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하늘과 바람과 별과 시
일제의 탄압이 극에 달하고 한국어 사용과 창작이 금지되었던 1941년, 우리말 시집 출간을 추진하였으나 무산되고 일생의 문우 강처중과 정병욱에게 남긴 육필 원고가 기적적으로 보존, 그의 사후인 1948년에 친지들의 도움으로 『하늘과 바람과 별과 시』는 마침내 출간되었다. 《서시》 《별 헤는 밤》 《십자가》 등 주옥같은 시 31편이 수록된 초판본에 유족들이 보관하고 있던 원고를 더해 서거 10주기를 기념하여 1955년 발행된 이 증보판에는 몰락한 조국을 마음으로 지켜낸 한 청년 윤동주의 뜨거운 마음이 고스란히 담겨있다.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1948
45 people are currently reading
2792 people want to read
About the author
Yun Dong-ju
9 books39 followersBorn and raised in northern Manchuria during the colonial period of Korea, Yun Dong-ju was a poet of the utmost purity, beauty, and sincerity. His posthumously published collection of poems under the title Sky, wind, stars, and poems is one of the all-time favorites of Korean readers. Wishing not to have so much as a speck of shame toward heaven until the day I die, I suffered, even when the wind stirred the leaves. (From Foreword) In simple diction and straightforward expressions, his poems sing of his love for his people, his compassion for the poor and destitute, and his hopes for freedom and independence. These themes still resonate deep within the hearts of the Korean people. His imprisonment and eventual death in 1945 in a Japanese prison lend great poignancy to his work.
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October 11, 2021
I had to share my review. I wrote it, then I deleted it and many months later I retrieved it from my Recycle Bin, re-read it and asked myself: Was I dishonest when I wrote it? Was I disrespectful perhaps? Should I try to re-write it in a different way, using a different narative? Well, it is what it is. I've promised myself to speak from my heart and I'm willing to break any other promises I might have made in order to keep that one. It is what it is and I regret nothing.
I did some research about the things the Japanese did during the 50 years of the Japanese colonial empire. (1895 - 1945). I will give you an example. Some day the Japanese army decided to expand to China. And they made it. And they arrived at the Chinese capital that, in the year 1937, was the city of Nanjing or Nanking. Now we all know about nazi Germany and the holocaust. The things that happened in Nanjing, made a nazi, yes a nazi, say "No more, stop" and become in charge of a Safety Zone to save the civilians.
Korea went under the the sphere of influence of Japan in 1876 and from 1910 to 1945 was officially a Japanese colony. All these years the Koreans lived worse than animals in a slaughterhouse.
This is, in brief, the historical context we need to understand the life and deeds of Yun Dong-ju, one of the most important Korean poets. He was born in 1917. His family (since the times of his great-grandfather or grandfather) had settled in an area that back then was called Manchuria and today is called Jilin Province and belongs to China. The village or small town where he was born and raised was called Myung-dong. His place of origin, where his ancestors lived until 1886, was an area that now belongs to North Korea.
I wish I had been able to find more biographical informations, because that would have helped me to better understand the meaning behind his poems. The few things I found are contradictory because different sources claim different things both in terms of his national identity (Korean, Chinese, Japanese) and in terms of his poetic intentions and ideological orientation.
Was his poetry political? Was it philosophical (a mixture of Confucianism and Christianism) or was it just the childish and youthful poetry of a young man who belonged to a well-to-do Japaneseized Korean family who loved to scribble verses?
There are doubts about the authenticity of Yun Dong-ju's poetry, however, those doubts come neither from the Chinese nor from the Japanese sources, on the contrary, they just claim him as part of their own culture. It was an English-language article in one of the largest Korean newspapers that mentioned, with no sources, citations, names, no nothing, the following:
"Some scholars who had access to some of Yoon's original poems found discrepancies between Yoon's original poems and the published ones, raising the possibility that some of Yoon's poems were ``doctored'' or modified".
Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...
What are these poems? To what extent have they been modified? What kind of alterations are we talking about? Are there corrections made by the poet himself or by someone else? What are the names of the researchers who came to these conclusions? I have no idea. I found no further information.
Leaving aside all the allegations that vary between misinformation and self-sabotage depending on the source, my personal conclusions are the following:
1) Yun Dong-ju is as Korean as Dionysios Solomos is Greek.
2) His poetry is both youthful and philosophical - religious, and also political, and his entire attitude shows a man who, from a very young age, is aware of his life under a foreign and authoritarian regime, is aware of his national identity, is tormented by guilt because of his fear and his submission to the regime in exchange for some crumbs of condescension and he feels that he is not strong enough to stand up against the oppressor and has no weapon other than his poetry.
3) In his poetry he conceals and at the same time he reveals his anxieties, fears, joys, loves, sorrows, childhood adventures, philosophical pursuits and his desire for education that eventually led him as a student at the University of Kyoto in Japan, and finally his political awakening which resulted in his arrest on 13th July 1943, at the age of 26, accused of violating the law of peace and inciting national movements. Two years later he will die of unknown causes in Fukuoka prison.
One of his poems as a point of reference:
My Liver
On a sunny rock by the seaside,
let me spread out my wet liver to dry.
Like the hare escaped from the depths of the Caucasus,
let me circle round the liver and keep watch over it.
You, emaciated eagle that I long have kept!
Come and prey upon it without fear!
You must grow fat
and I must grow thin. But,
Dear Turtle!I
will never, never again, fall into the temptation of the Dragon Palace.
Prometheus! Pitiful Prometheus!
Because of his sin of stealing the fire,
he must sink forever, a millstone tied around his neck.
Prometheus!
November 29, 1941
The poet was 24 years old when he wrote this poem. The one myth mentioned is Greek, we all know it, the civiliser titan Prometheus stole the fire from the gods and gave it to humans. Zeus tied him to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains and an eagle ate his liver every morning but every night his liver regenerated. This was his punishment. Prometheus prophesied the end of Zeus and was saved (unbound) by the hero Hercules who killed the eagle and set him free.
