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Your Republic Is Calling You
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Wikipedia article
'Your Republic is Calling You' is a Korean novel written by Kim Young-ha. Borrowing the title of Ren Magrittes series of paintings, 'Empire of Light', 'Bichui jeguk' is about a North Korean spy stationed in South Korea and the day he is summoned back to North Korea. The novel both overviews the societal changes that Korea went through from the 1980s to the 2000s and follows the fate of a man whose fate becomes wholly unknown to him. In 2016, 'Bichui jeguk' was jointly adapted into a play by the National Theater of Korea and the Centre Dramatique National Orlans and performed in both South Korea and France.
Title
The title 'Bichui jeguk' (literally Empire of Light) was borrowed from a series of paintings by Ren Magritte titled 'The Empire of Light'. Unlike Magritte's other paintings, in which the absurdity of things lays in plain sight, one has to look closely at the paintings of 'The Empire of Light' to notice that things are amiss. In particular, the paintings all depict a paradoxical scene of a nighttime street, lit by a street lamp, under a bright afternoon sky. Kim Young-ha has said that the world of 'Bichui jeguk' is similar to Rens world of intermingling light and dark. And indeed, just as in 'The Empire of Light', the main character of 'Bichui jeguk' is a man who is either alone in the dark or alone in the light and constantly switching back and forth in between.On the Weak and Pitiful Fate of Blind Humans. 'Dailian', August 29, 2006.
http://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/42585
Plot Summary
In 'Bichui jeguk', one man must erase himself, the last twenty years of his life, and all traces that he ever existed, and he must do it all within a single day. Kim Gi-yeongor rather Kim Seong-hun, as he was known in North Koreaspent four years training for his mission in South Korea while studying English at Pyeongyang University for Foreign Languages. In 1984, at the age of 21, Kim Gi-yeong is deployed to South Korea as a spy, and in 1986, following his orders from the party, Gi-yeong enrolls in a South Korean university and infiltrates the student-lead democracy movements. But ten years later when the agent in charge of Gi-yeongs mission in the South falls from power, the orders being sent to him cease. Another ten years pass, and Gi-yeong is living a normal live as a 41-year-old South Korean citizen. But then one day, he receives an email; its a message from Pyeongyang, ordering him to erase all traces of his life in South Korea and return to North Korea in the next 24 hours. Having believed that all records of him in North Korea had been erased, Gi-yeong is dumbfounded. But for his survival, he must follow the orders.Kim, Young-ha. Introduction. In 'Bichui jeguk', by Kim Young-ha. Munhakdongne, 2006.
https://book.naver.com/bookdb/book_detail.nhn?bid=2508549 From the moment Gi-yeong reads this email, the novel thrusts forward through the next 24 hours.Choi, Jae-bong. Where is a North Korean Spy to go in the Age of Post-Ideology? 'Hankyoreh', August 10, 2006.
http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/book/148251.html
Themes
'Bichui jeguk' retraces the trajectory of Korean society from the 1980s to the 2000s and the changes in the lives Koreans that came over that time span. From the aspect of political climate, national system, and the thought patterns of citizens, the South Korea of the 1980s that Kim Gi-yeong encounters is not much different from the North Korea of the 1980s.As one example of their similarity, you can take the passage in which Gi-yeong says that, among the subjects he had to be tested in to enter a South Korean university, it was National Ethics that was the easiest. In other words, South Koreas National Ethics, which prioritized the nation and society, was similar to the North Korean system which prioritizes the party and its leader. In contrast to this, the consumer capitalist South Korea of the 2000s is a far cry from the 80s. And Gi-yeonga former North Korean spy who infiltrated student movements but now leads a monotonous life as a fully assimilated citizen in a capitalist societymakes this contrast even more palpable for the reader. And while Gi-yeong believes that he is in control of his own life, in reality he is inundated with daily life and desensitized to everything. And the way in which Gi-yeongs life is completely turned upside down by a single email signifies just how blind humans are to a wholly unpredictable future.On the Weak and Pitiful Fate of Blind Humans. 'Dailian', August 29, 2006.
http://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/42585 Indeed, the harder Gi-yeong tries to understand the ordeal he finds himself in, the only thing that he learns is that he knows nothing, showing that humans are always at the whim of destiny, not matter how hard they struggle against it.Lee, Go-un. Depictions of Our Life Swept up in Fate. 'Herald Corporation', August 11, 2006.
https://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=016&aid=0000217422
Style
Kim Young-ha has stated that Strictly speaking, 'Bichui jeguk' isnt trying to say anything, and that, At the deepest level, 'Bichui jeguk' is actually trying to challenge the concept of trying to say something.On the Weak and Pitiful Fate of Blind Humans. 'Dailian', August 29, 2006.
http://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view/42585 Indeed, this process of destroying the belief that we can control our lives is conveyed not just through the novels content, but through its form, as well.Lee, Go-un. Depictions of Our Life Swept up in Fate. 'Herald Corporation', August 11, 2006.
https://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=016&aid=0000217422 In the never-ending flow of various episodes, it is hard to find causes or logical necessities. This style is reflected in the mode of existence of a modern person who lives and experiences the fragmented world as they live a daily life that was given to them and which they cannot master.Woo, Chan-je. The Net of the Connection Era and the Ontology of Ghosts Kim Young-has 'Bichui Jeguk'. Munhwayesul, 2006.
http://www.arko.or.kr/zine/artspaper2006_12/pdf/192.pdf 'Bichui jeguk' also reminds one of a Greek tragedy in the way its main character struggles to understand all of reality and become the master of their fate, despite the fact they cannot understand the full nature of the circumstances they find themselves in. At the same time, employing elements such as black humor, cynicism, and a self-aware parody of a movie chase scene, Kim Young-ha retains his unique style in this work. In this sense, 'Bichui jeguk' can be called a modern adaption of Greek tragedy.Shin, Su-jeong. Isolation for a Day Greek Tragedy and 'Bichui jeguk'. Munhakdongne, 2006.
Kim Young-ha has stated that the two works that affected his life the most are the Greek tragedies 'King Oedipus' and 'The Odyssey', saying that stories about self-confident characters being ruined overnight have always interested him.
Reception
Because of the way it reflects on Korean society through a character who has experienced both the South Korean and North Korean systems, 'Bichui jeguk' has been compared to Choi In-hunsChoi In-hun (1936-2018) was a Korean novelist, poet, literary critic, and playwright.
https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%B5%9C%EC%9D%B8%ED%9B%88 1960 novel, 'Gwangjang' ( The 'Square')'Gwangjang' (196) is one of Choi In-huns most famous works. Through the juxtaposition of a plaza and a closet, 'Gwangjang' depicts the contrasting lives of a character who exists between North Korean and South Korean society, between the collective and the person, the societal and the existential.
https://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=3572030&cid=58822&categoryId=58822'.' Whereas 'Gwangjang' deals with the early stages of the division of the Korean peninsula from the 50s to the 60s, 'Bichui jeguk' deals with the neo-liberalization of South Korean society from the 1980s to the 2000s.'Gwangjang' and 'Bichui jeguk', An Account of Korean Society, 'Yonhap News,' November 4, 2010. Unlike 'Gwangjang', in which the main character contemplates which ideology to which to subscribe, the protagonist of 'Bichui jeguk' is not concerned by ideology because ideology has already completely lost to everyday desires. In this way', Bichui jeguk' has been lauded as a piece that signals a post-ideological era.Choi, