The Square - (Library of Korean Literature) by In-Hun Choi (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This groundbreaking classic of Korean modernism tackles the shattering effect of the division of Korea. Taking place just before the Korean War, it follows its protagonist as he travels to the North hoping to escape what he sees as the repressive right-wing regime in the South... only to find that a different sort of lie reigns in the so-called worker's paradise. Implying that both communism and capitalism are pernicious infections from without, "The Square" is a dark and complex story of the ways ideologies can destroy the individual.

Review Quotes

"The Square was a unique form of fiction that dared to deal with the two divided systems, a taboo topic among Korean society at that time, from an objective and fundamental perspective.... This work, which could not be presented with a straightforward, linear narrative, instead adopted a modern form in which the story line is continuously interrupted or reverts to the past. In this regard, The Square is an exceptional work that offers a new perspective of the Korean War as well as a noteworthy starting point for the third generation of Korean War literature." -- Koreana

About the Author

Choi In-hun was born in 1936 in Hoeryong City, North Hamgyong Province, which is now in North Korea. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, he and his family fled to South Korea aboard a U.S. Navy ship. He studied law at Seoul National University, but joined the army without completing his final semester. His began publishing fiction while in the army, and was discharged in 1963. From 1977-2001, he served as a Professor of Creative Writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.