The other myth is Asian: King Dragon lived in his underwater kingdom. One day he got sick. To become well he must eat the liver of a hare and his faithful subject, the turtle, goes ashore, finds a hare, deceives him with promises of wealth and grandeur and takes him to the underwater kingdom. When the hare realizes that he has fallen into a trap, he uses his cunning and thus manages to break free. The tone of the Greek myth is heavy, cosmogenic, serious. The tone of the Asian legend is cheerful, satirical, humorous.
In the poem of Yun Dong-ju, both the hare and Prometheus are merged into one person. A person who is aware that in his case there will be no salvation for his disobedience. The sacrifice is absolutely necessary because without the liver the eagle cannot live. The poet seems to love his eagle. He is willing to sacrifice himself for the eagle because he does not consider the eagle as something foreign and hostile but as something close to him that he cares for. Some people must die in order for others to live.
The temptation of the Dragon Palace could be the compliance required by any authoritarian regime and the false promises of prosperity, the turtle in the original myth is a indeed the symbol of obedience to the king. The poet mentions the name of Prometheus three times. The fate of the poet is three times worse than that of Titan Prometheus. His people are being used as raw material in the meat grinder of a ruthless empire. The same fate awaits him. And yet. The best part of him, his liver, his poetry, his power, he has already been given it to his favorite eagle. The millstone will crumble and pulverize the rest of his body, bury him in the depths of the ocean, destroy him. But the best, most vital part of him will live on and keep on nurishing his people.
There is a horrific bloodstained thread that runs through the history of the Asian nations. Everyone has blood on their hands. Correction: We all have blood on our hands. The torch of violence passes from hand to hand, from country to country, from the West to the East and from the East to the West. We must stop burying the truth behind a wall of silence. We need to talk. We must not forget. Evidence and proof must not be destroyed and lies should no be spread. Because the years go by and history goes in circles and if we are not careful we will return again to ground zero.
I did some research about the things the Japanese did during the 50 years of the Japanese colonial empire. (1895 - 1945). I will give you an example. Some day the Japanese army decided to expand to China. And they made it. And they arrived at the Chinese capital that, in the year 1937, was the city of Nanjing or Nanking. Now we all know about nazi Germany and the holocaust. The things that happened in Nanjing, made a nazi, yes a nazi, say "No more, stop" and become in charge of a Safety Zone to save the civilians.
Korea went under the the sphere of influence of Japan in 1876 and from 1910 to 1945 was officially a Japanese colony. All these years the Koreans lived worse than animals in a slaughterhouse.
This is, in brief, the historical context we need to understand the life and deeds of Yun Dong-ju, one of the most important Korean poets. He was born in 1917. His family (since the times of his great-grandfather or grandfather) had settled in an area that back then was called Manchuria and today is called Jilin Province and belongs to China. The village or small town where he was born and raised was called Myung-dong. His place of origin, where his ancestors lived until 1886, was an area that now belongs to North Korea.
I wish I had been able to find more biographical informations, because that would have helped me to better understand the meaning behind his poems. The few things I found are contradictory because different sources claim different things both in terms of his national identity (Korean, Chinese, Japanese) and in terms of his poetic intentions and ideological orientation.
Was his poetry political? Was it philosophical (a mixture of Confucianism and Christianism) or was it just the childish and youthful poetry of a young man who belonged to a well-to-do Japaneseized Korean family who loved to scribble verses?
There are doubts about the authenticity of Yun Dong-ju's poetry, however, those doubts come neither from the Chinese nor from the Japanese sources, on the contrary, they just claim him as part of their own culture. It was an English-language article in one of the largest Korean newspapers that mentioned, with no sources, citations, names, no nothing, the following:
"Some scholars who had access to some of Yoon's original poems found discrepancies between Yoon's original poems and the published ones, raising the possibility that some of Yoon's poems were ``doctored'' or modified".
Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...
What are these poems? To what extent have they been modified? What kind of alterations are we talking about? Are there corrections made by the poet himself or by someone else? What are the names of the researchers who came to these conclusions? I have no idea. I found no further information.
Leaving aside all the allegations that vary between misinformation and self-sabotage depending on the source, my personal conclusions are the following:
1) Yun Dong-ju is as Korean as Dionysios Solomos is Greek.
2) His poetry is both youthful and philosophical - religious, and also political, and his entire attitude shows a man who, from a very young age, is aware of his life under a foreign and authoritarian regime, is aware of his national identity, is tormented by guilt because of his fear and his submission to the regime in exchange for some crumbs of condescension and he feels that he is not strong enough to stand up against the oppressor and has no weapon other than his poetry.
3) In his poetry he conceals and at the same time he reveals his anxieties, fears, joys, loves, sorrows, childhood adventures, philosophical pursuits and his desire for education that eventually led him as a student at the University of Kyoto in Japan, and finally his political awakening which resulted in his arrest on 13th July 1943, at the age of 26, accused of violating the law of peace and inciting national movements. Two years later he will die of unknown causes in Fukuoka prison.
One of his poems as a point of reference:
My Liver
On a sunny rock by the seaside,
let me spread out my wet liver to dry.
Like the hare escaped from the depths of the Caucasus,
let me circle round the liver and keep watch over it.
You, emaciated eagle that I long have kept!
Come and prey upon it without fear!
You must grow fat
and I must grow thin. But,
Dear Turtle!I
will never, never again, fall into the temptation of the Dragon Palace.
Prometheus! Pitiful Prometheus!
Because of his sin of stealing the fire,
he must sink forever, a millstone tied around his neck.
Prometheus!
November 29, 1941
The poet was 24 years old when he wrote this poem. The one myth mentioned is Greek, we all know it, the civiliser titan Prometheus stole the fire from the gods and gave it to humans. Zeus tied him to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains and an eagle ate his liver every morning but every night his liver regenerated. This was his punishment. Prometheus prophesied the end of Zeus and was saved (unbound) by the hero Hercules who killed the eagle and set him free.
The other myth is Asian: King Dragon lived in his underwater kingdom. One day he got sick. To become well he must eat the liver of a hare and his faithful subject, the turtle, goes ashore, finds a hare, deceives him with promises of wealth and grandeur and takes him to the underwater kingdom. When the hare realizes that he has fallen into a trap, he uses his cunning and thus manages to break free. The tone of the Greek myth is heavy, cosmogenic, serious. The tone of the Asian legend is cheerful, satirical, humorous.
