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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Poet Ahn Do-hyun's journey from reclusive writer to public activist

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Poet Ahn Do-hyun reflects on his debut poetry collection, 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul,' published in 1985, which connected history and reality.
  • The collection, inspired by his history major girlfriend, followed the footsteps of Jeon Bong-jun, a key figure in the Donghak Peasant Revolution.
  • Ahn discusses his transition from a reclusive literary figure to a more public role, participating in protests and activism after being dismissed from teaching.

Poet Ahn Do-hyun looks back on his first poetry collection, 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul,' published in 1985. He describes the book, less than 100 pages, as a collection of poems written in his early twenties, a time when he felt he knew everything, yet was just beginning his journey. The collection ambitiously sought to link history and reality, invoking figures like Nakdong River, Baekdu Mountain, Jeon Bong-jun, and Balhae.

I am now embarking on a harsher life, which I must face.

— Ahn Do-hyunFrom the preface of his first poetry collection, 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul,' reflecting on his future.

He recalls writing in a time before computers or typewriters, using pens on blank notebooks. His early poems were often somber, reflecting the harshness of winter rather than the bloom of spring. Ahn aimed to encompass the imagery of wildfires, the daily lives of laborers, the divided Korean peninsula, and fervent resolutions for the future within his work. The collection's genesis was partly due to his then-girlfriend, who studied Korean history. Her influence led him to research Jeon Bong-jun and the Donghak Peasant Revolution, a period that resonated with the turbulent Gwangju Uprising of May 1980.

Ahn was encouraged to publish by poet Hwang Ji-woo, who was then the head of Minumsa Publishing House. Despite having fewer than forty poems ready, Ahn agreed to be part of the "Today's Poets Series." He recounts receiving his first author's payment in cash from the publisher. The book's cover featured a photo of him with windblown hair, a pensive expression. He notes that a fellow poet, Park Bong-woo, affectionately nicknamed him 'Jeon Bong-jun' after the book's release.

If one is to live a magnificent life, one must be prepared to live a harsher life ahead.

— Ahn Do-hyunFrom the preface of his first poetry collection, 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul,' reflecting on his future.

The preface to 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul' contains a line that proved prophetic: "If one is to live a magnificent life, one must be prepared to live a harsher life ahead." This foreshadowed his later experiences. In 1989, he was dismissed from his teaching position for refusing to sign a resignation letter required by the JeonGyoJo (Korean Teachers and Educational Workers' Union). He became a "teacher of the streets," actively participating in rallies and protests, his pen becoming his weapon. The literary purist, who once bought scrap paper to write, found himself moving into the public square.

I am now embarking on a harsher life, which I must face.

— Ahn Do-hyunFrom the preface of his first poetry collection, 'Jeon Bong-jun Going to Seoul,' reflecting on his future.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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