1930~1940년대 성북동의 지식인 네트워크

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the characteristics and cultural significance of the network of intellectuals that formed around Seongbuk-dong in the 1930s and 40s. Until now, literary studies related to Seongbuk-dong have focused primarily on a small number of figures, such as Lee Tae-jun and Kim Yong-jun. This study, however, seeks to shed light on the activities and interactions of intellectuals in Seongbuk-dong, including writers who have received less attention, to reveal that this region served as a center for various artistic and intellectual activities. First, this study examines how Seongbuk-dong came into prominence with the expansion of Gyeongseong in 1936, exploring the conditions that led to its perception as a ‘literary village’. Next, I compiled the addresses of intellectuals in Seongbuk-dong and mapped them onto the Precise Map of Gyeongseong with Street Numbers and Districts(『地番區劃入 大京城精圖』), referring to literary magazines, newspapers, and essays written by contemporary writers, and analysed their local activities. This analysis reveals that the social responsibility and practical attitudes of intellectuals reflected a dilemma: whether to promote the civilization of Seongbuk-dong or to preserve its rural character. Using the network visualization program Gephi, this study further aims to elucidate the specifics of their artistic and intellectual exchanges through their creative and writing activities. In this process, it explores the significance of Noh Ja-young’s Sinin Munhak (『新人文學』) and the influence that the academic contributions of the Chin-tan Society (震檀學會), led by Lee Byung-do, may have had on the editorial direction and content of the magazine Munjang (『文章』). The paper also presents the artistic endeavors of musician Chae Dong-sun and playwright Hyun Cheol, among others, to illustrate the diverse cultural landscape of Seongbuk-dong. The complexity of the intellectual network formed around the specific locale of Seongbuk-dong is significant in that it reveals the relationship between the living conditions and social activities of Joseon intellectuals during the colonial period and their creative and artistic practices.