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Trees on a Slope
Hwang Sun-won (1915-2000) is one of modern Korea's masters of narrative prose. Trees on a Slope (1960) is his most accomplished novel--one of the few Korean novels to describe in detail the physical and psychological horrors of the Korean War. It is an assured, forceful depiction of three young soldiers in the South Korean army during the latter stages of the war: Hyŏnt'ae, the arrogant and overconfident squad leader; the stolid and dependable Yun-gu; and the Poet Tong-ho. The war affects the men in different ways. Before he can return home, Tong-ho takes his own life after shooting an officer and a prostitute. Hyŏn-t'ae, finding himself removed from situations of mortal danger, spends most of his time drinking; in the end he is arrested for abetting in the suicide of a young girl. Only Yun-gu is able to make the successful transition to postwar life. His ability to survive the encroachments of others, exploit limited resources, and capitalize on the lessons of harsh experience make him emblematic of Korea over the centuries.
Trees on a Slope will introduce an English-reading audience to an important voice in modern Asian literature.
Trees on a Slope will introduce an English-reading audience to an important voice in modern Asian literature.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
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About the author
Hwang Sun-won
22 books19 followersSee: 황순원
Hwang Sun-wŏn was a Korean short story writer, novelist, and poet.
Hwang Sun-wŏn was a Korean short story writer, novelist, and poet.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 5, 2025
Eine Geschichte dreier junger Soldaten die auf der Seite des Südens Teil des koreanischen Bürgerkriegs, und letztlich auch die Opfer dieses Kriegs werden.
Die Schicksale der Männer und ihr Umgang mit den vergangenen Erlebnissen auf dem Schlachtfeld geht dabei in sehr unterschiedliche Richtungen und zeigt so, wie der Krieg auch nach den Kampfhandlungen noch seine Opfer fordert.
Ein wichtiger und bedrückender Anti-Kriegsroman.
Die Schicksale der Männer und ihr Umgang mit den vergangenen Erlebnissen auf dem Schlachtfeld geht dabei in sehr unterschiedliche Richtungen und zeigt so, wie der Krieg auch nach den Kampfhandlungen noch seine Opfer fordert.
Ein wichtiger und bedrückender Anti-Kriegsroman.
November 4, 2016
"Trees on the Cliff" (or on a slope, as the new translation has it) is a very, very good novel about the horrors of war, and how being part of it affects the mind and bodies of people.
The story centers on three soldiers from the South in the Korean War, Yungu, Dongho and Hyontae. The novel jumps from one character to the other and explains about their feelings, their fears, their insecurities. Hwang does a great job in creating vivid and relatable characters that are well developed and have an interesting arc (even if sometimes the plot is a little bit dry in describing what the characters are feeling, but that goes well with the spirit of the novel). It is not only what he explains, but also what can be read between the lines, of how the three of them feel, and how their experiences relate to each other and have an effect on their actions. Things happen, but what matters is what is behind those events. Hwang knows what he wants to tell, and the story doesn't overstay its welcome, feeling a little bit short, even.
This edition has also a couple of short stories at the end, one centering on a couple of young children, and the second on one day of the life of a man. Both of them are quite good and add to the general atmosphere of the book.
The translation is simple and to the point, with not a huge range of vocabulary or sentence construction, but it keeps the spirit of the novel and brings the best moments vividly and with intensity. Only in a couple of moments it is a little bit difficult to see what is going on.
An absolutely recommended read.
7.5/10
The story centers on three soldiers from the South in the Korean War, Yungu, Dongho and Hyontae. The novel jumps from one character to the other and explains about their feelings, their fears, their insecurities. Hwang does a great job in creating vivid and relatable characters that are well developed and have an interesting arc (even if sometimes the plot is a little bit dry in describing what the characters are feeling, but that goes well with the spirit of the novel). It is not only what he explains, but also what can be read between the lines, of how the three of them feel, and how their experiences relate to each other and have an effect on their actions. Things happen, but what matters is what is behind those events. Hwang knows what he wants to tell, and the story doesn't overstay its welcome, feeling a little bit short, even.
This edition has also a couple of short stories at the end, one centering on a couple of young children, and the second on one day of the life of a man. Both of them are quite good and add to the general atmosphere of the book.
The translation is simple and to the point, with not a huge range of vocabulary or sentence construction, but it keeps the spirit of the novel and brings the best moments vividly and with intensity. Only in a couple of moments it is a little bit difficult to see what is going on.
An absolutely recommended read.
7.5/10
March 27, 2022
Immensely rich portrayal of the consequences of war on the human soul
"Are we the victims or the victimizers? As far as I can see, every young man who comes out of this war is a victim." So says Tong-ho at a crucial juncture of this tough and profoundly moving story. Set in 1953 at the end of the military conflict (Part I) and three years later (Part II), we confront the immediate and lasting impacts of the Korean War, as seen primarily through the lives of three young soldiers—Hyon'tae, Yun-Gu, and Tong-Ho—and three young women whose fate their choices irreversibly change—Ok-ju, Kye-hyang, and Sugi.
This is the first story I've read by Hwang Sun-won, and I was so impressed. While expressing intimately the conflict in Korea, Trees On A Slope is a story that transcends place and time period and touches directly on the conflict of the human heart confronting violence, wounds that don't heal, and the difficulty of living with the unspeakable. I can unreservedly recommend it.
