1930년대 유년(幼年)의 발견과 ‘애기그림책’

Abstract

This paper focused on 1930s when the picture books were started to be recognized along with the discovery of infancy as the preliminary work to identify the characteristics of picture books during Japanese colonial era which was ignored in the children's literature history. In 1930s after the establishment of school system in 1922, some insisted the production of works suitable for each age group. However, it was not easy to create and distribute picture books for kids as compared to children's songs or fairy tales. Even the artists participated in some children's magazines or children's corners in newspapers used their work as a variety of opportunities including means of living or learning rather than having awareness on picture books. Furthermore, another reason was the depression in the printing industry due to the war by Japan. Meanwhile, the social criticisms were brought on the newspapers because picture books from Japan mostly had the contents with negative impacts to children including war, murder or horror. Such tendency was aggravated since the discontinuance of children's magazines in Korea around 1930s and its severity went to extreme after Sino-Japanese war in 1937. In such a trend, Im Hongeun who participated in 'Aesaenghwal’ drew children's songs with pictures, illustrations, picture books and cartoons as an approach to earnestly publish the picture books from 1933 with the awareness on picture books. His effort stimulated the participation of other artists and 'Aesaenghwal’ established as the form 'Picture Magazine’ differently from other children's magazines. After completing the study in Japan in 1936, Im Hongeun entered into Kids' Life again and changed the ‘Children's Section’ into The section of ‘Children's Picture Book’. Then, 'Aesaenghwal’ had the form as the picture book in 1937. While 'Aesaenghwal’ was not a book form which was published at present but a section in a magazine, the children's songs with picture or fairy taies with picture can be recognized as their values as the picture books when those works are separated and bound in a book. 'Children's Picture Book’ section brought the children's songs in short poem form, Aesop's Fables, tales, fairy tales in a daily life and fictions with pictures for young readers. In particular, most stories were about 2 pages and the long stories were abstracted through the discussion with writers. Aesop's Fables were used as the materials for picture books because his fables could make kids interested and develop wisdom by short description and moral. The pictures were very elaborate in describing backgrounds or characters as compared to the previous illustrations. The pictures were also used as the narration or to describe scenes beyond its auxiliary function for texts. Recognition and enthusiasm of Im Hongeun on picture books became the opportunity to publish 'Children's Hill’, the picture books for infants in 1938. It is the important data to discuss the history of picture books in Korea along with 'Collection of Children's song with picture by Jeon Bongje in 1931. Furthermore, it acted as the bridgehead for several publishing companies to publish the picture books for kids including Korean Children's Association after the independence from Japan. Accordingly, 1930s was evaluated as the period to recognize the picture books in Korea for kids.