In the poem of Yun Dong-ju, both the hare and Prometheus are merged into one person. A person who is aware that in his case there will be no salvation for his disobedience. The sacrifice is absolutely necessary because without the liver the eagle cannot live. The poet seems to love his eagle. He is willing to sacrifice himself for the eagle because he does not consider the eagle as something foreign and hostile but as something close to him that he cares for. Some people must die in order for others to live.
The temptation of the Dragon Palace could be the compliance required by any authoritarian regime and the false promises of prosperity, the turtle in the original myth is a indeed the symbol of obedience to the king. The poet mentions the name of Prometheus three times. The fate of the poet is three times worse than that of Titan Prometheus. His people are being used as raw material in the meat grinder of a ruthless empire. The same fate awaits him. And yet. The best part of him, his liver, his poetry, his power, he has already been given it to his favorite eagle. The millstone will crumble and pulverize the rest of his body, bury him in the depths of the ocean, destroy him. But the best, most vital part of him will live on and keep on nurishing his people.
There is a horrific bloodstained thread that runs through the history of the Asian nations. Everyone has blood on their hands. Correction: We all have blood on our hands. The torch of violence passes from hand to hand, from country to country, from the West to the East and from the East to the West. We must stop burying the truth behind a wall of silence. We need to talk. We must not forget. Evidence and proof must not be destroyed and lies should no be spread. Because the years go by and history goes in circles and if we are not careful we will return again to ground zero.
July 15, 2020
1. Tahniah kepada penterjemah. Bukan senang nak alihbahasa tetapi pada masa yang sama perlu mengekalkan gaya sesuatu karya itu sehampir mungkin dengan yang asli. Kekangan bahasa itu sudah pasti.
2. Saya tidak pasti terjemahan ini secara literal atau telah disesuaikan dengan bahasa melayu. Gaya puisi itu agak keras 😅.
3. Rasanya saya lebih menyukai (dan memahami) puisi yang menggunakan falsafah dan bahasa indah (seperti Kahlil Gibran) berbanding puisi yang banyak menggunakan metafora sebagaimana kumpulan puisi ini. Saya dapat memahaminya secara literal tetapi saya tidak mampu untuk mengupas maksud yang lebih dalam.
4. Dan saya agak percaya sekiranya penyair menggunakan puisinya sebagai medium subversif sebagaimana yang didakwa. Pada masa yang sama, saya kurang layak untuk jadi agen penyiasat sebab tak berapa nak faham maksud tersirat 😜😜.
5. Saya tak pernah dengar tentang penyair ini. Jujurnya saya beli sebab sangat sukakan grafik kulit bukunya 😬.
2. Saya tidak pasti terjemahan ini secara literal atau telah disesuaikan dengan bahasa melayu. Gaya puisi itu agak keras 😅.
3. Rasanya saya lebih menyukai (dan memahami) puisi yang menggunakan falsafah dan bahasa indah (seperti Kahlil Gibran) berbanding puisi yang banyak menggunakan metafora sebagaimana kumpulan puisi ini. Saya dapat memahaminya secara literal tetapi saya tidak mampu untuk mengupas maksud yang lebih dalam.
4. Dan saya agak percaya sekiranya penyair menggunakan puisinya sebagai medium subversif sebagaimana yang didakwa. Pada masa yang sama, saya kurang layak untuk jadi agen penyiasat sebab tak berapa nak faham maksud tersirat 😜😜.
5. Saya tak pernah dengar tentang penyair ini. Jujurnya saya beli sebab sangat sukakan grafik kulit bukunya 😬.
June 4, 2023
I need to admit that my relationship with Goodreads has deteriorated ever since they changed the layout. If I wanted an Amazon account, I'd open one myself, thanks.
Anyways, this was a book recommendation from a friend here in Korea. Yun Dong-ju is considered one of Korea's national poets and man, he does not disappoint. It genuinely feels like he touches the heart of Korea. His poetry is beautiful, it's a perfect combination of childlike wonder and adult sorrow.
Yun Dong-ju died in a Japanese prison at the age of 27. This book was published after his death. This creates a sense of tragedy in his poems, a sense of exile. He did not live to see a free Korea. He paints a life in Korea from afar and it's just so striking. So simple yet each word feels careful.
I haven't been able to read lately. I reread old favorites but no new book is interesting enough. I'm glad I was able to finish this and definitely recommend for anyone who wants some more old-school Korean poetry.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I was in Fukuoka and had hoped to visit that prison but it's not a tourist site.
- His style is so special, the length and the sense of grace, so pretty.
- I can't believe he was so young when he wrote these poems
So I started writing this when I was halfway through my time in Korea. Now it's way more than half way but here are some main insights so far:
- Seoul has 25 districts. By my count, I've been to 14. That's not bad but clearly I need to up my travels, especially to the north and southern parts. Maybe for this second part of my travels I'm gonna be more methodological, I got my map and I'm ready to see all 25, even if it involves three hours of public transportation.
-And parts of Seoul come to life: Hongdae, where I danced to EDM music, even when that's not quite my vibe and painted the skyline with water paints. Mapu, my love, where I have had so many picnics with pastries. Gangnam, forever reminding me of the lotus donut from Dunkin Donuts and friendly Americans. Churches in Yongsan, mosque and synagogue in Itaewon, coffee in Sinnae. Korean words used to merge together for me and now they don't.
-There's so much I admire about Koreans. Unlike the vast majority of foreigners in Korea, I didn't come here for k-pop or k-dramas. Instead, I find myself appreciating the level of care Koreans constantly exhibit. It's noticing if someone is off socially, it's buses who wait for people, it's public spaces that feel well kept. It's handing things with two hands, bowing, a language that is so logical and respectful, where calling for the manager is a compliment, not a threat. It's the way Korean humor is so silly, nothing like Israelis who opt for sarcasm and wit. Koreans are so stylish, so pretty, so in love with festivals, free stuff and those little tents. I can't be upset about Korean capitalism when it is so fabulous, it's pop-up stores and a million options of cafes.
