일본인에 의한 한국현대문학연구와 오무라 마스오(大村益夫)－1945년 이후를 중심으로－

Abstract

This article aims to trace the academic trajectory of Masuo Omura, a prominent figure in the first generation of Korean studies scholars in post-1945 Japan, and to critically examine his perspective on Korean literature, elucidating its significance. Masuo Omura graduated from Waseda University, completed his doctoral program at Tokyo Metropolitan University, and served as a full-time lecturer in Chinese at Waseda University starting in 1964. Initially focused on Chinese literature, Omura began to engage earnestly with Korean literature in 1962, commencing with his translation of a novel by Choi Seo-hae. Integrating his studies of Chinese and Korean literature, Omura subsequently concentrated on the history of modern Korean literature, making notable contributions, including the discovery of Yoon Dong-ju’s grave. This paper underscores the thematic commonalities present in Omura’s collected works and published articles. Rather than focusing on purely literary figures who have experienced periods of obscurity in Korean literary history, Omura’s research predominantly highlights authors who were critical of the Japanese colonial regime. This focus indicates Omura’s scholarly interest in under-represented and under-studied writers within Korean literary studies, particularly those marginalized or politically excluded from the mainstream Korean intellectual. Omura’s academic contributions constitute a significant legacy that has profoundly influenced the development of Korean literary studies in Japan.