Jeong Kkeut-byeol

Jeong was born in Naju, South Korea in [null 1964]. In 1983, she graduated Myeongji Girls’ High School and enrolled in Ewha Womans University. She completed her Korean Language and Literature degree in 1987. She received her master’s and doctoral degrees at Ewha in 1989 and 1994, respectively. She made her literary debut in 1988 when her poem “Caleui bada“ (칼레의 바다 Sea of Calais) appeared in the journal Monthly Literature & Thought. In 1989, her critical essay “Seoneulhan parodistui jeolmanggwa mosaek“ (서늘한 패로디스트의 절망과 모색 A Cold Parodist’s Despair and Inquiry) won the Dong-a Ilbo New Writer's Contest. Her poetry collections include Jajaknamu nae insaeng (자작나무 내 인생 My Life, a Birch Tree) (1996), Huinchek (흰책 White Book) (2000), Samcheongabja boksabit (삼천갑자 복사빛 180,000 Years and the Color Peach) (2005), Warak (와락 Bursting) (2008), and Euneuniga (은는이가 Subject Markers and Topic Markers) (2014). She has also written several collections of critical essays, including Parody Sihak (패러디 시학 Poetics of Parody) (1997), which systematically discusses theories on parody and analyzes them in the context of modern Korean poetry, thereby defining the role and meaning of parody in literature. Another collection, entitled Cheon gaeui hyeoreul gajin siui eoneo (천 개의 혀를 가진 시의 언어 The Language of Poetry Has a Thousand Tongues) (1999), takes an open-minded approach to criticism and reflects on the infinite linguistic possibilities of poetry.

Since 2002, she has variously served as researcher at The Society of Ewha Korean Language & Literature, adjunct professor at the Creative Writing department of Chugye University for the Arts, honorary professor at the Korean Language and Literature department of Ewha Womans University, and assistant professor at the Practical Language and Literature department (creative writing major) of Open Cyber University. In 2004, she was awarded the Yushim Award by the The Society for the Promotion and Practice of Manhae's Thoughts. In 2008, she won the Sowol Poetry Award for “Keunakeun jam“ (크나큰 잠 Vast Sleep). She has been teaching Korean language and literature at Ewha Womans University and Myongji University since she was appointed to the professorships in 2014. She participated in the 2015 East Asia Literature Forum.

Jeong is known for describing sceneries rich with imagery and rhythm. She explores a wide range of motifs, including: flowers, trees, the earth and stars; periods and eons; daughters, fathers, and families; and the everyday lives of nameless men and women. Some poems are plaintive or lonesome, while others are cheerful or compassionate. Some have a reflective tone, while in others the poet’s voice is stronger. Some focus on describing a situation, while others draw in readers with evocative language. Despite having such a wide range, Jeong’s poems always carry a hint of warmth and love. She writes about love, family, people, and the universe with imagination, mirth, and pathos.

In her early works, Jeong turns the primal human emotion of solitude into images of nature. More recently, her poems contemplate on love, life, and language. It is interesting that her two latest poetry collections are entitled Warak and Euneuniga. The term “warak” can either denote the action of bursting into tears or the sound of hugging someone tightly. “Eun-neun-i-ga” refers to the main four nominative case markers in the Korean language. The title Warak implies her intent to write natural poetry while variously using the term as a mimetic word and onomatopoeia. Meanwhile, the title Euneuniga reflects her aspirations to capture even the slightest nuances of her emotions and thoughts, including the subtle differences between the four nominative case markers. Accordingly, Jeong’s recent poems have increasingly employed an array of onomatopoeia, mimetic words, adverbs, and other such devices.

Poetry Collections

1. 『자작나무 내 인생』(세계사, 1996)

My Life, a Birch Tree. Segyesa, 1996

2. 『흰책』(민음사, 2000)

White Book. Minumsa, 2000.

3. 『삼천갑자복사빛』(민음사, 2005)

180,000 Years and the Color Peach. Minumsa, 2005.

4. 『와락』(창비, 2008)

Bursting. Changbi, 2008.

5. 『은는이가』(문학동네, 2014)

Subject Markers and Topic Markers. Munhakdongne, 2014.

Research and Critical Essays

1. 『패러디 시학』(1997)

Poetics of Parody. Munhak Segyesa, 1997.

2. 『천 개의 혀를 가진 시의 언어』(1999)

The Language of Poetry Has a Thousand Tongues. Haneulyeonmot, 1999.

3. 『파이의 시학』(문학동네, 2010)

Poetics of Pi. Munhakdongne, 2010.