- And I'm a Jerusalemer; I love flawed places. I see Korea's flaws (or at least, some of them) and it makes me love it more- a country that was forced to make hard decisions for its survival. Korea was not discovered, it was self-made, planned its way into our markets, hearts and homes. Koreans protest every day. Gwanghwamun Square sees you. Korean women fighting for their rights, reclaiming the word "feminist". A country with strict laws against defamation yet few laws protecting against discrimination, hostile towards uniqueness. Korea's beautiful, beautiful, beautiful queer community, with little banners and screams of equality, marching through ancient palaces, no apologies. Korea's economic inequality, holding people in a chokehold, constant competition, never ever good enough, you do not deserve this.
- But yeah, I also miss Israel. I miss Israeli nosiness, where people always speak to you, where my stupid jokes lead to friendships, not to awkward silences. I miss asking "what do you recommend". I miss sabich in the market, fresh rogelach, getting a plate of hummus with friends, Israeli breakfasts with cottage cheese, salad, bread and eggs. Fuck, I miss cheese (that isn't American garbage). Being vegetarian without long conversations about it, without spending hours looking for food every day. Israeli diversity, I miss hearing different languages, seeing different cultures, the drama that comes with being multi-cultural, the intensity of life in Israel. I miss being able to speak, the confidence of absolutely knowing a culture, of knowing what's the right thing to do. I miss not feeling different for my Judaism.
- There's a part of me that feels embarrassed. I don't know enough Korean, I don't have enough friends here. There have been days of lounging in bed, I have stopped trying to speak to my classmates. I try to forgive myself for seeking a sense of comfort instead of any sort of lofty goal. I'm here to have a good time and sometimes, that means 15 hours on twitter. It's not always easy to remember that time spent happily is not time wasted.
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more complicated but the Korean conflict is more tragic. One people, divided by politics, by global powers that never truly cared about their wellbeing. I feel grateful to be in Korea in this time of change, when Korea slowly realizes that it's no longer the third world country bullied by Japan, Russia, China and the US. Questions of dependency have never been more relevant as a country that is essentially an island. And I am trying not to be envious at the way Koreans aren't really experiencing a conflict. If you don't know where your closest bomb shelter is, you don't have a serious conflict and young Koreans have the privilege of speaking of peace over nationality.
- I am trying to face my inner sense of inadequacy that has continued to haunt me for my entire life. I'm realizing that I'm struggling to create art because I have spent the last four years developing critical thinking. Show me your business venture, I'll tell you where you're going to lose money. Tell me about a policy plan, I'll explain who's being discriminated against. Give me a philosophical argument, I'll locate the logical fallacies. But in art, this isn't how it goes. To be an artist is to believe in yourself and your voice blindly. It's to create, even when it doesn't feel "good" or "worthy". It's to act from an inner sense of passion, one that doesn't translate to a direct profit. I need to find the part of my soul that yearns to cover my fingers in paint. My watercolors are a form of rebellion against oil paints.
-My dislike of business has grown deeper but it is now coupled with a sense of confusion - who am I when I don't enjoy what I do? How did I create a life that is so far from who I understand myself to be? What does it mean when I enjoy parts of business? Could I work in this field?
-I had believed, perhaps naively, that moving to a different country would help me deal with things that bothered me at home. I see that this is, in fact, false. I thought I don't hike in Israel because hiking parks are inaccessible but here, I still don't hike. Heck, I've even adopted a few new bad habits (ahem, so much phone time). There's no real insight here, just some frustration at how hard it is to reach goals, or even to set them. Adult life requires such a careful balance of priorities, even when you have so little stress.
-But also, I am so so deeply grateful for this experience. Six months of very little external pressure. I mean, yeah, there's culture shock and insurance and some uni stuff but I have so much freedom. I'm so content, how will I return to life after this?
-There were two opposing voices in my head while thinking about my student exchanges. Part of me was in love with the idea of developing a life here. Going to the same cafes, having the same routines, knowing each corner of my neighborhood. Living a slow adult life. Another part of me yearned to travel, go on wild adventures, stay up all night to see the sunrise, go meet tons of strangers, take train journeys to every corner of Korea. Ultimately, I have combined both. I think for the future, I'm going to lean more into traveling. The sun is finally out, I want to see everything. I want to escape reality, just for a while.
- I'm going to have to start thinking about flights home. Do I wanna go on a long weekend in the Emirates? What if I go to California before I go home? Should I go to Estonia? I have no idea what I'm gonna do this summer. Is this when I... get a driving license? And I'm not sure what I'll do afterwards. Apply to jobs? Am I ready to be judged by consulting firms? To attempt to present myself as Israel's best and brightest, fixing my Linkedin (I feel that my barren Linkedin creates a sense of mystery that far surpasses my true self but okay). Indonesia? Philippines? Everything is exciting but nothing makes me excited. Right now, I'm leaning towards some time in Japan and then a third country but oh, who will it be? Will I break my back carrying all my treasured Korean junk?
Anyways, this was a book recommendation from a friend here in Korea. Yun Dong-ju is considered one of Korea's national poets and man, he does not disappoint. It genuinely feels like he touches the heart of Korea. His poetry is beautiful, it's a perfect combination of childlike wonder and adult sorrow.
Yun Dong-ju died in a Japanese prison at the age of 27. This book was published after his death. This creates a sense of tragedy in his poems, a sense of exile. He did not live to see a free Korea. He paints a life in Korea from afar and it's just so striking. So simple yet each word feels careful.
I haven't been able to read lately. I reread old favorites but no new book is interesting enough. I'm glad I was able to finish this and definitely recommend for anyone who wants some more old-school Korean poetry.
What I'm Taking With Me
- I was in Fukuoka and had hoped to visit that prison but it's not a tourist site.
- His style is so special, the length and the sense of grace, so pretty.
- I can't believe he was so young when he wrote these poems
So I started writing this when I was halfway through my time in Korea. Now it's way more than half way but here are some main insights so far:
- Seoul has 25 districts. By my count, I've been to 14. That's not bad but clearly I need to up my travels, especially to the north and southern parts. Maybe for this second part of my travels I'm gonna be more methodological, I got my map and I'm ready to see all 25, even if it involves three hours of public transportation.