Hwang is immensely compassionate with his characters, all while portraying their faults and difficulties and pains honestly and openly. He captures scenes naturally and poetically, and the characters inhabit them with a rawness that brings them fully to life in the reader's mind. There is never an awkward moment, an irrelevant detail, or a wasted phrase. Many elements of the narrative return and weave together in a way that's very satisfying. No tricks on the reader here, Hwang gives us everything we need to feel into the dynamics of love, hate, isolation, fear, insanity, indecision, and resolve at play. He does not give us any easy or comfortable answers about war, friendship, generosity, revenge, and God, but through the interaction of the characters and their reflections leaves us everything to contemplate. He shows how interconnected past and present really are -- run away as we may, we do not escape the imprint of what we've suffered through; and if we do flee, someone else will inevitably feel the imprint of our avoidance. The whole tale left me with a feeling of mystery, as is the case for all great novels. An aura of human truth.
Go ahead and give this book a shot, I'm sure you will find it worthy.
I wish also to note, I've found many wonderful titles by East Asian authors (all new to me) through the University of Hawaii Press, so check out their catalogue if interested. A real wealth of literature to discover and Hwang sun-won is a perfect place to start.
"Are we the victims or the victimizers? As far as I can see, every young man who comes out of this war is a victim." So says Tong-ho at a crucial juncture of this tough and profoundly moving story. Set in 1953 at the end of the military conflict (Part I) and three years later (Part II), we confront the immediate and lasting impacts of the Korean War, as seen primarily through the lives of three young soldiers—Hyon'tae, Yun-Gu, and Tong-Ho—and three young women whose fate their choices irreversibly change—Ok-ju, Kye-hyang, and Sugi.
This is the first story I've read by Hwang Sun-won, and I was so impressed. While expressing intimately the conflict in Korea, Trees On A Slope is a story that transcends place and time period and touches directly on the conflict of the human heart confronting violence, wounds that don't heal, and the difficulty of living with the unspeakable. I can unreservedly recommend it.
Hwang is immensely compassionate with his characters, all while portraying their faults and difficulties and pains honestly and openly. He captures scenes naturally and poetically, and the characters inhabit them with a rawness that brings them fully to life in the reader's mind. There is never an awkward moment, an irrelevant detail, or a wasted phrase. Many elements of the narrative return and weave together in a way that's very satisfying. No tricks on the reader here, Hwang gives us everything we need to feel into the dynamics of love, hate, isolation, fear, insanity, indecision, and resolve at play. He does not give us any easy or comfortable answers about war, friendship, generosity, revenge, and God, but through the interaction of the characters and their reflections leaves us everything to contemplate. He shows how interconnected past and present really are -- run away as we may, we do not escape the imprint of what we've suffered through; and if we do flee, someone else will inevitably feel the imprint of our avoidance. The whole tale left me with a feeling of mystery, as is the case for all great novels. An aura of human truth.
Go ahead and give this book a shot, I'm sure you will find it worthy.
I wish also to note, I've found many wonderful titles by East Asian authors (all new to me) through the University of Hawaii Press, so check out their catalogue if interested. A real wealth of literature to discover and Hwang sun-won is a perfect place to start.
October 7, 2020
Book 2/10 for my korean literature class.
1.5
1.5
May 21, 2021
Powerful on the way war damages men and leads them in turn to damage women.
May 6, 2025
a good novel embodying the korean war scar, the characters' inner trauma was gracefully portrayed and the differences of how the war affected the ones who were in the heart of it and at the shores of it meet a moment where they dissipate and reveal that war is a strategic disease that overcomes everyone in the equation
Tongho, Hyeontae and Yungu, all three with different ways of coping with the pain caused by war, one meeting death by his own hand because of alienation from his own principles, one with no limit to aggression ending up behind the bars and one living a life outside the "community", one would say the only one with a "happy" ending
Tongho, Hyeontae and Yungu, all three with different ways of coping with the pain caused by war, one meeting death by his own hand because of alienation from his own principles, one with no limit to aggression ending up behind the bars and one living a life outside the "community", one would say the only one with a "happy" ending
April 21, 2024
El autor nos muestra a través de este relato tan crudo , las secuelas que dejó la guerra en un grupo de hombres que se vieron en la necesidad de entrar al ejército, la falta de afecto, la añoranza por lo que fue y carecer de una identidad , entre varios traumas incluye el suicidio de uno de ellos ,como la guerra hace que se cambie los planes para hombres y mujeres y que estos de vean obligados a adaptarse a lo que jamás imaginaron estarían.
May 12, 2020
(3.5/5)
February 16, 2023
3.5⭐
"¿Somos ofensores u ofendidos?"
"¿Somos ofensores u ofendidos?"
May 9, 2013
Utterly gripping and horribly beautiful. My first foray into Korean literature and I couldn't put it down. The story of three men (and a society) dealing with the aftermath of civil war, their futures unraveling in unflinching prose. Hwang Sun-won had a wonderfully light touch with narrative and exposition, moving seamlessly between characters and times, painting his world in sharp, poetic brushstrokes.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews