Kim Sowol
| 김소월(Kim Sowol) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 김정식(Kim Jeong-sik) August 6, 1902 Kusŏng, Phyŏnganbukto,  Korean Empire
|
| Died | December 24, 1934 (aged 32) Kwaksan, Phyŏnganbukto, Japanese Korea |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Language | Korean |
| Ethnicity | Korean |
| Citizenship |
Korean Empire
|
| Alma mater | Tokyo University |
| Genre | Poem |
| Notable works | "Azaleas"(진달래꽃) |
| Partner | 홍단실(Hong Dan-sil) |
| Children | 3 sons |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김소월 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 金素月 |
| Revised Romanization | Kim So-wol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim So-wŏl |
Kim Sowol (김소월, 1902 ~ 1934) was a Korean poet. He is most famous for his contributions to early modern Korean poetry. Throughout his life he wrote his beautifully poignant poetry in a style reminiscent of traditional Korean folk songs and consequently became known as a 'Folk Song Poet'. The most prized example of this style was "Azaleas (진달래꽃)", the title poem of his sole collection of poetry.
Kim Sowol was born on August 6, 1902 (on lunar calendar date) in Kwaksan, North Pyong'an Province, Korean Empire and died on December 24, 1934. Shortly after he was born his father became insane. This fact although tragic must have affected the poet's early life and eventually led to his own premature death. His grandfather taught him classical Chinese and entered him in the famed Osan Middle School (also the alma mater of Baek Seok and Kim Eok at the age of fifteen. He became a pupil of Kim Eok (김억; 金憶), pen-named Anso, who remained for the rest of his life not only his mentor but one who truly understood the growth and abrupt termination of his poetic genius. Kim Sowol’s real name was Kim Jeong-sik (김정식; 金廷湜).
In 1923, Kim went to Japan, apparently to study, but he returned to Seoul in that same year, where he stayed for the next two years attempting to build a career in literature. However, he returned to his native region, to the town of Namsai, where he worked as the manager of the local office of Dong-A Ilbo. His poems continued to appear in the newspaper, but their quality deteriorated and Kim's life descended to habitual drinking and a reported suicide in 1934.
He wrote most of the poems contained in The Azaleas, his first and only collection of poetry published in his lifetime. It was written in 1925 while he was still a teenager. After graduating from Paejae High School, he taught for a while in his home town and then he went to Japan to study at a college of commerce. While studying there, he published several poems in Kaebyok and other literary journals. He continued to publish his poems after his return in such journals as Yongdae till his sudden death. He died in 1934 of what appears to be suicide.
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