-And parts of Seoul come to life: Hongdae, where I danced to EDM music, even when that's not quite my vibe and painted the skyline with water paints. Mapu, my love, where I have had so many picnics with pastries. Gangnam, forever reminding me of the lotus donut from Dunkin Donuts and friendly Americans. Churches in Yongsan, mosque and synagogue in Itaewon, coffee in Sinnae. Korean words used to merge together for me and now they don't.
-There's so much I admire about Koreans. Unlike the vast majority of foreigners in Korea, I didn't come here for k-pop or k-dramas. Instead, I find myself appreciating the level of care Koreans constantly exhibit. It's noticing if someone is off socially, it's buses who wait for people, it's public spaces that feel well kept. It's handing things with two hands, bowing, a language that is so logical and respectful, where calling for the manager is a compliment, not a threat. It's the way Korean humor is so silly, nothing like Israelis who opt for sarcasm and wit. Koreans are so stylish, so pretty, so in love with festivals, free stuff and those little tents. I can't be upset about Korean capitalism when it is so fabulous, it's pop-up stores and a million options of cafes.
- And I'm a Jerusalemer; I love flawed places. I see Korea's flaws (or at least, some of them) and it makes me love it more- a country that was forced to make hard decisions for its survival. Korea was not discovered, it was self-made, planned its way into our markets, hearts and homes. Koreans protest every day. Gwanghwamun Square sees you. Korean women fighting for their rights, reclaiming the word "feminist". A country with strict laws against defamation yet few laws protecting against discrimination, hostile towards uniqueness. Korea's beautiful, beautiful, beautiful queer community, with little banners and screams of equality, marching through ancient palaces, no apologies. Korea's economic inequality, holding people in a chokehold, constant competition, never ever good enough, you do not deserve this.
- But yeah, I also miss Israel. I miss Israeli nosiness, where people always speak to you, where my stupid jokes lead to friendships, not to awkward silences. I miss asking "what do you recommend". I miss sabich in the market, fresh rogelach, getting a plate of hummus with friends, Israeli breakfasts with cottage cheese, salad, bread and eggs. Fuck, I miss cheese (that isn't American garbage). Being vegetarian without long conversations about it, without spending hours looking for food every day. Israeli diversity, I miss hearing different languages, seeing different cultures, the drama that comes with being multi-cultural, the intensity of life in Israel. I miss being able to speak, the confidence of absolutely knowing a culture, of knowing what's the right thing to do. I miss not feeling different for my Judaism.
- There's a part of me that feels embarrassed. I don't know enough Korean, I don't have enough friends here. There have been days of lounging in bed, I have stopped trying to speak to my classmates. I try to forgive myself for seeking a sense of comfort instead of any sort of lofty goal. I'm here to have a good time and sometimes, that means 15 hours on twitter. It's not always easy to remember that time spent happily is not time wasted.
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more complicated but the Korean conflict is more tragic. One people, divided by politics, by global powers that never truly cared about their wellbeing. I feel grateful to be in Korea in this time of change, when Korea slowly realizes that it's no longer the third world country bullied by Japan, Russia, China and the US. Questions of dependency have never been more relevant as a country that is essentially an island. And I am trying not to be envious at the way Koreans aren't really experiencing a conflict. If you don't know where your closest bomb shelter is, you don't have a serious conflict and young Koreans have the privilege of speaking of peace over nationality.
- I am trying to face my inner sense of inadequacy that has continued to haunt me for my entire life. I'm realizing that I'm struggling to create art because I have spent the last four years developing critical thinking. Show me your business venture, I'll tell you where you're going to lose money. Tell me about a policy plan, I'll explain who's being discriminated against. Give me a philosophical argument, I'll locate the logical fallacies. But in art, this isn't how it goes. To be an artist is to believe in yourself and your voice blindly. It's to create, even when it doesn't feel "good" or "worthy". It's to act from an inner sense of passion, one that doesn't translate to a direct profit. I need to find the part of my soul that yearns to cover my fingers in paint. My watercolors are a form of rebellion against oil paints.
-My dislike of business has grown deeper but it is now coupled with a sense of confusion - who am I when I don't enjoy what I do? How did I create a life that is so far from who I understand myself to be? What does it mean when I enjoy parts of business? Could I work in this field?
-I had believed, perhaps naively, that moving to a different country would help me deal with things that bothered me at home. I see that this is, in fact, false. I thought I don't hike in Israel because hiking parks are inaccessible but here, I still don't hike. Heck, I've even adopted a few new bad habits (ahem, so much phone time). There's no real insight here, just some frustration at how hard it is to reach goals, or even to set them. Adult life requires such a careful balance of priorities, even when you have so little stress.
-But also, I am so so deeply grateful for this experience. Six months of very little external pressure. I mean, yeah, there's culture shock and insurance and some uni stuff but I have so much freedom. I'm so content, how will I return to life after this?
-There were two opposing voices in my head while thinking about my student exchanges. Part of me was in love with the idea of developing a life here. Going to the same cafes, having the same routines, knowing each corner of my neighborhood. Living a slow adult life. Another part of me yearned to travel, go on wild adventures, stay up all night to see the sunrise, go meet tons of strangers, take train journeys to every corner of Korea. Ultimately, I have combined both. I think for the future, I'm going to lean more into traveling. The sun is finally out, I want to see everything. I want to escape reality, just for a while.
- I'm going to have to start thinking about flights home. Do I wanna go on a long weekend in the Emirates? What if I go to California before I go home? Should I go to Estonia? I have no idea what I'm gonna do this summer. Is this when I... get a driving license? And I'm not sure what I'll do afterwards. Apply to jobs? Am I ready to be judged by consulting firms? To attempt to present myself as Israel's best and brightest, fixing my Linkedin (I feel that my barren Linkedin creates a sense of mystery that far surpasses my true self but okay). Indonesia? Philippines? Everything is exciting but nothing makes me excited. Right now, I'm leaning towards some time in Japan and then a third country but oh, who will it be? Will I break my back carrying all my treasured Korean junk?
February 8, 2023
Life sang the prelude to death again today.
When will this song end?
