‘유머대사’ 린위탕 한국에 오다-제37차 서울 국제펜대회 연설과 ‘유머’ 속의 정치학

Abstract

The fact that Korea hosted the 37th PEN International Congress in 1970 was a great honor to Korean society as well as to the Korean P.E.N. Center and literary circles. With the main agenda concentrating on “humor in East and West Literature”, the conference invited Lin Yutang, the World-renowned “master of humor”, as a guest of honor. Lin Yutang conducted his philosophy of humor under the title of “humor in East and West”, drawing cheers from participants. Humor is a very complex concept according to Lin. It does not simply refer to any language or literary tone or type, but rather to simultaneously pursue the dimensions of aesthetics, philosophy, and, above all, the thought-culture social practice that should be carried out as an intellectual. Visiting Korea in 1970 and giving a speech on humor at the PEN International Congress as a guest of honor was not a fortuity or a simple routine for Lin Yutang. This visit was consistent with his humorous philosophy and humorous practice, which he began to build since the 1920s and had a strong initiative. In the conference, Lin Yutang took humor as a common port for both East and West and gave the highest praise to “the humorous spirit”. Lin’s speech, which demonstrated the “global universality,” was markedly different from the Korean organizers’ plan and the tendency of speakers from other oriental countries which were still at the “local special” level. The Seoul conference which seemed to have been set up for the world-class humorist Lin Yutang, ended up helping the government establish the Yushin regime two years later. From this point of view, Lin Yutang’s visit to South Korea and speech did not meet his expectations.