines Korea Journal Vol.30 No.3 March 1990 pp. 68–74
- On the Overhead Bridge Korea Journal Vol.20 No.10 October 1980 pp. 30–35
External links
- http://www.ktlit.com/uncategorized/the-dwarf-by-cho-se-hui