I honestly believe that in order to truly understand a book, it's necessary to know about the author's life, specially in poetry, where the most common themes deal with feelings and emotions, of course it's possible to read a book, and not mind the author, more so if it resonates with a part of one's life, but I always like to dig a little further, and I'm so glad I did with this one because the author was a delightful person to meet.
Yun Dong-ju was brought up in a strong patriotic family, which meant he was influenced by this from a young age. He lived his entired life under Japanese colonial, given that he died at 28, in prison, only a few months before the stablishment of Korea's independence from Japan.
On this street of anguish,
gray in the night,
where my heart is walking,
a whirlwind arises.
Lonesome though I am,
shadows in my heart
rise, one after the other:
blue dreams,
rising and falling
This poetry collection published after his death is filled with reverie, sorrow, longing and because Korean as a language holds so much expressive force and beauty that it's difficult to translate, some of them felt too cryptic for me.
and the reason I am living is only
because I am looking for what I have lost.
It reminded me to another Yun, one of the most significant Korean artists of the twentieth century, Yun Hyong-keun, he, also saw his art being influenced by war, in his case, the Korean War, he was also unfairly imprisoned and overall his pieces are reminiscent of Yun Dong-ju's poetry in the sense that they're both simple but effective in what's being conveyed.
When will this song end?
I honestly believe that in order to truly understand a book, it's necessary to know about the author's life, specially in poetry, where the most common themes deal with feelings and emotions, of course it's possible to read a book, and not mind the author, more so if it resonates with a part of one's life, but I always like to dig a little further, and I'm so glad I did with this one because the author was a delightful person to meet.
Yun Dong-ju was brought up in a strong patriotic family, which meant he was influenced by this from a young age. He lived his entired life under Japanese colonial, given that he died at 28, in prison, only a few months before the stablishment of Korea's independence from Japan.
On this street of anguish,
gray in the night,
where my heart is walking,
a whirlwind arises.
Lonesome though I am,
shadows in my heart
rise, one after the other:
blue dreams,
rising and falling
This poetry collection published after his death is filled with reverie, sorrow, longing and because Korean as a language holds so much expressive force and beauty that it's difficult to translate, some of them felt too cryptic for me.
and the reason I am living is only
because I am looking for what I have lost.
It reminded me to another Yun, one of the most significant Korean artists of the twentieth century, Yun Hyong-keun, he, also saw his art being influenced by war, in his case, the Korean War, he was also unfairly imprisoned and overall his pieces are reminiscent of Yun Dong-ju's poetry in the sense that they're both simple but effective in what's being conveyed.
September 12, 2019
Penyair yang meninggal muda (28 tahun) sewaktu mendekam di dalam penjara atas tuduhan subversif.
Bayangkan jika beliau berusia panjang, berapa banyak karya agung yang mampu kita nikmati sekarang?
Bayangkan jika beliau berusia panjang, berapa banyak karya agung yang mampu kita nikmati sekarang?
July 6, 2020
Aku mengenali nama Yun Dong-Ju daripada drama A Poem A Day dimana terselit puisi cengkerik didalam itu. Membaca keseluruhan puisi ini memberi semacam rasa ‘nyaman’. Tidak terlalu radikal mahupun meratap, puisi-puisi ini seperti sebuah luahan hati yang berkisarkan kehidupan, kematian, desa, keluarga, cinta.
Terima kasih kepada penterjemah kerana berusaha menerjemahnya dengan baik.
(Aku tak pasti kenapa tapi aku lebih terasa ruhnya ketika membaca puisi cengkerik terjemahan bahasa english kerana subtitle drama tu dalam english ketimbang yang didalam buku ini. Jadi disebabkan itu, aku kurangkan satu bintang untuk kehilangan lazat sebuah puisi)
Terima kasih kepada penterjemah kerana berusaha menerjemahnya dengan baik.
(Aku tak pasti kenapa tapi aku lebih terasa ruhnya ketika membaca puisi cengkerik terjemahan bahasa english kerana subtitle drama tu dalam english ketimbang yang didalam buku ini. Jadi disebabkan itu, aku kurangkan satu bintang untuk kehilangan lazat sebuah puisi)
March 31, 2025
Mi chico estaba muy triste.
July 27, 2021
"Akan kukorbankan leherku
Darah yang nanti bersemburan
Menjelma api bunga bermekaran
di bawah langit hitam"
Aku suka puisi yang bertajuk “Palang Salib”.
Ada nada kesedihan di dalam puisi-puisi Yun Dong-ju ini.
Kesedihan yang tak terluah. Kesedihan yang payah untuk diterjemahan.
Aku mahu teladani emosi Yun Dong-ju ketika itu. Ceritakan pada aku, kesan penjajahan Jepun yang buat kan mu begitu rupa.
Aku rasa dia mahu lagi tunjukkan kesedihan, kemarahan nya di dalam puisi-puisi ini. Tapi ada yang aku tak faham sangat.
Tapi terima kasih buat Iman Danial Hakim, tanpa mu tiada lah kesedihan Yun Dong-ju yang terperuk sendiri.
Darah yang nanti bersemburan
Menjelma api bunga bermekaran
di bawah langit hitam"
Aku suka puisi yang bertajuk “Palang Salib”.
Ada nada kesedihan di dalam puisi-puisi Yun Dong-ju ini.
Kesedihan yang tak terluah. Kesedihan yang payah untuk diterjemahan.
Aku mahu teladani emosi Yun Dong-ju ketika itu. Ceritakan pada aku, kesan penjajahan Jepun yang buat kan mu begitu rupa.
Aku rasa dia mahu lagi tunjukkan kesedihan, kemarahan nya di dalam puisi-puisi ini. Tapi ada yang aku tak faham sangat.
Tapi terima kasih buat Iman Danial Hakim, tanpa mu tiada lah kesedihan Yun Dong-ju yang terperuk sendiri.
January 3, 2019
The four stars are entirely for the poetry itself: for its intention and it's purity...despite the awful translation and format of the book. It's clear that this is a literal translation where it's quite clear that the poems would benefit from a free translation. East Asian languages do not translate well literally. There is so much lost. I wish I could read these poems translated freely by a respectful Korean poet leaving the words like hyung, noona, eomma, and others alone with a glossary in the back.
Also, there is not a great rhyme or reason to the order of the poems. I wish there had been made a sort of demarcation of which poems were the poems he wrote for children and which were not. If the poems were maybe grouped by time and where he was in his life, that could have also been more helpful to the flow and understanding of the work as a whole, especially as this is a compilation of all of his works, making it just as much a sort of psuedo-autobiography.
So many missed opportunities to turn Yun Dongju's work into something universal and glorious. But the earnestness of the work and it's clarity, purity, and longing still ring true.
Also, there is not a great rhyme or reason to the order of the poems. I wish there had been made a sort of demarcation of which poems were the poems he wrote for children and which were not. If the poems were maybe grouped by time and where he was in his life, that could have also been more helpful to the flow and understanding of the work as a whole, especially as this is a compilation of all of his works, making it just as much a sort of psuedo-autobiography.
So many missed opportunities to turn Yun Dongju's work into something universal and glorious. But the earnestness of the work and it's clarity, purity, and longing still ring true.
April 5, 2022
I don’t resonate with poetry very much, but every once in a while I pick up a collection and try to enjoy it. The forward gave this collection much needed context and I was pleased to find there were a dozen or so poems I genuinely enjoyed.
Picked this up because of Namjoon of course 😛
Picked this up because of Namjoon of course 😛
March 6, 2024
"para que eu não tivesse, até o meu fim,
um pingo de vergonha perante os céus
sofri até mesmo pela fina brisa
que roça as folhagens do campo.
com a alma de quem canta as estrelas
devo amar tudo que vai morrendo
e seguirei o caminho
que me foi dado.
esta noite mais uma vez o vento roça as estrelas."
a tradução da professora yun, como sempre, é maravilhosa. acho que jamais vou ser capaz de agradecê-la. ser capaz de ''ouvir'' alguém assim, de entrar no coração de alguém através dos olhos passando por palavras em páginas amarelas, é algo que acho que não só penso, mas sinto, que sempre será necessário ao meu coração. é uma vontade de abraçar o yun dong-ju o tempo inteiro, assim como todas as pessoas que também se sentiram como ele. espero que um dia eu também sinta toda toda a esperança desse livro.
um pingo de vergonha perante os céus
sofri até mesmo pela fina brisa
que roça as folhagens do campo.
com a alma de quem canta as estrelas
devo amar tudo que vai morrendo
e seguirei o caminho
que me foi dado.
esta noite mais uma vez o vento roça as estrelas."
a tradução da professora yun, como sempre, é maravilhosa. acho que jamais vou ser capaz de agradecê-la. ser capaz de ''ouvir'' alguém assim, de entrar no coração de alguém através dos olhos passando por palavras em páginas amarelas, é algo que acho que não só penso, mas sinto, que sempre será necessário ao meu coração. é uma vontade de abraçar o yun dong-ju o tempo inteiro, assim como todas as pessoas que também se sentiram como ele. espero que um dia eu também sinta toda toda a esperança desse livro.
June 11, 2021
이 책은 정말 놀랍습니다 ❤👌
July 5, 2022
"With my heart singing to the stars,
I shall love all the things that are dying."
Delicate, commoventi.
I shall love all the things that are dying."
Delicate, commoventi.
June 13, 2025
I believe a lot was lost in translation but I still enjoyed it a lot. A lot. nonetheless. Me enjoying poems? What’s happening?
Read
October 24, 2025rapaz… esse cara era especial, to bem impressionado. e puto por ele ter sido mais um ceifado pelo império JP
March 22, 2022
Kötü çeviri, şiiri okutmayabilir diyorum! Zorla bitirdim resmen. Orjinali okuyun, bir de Dong ju filmini izleyin daha keyif alırsınız ;)
March 31, 2025
pues la verdad es que entiendo porque los coreanos se volvieron un poco locos con esta obra
June 25, 2020
This is a 3.5 review, but you cannot put half stars on here.
It was very interesting to read Dong-Ju's poems, especially knowing that many were written about Japan and its occupation (I believe). There were some really powerful poems, and others that had more deeper meaning. I'm sure reading it a second time would have more impact. And for a translated copy, the meaning was still prevalent behind the words which is great.
It was very interesting to read Dong-Ju's poems, especially knowing that many were written about Japan and its occupation (I believe). There were some really powerful poems, and others that had more deeper meaning. I'm sure reading it a second time would have more impact. And for a translated copy, the meaning was still prevalent behind the words which is great.
Read
March 4, 2018I think its simplicity must be an especial challenge for a translator, and if you missed the opening note about poems for children being mixed in with poems not for children, you'd be very confused about the sequence. But the best few stand out in any edition.
December 28, 2020
Probabilmente il mio libro preferito di poesie in assoluto. Yun Dong-Ju è delicato nel descrivere ogni cosa, emozionante in ogni suo verso, commovente in ogni emozione che è riuscito a mettere sulla carta. Un capolavoro che meriterebbe decisamente più attenzione.
August 21, 2022
“Kar eriyince arda kalan her ayak izinde çiçekler; çiçekler arasında senin ayak izini aramaya çıksam, on iki ay bir yıl boyunca benim gönlüme karlar yağacak.”
August 12, 2025
눈감고 간다
태양을 사모하는 아이들아
별을 사랑하는 아이들아
밤이 어두었는데
눈감고 가거라.
가진바 씨앗을
뿌리면서 가거라.
발뿌리에 돌이 채이거든
감었든 눈을 와짝떠라.
1941. 5. 31
태양을 사모하는 아이들아
별을 사랑하는 아이들아
밤이 어두었는데
눈감고 가거라.
가진바 씨앗을
뿌리면서 가거라.
발뿌리에 돌이 채이거든
감었든 눈을 와짝떠라.
1941. 5. 31
October 9, 2018
"Dunyadan donercesine artik ufak odama donerek isigi sonduruyorum.Isigi acik birakmak fevkalade yorucu bir is,zira bu isik,gunduzun uzantisi..."
.
Ulkesi yavaş yavaş istila edilirken, eli kolu bagli bir sair.. Japon askerlerinin sorgusu sırasında utancından olmek istedigini söyleyen bu halk adaminin neden utandigini belki basta anlamayiz. Sonra siiriyle karsilasiriz;
... Yasamak zor derler ya hani
Siirin boyle kolayca yaziverilmesi
Utanc verici bir is benim icin
Alti parcalik su doseme bir baskasinin vatani
Disarida gece yagmuru mirildanirken... (Kolayca Yazilan Siir)
Hayati,mucadelesi cok etkileyici!
Kore ed. ve tarihi severlerin iyi tanidigi bir sair ❤
Ayrica Yoon Dong-joo(윤동주 )’nun hayat hikayesini anlatan Dong-ju/ 동주 filmi ..severlerine🎬🌟
.
❤눈(Kar)
지난 밤에
눈이 소오복이 왔네
지붕이랑
길이랑 밭이랑
추워한다고
덮어 주는 이불인가 봐
그러기에
추운 겨울에만 나리지
(1936)
.
.
Siirleri disinda Kore masali, yer isimleri vs. gibi merak duydugum yeni bilgilerde edindim.Severek okudum ve elimin altinda olacak bir kitap devamli.
.
Iyi okumalar!📚🌟
.
Ulkesi yavaş yavaş istila edilirken, eli kolu bagli bir sair.. Japon askerlerinin sorgusu sırasında utancından olmek istedigini söyleyen bu halk adaminin neden utandigini belki basta anlamayiz. Sonra siiriyle karsilasiriz;
... Yasamak zor derler ya hani
Siirin boyle kolayca yaziverilmesi
Utanc verici bir is benim icin
Alti parcalik su doseme bir baskasinin vatani
Disarida gece yagmuru mirildanirken... (Kolayca Yazilan Siir)
Hayati,mucadelesi cok etkileyici!
Kore ed. ve tarihi severlerin iyi tanidigi bir sair ❤
Ayrica Yoon Dong-joo(윤동주 )’nun hayat hikayesini anlatan Dong-ju/ 동주 filmi ..severlerine🎬🌟
.
❤눈(Kar)
지난 밤에
눈이 소오복이 왔네
지붕이랑
길이랑 밭이랑
추워한다고
덮어 주는 이불인가 봐
그러기에
추운 겨울에만 나리지
(1936)
.
.
Siirleri disinda Kore masali, yer isimleri vs. gibi merak duydugum yeni bilgilerde edindim.Severek okudum ve elimin altinda olacak bir kitap devamli.
.
Iyi okumalar!📚🌟
October 31, 2021
Çeviri konusunda eleştiri getirirken iki kez düşünürüm çünkü çeviri kolay iş değildir. Bu kitabın çevirisinde de ne kadar iyi/yerinde yapıldığını yorumlayacak kadar Kore dili hakkında bilgi sahibi değilim. Belki dilin yapısından, belki çevirisinden dolayı şiirler bende umduğum etkiyi yaratmadı ama bununla kitabın değerini ölçmek istemiyorum. Sürekli bir "acaba" ile okusam da dilimize çok önemli bir eserin kazandırıldığını düşünüyorum.
June 30, 2022
2.5⭐
I've no qualms about that the poems in this book are not relatable or soulful or strings your heart. But like every other translated poetry a lot of the original meaning is lost with sentences making no sense. I wish I could read and understand and feel with all my heart all the things the original Korean version meant.
I've no qualms about that the poems in this book are not relatable or soulful or strings your heart. But like every other translated poetry a lot of the original meaning is lost with sentences making no sense. I wish I could read and understand and feel with all my heart all the things the original Korean version meant.
August 4, 2018
Meski tidak begitu memahami puisi, tapi saya cukup menikmati puisi terjemahan ini.
Dan puisi 'Jalan' menjadi gerbangku dalam menikmati buku ini.
"Alasanku hidup
Hanyalah, karena aku mencari sesuatu yang hilang"
(Hlm 21)
Dan puisi 'Jalan' menjadi gerbangku dalam menikmati buku ini.
"Alasanku hidup
Hanyalah, karena aku mencari sesuatu yang hilang"
(Hlm 21)
September 10, 2020
A poet who saw deeply. One of my favorite lines - The moonlight was soaked cold on his red forehead: my younger brother’s face makes a sad painting. So evocative. But as with many translations, much is lost because I do not share the references.
April 29, 2021
하늘과 바람과 별과 진심을 담은 윤동주 시인의 시가 좋더라
January 14, 2022
People of the world dance to the song of life which melts their bones. They do not have the time to think about the terror at the end of the song, before the setting of the sun.
July 16, 2018
Japon istilası dönemi,kendi dilini kullanamayan bir halk,bastırılan-ezilen düşünceler..Bu karanlıkta ise hala aydınlık kalmaya çalışan bir şair Yun Dong Ju.
.
Geçen sene hayat hikayesinin konu alındığı filmi izleyip günlerce etkisinden çıkamamıştım.Şiirlerini ise en azından ingilizceden okuyabilmiştim.Ancak şimdi basılı bir şekilde elimde olması çok,çok büyük bir mutluluk benim için..
.
Dedalus’tan çıkan kitabı ise Mehmet Sait Şener aslından çevirmiş,iyi ki çevirmiş.
.
27 yaşında vefat etmesine rağmen ardında unutulmayacak dizeler bırakan Yun Dong Ju,hasretten-doğadan-başka topraklarda olmanın acısından ve daha nice duygudan bahsediyor.Bir alıntı:
‘Ve yaşamamın tek sebebi,
Kaybettiğim şeyi arayışımdır.”
.
Geçen sene hayat hikayesinin konu alındığı filmi izleyip günlerce etkisinden çıkamamıştım.Şiirlerini ise en azından ingilizceden okuyabilmiştim.Ancak şimdi basılı bir şekilde elimde olması çok,çok büyük bir mutluluk benim için..
.
Dedalus’tan çıkan kitabı ise Mehmet Sait Şener aslından çevirmiş,iyi ki çevirmiş.
.
27 yaşında vefat etmesine rağmen ardında unutulmayacak dizeler bırakan Yun Dong Ju,hasretten-doğadan-başka topraklarda olmanın acısından ve daha nice duygudan bahsediyor.Bir alıntı:
‘Ve yaşamamın tek sebebi,
Kaybettiğim şeyi arayışımdır.”
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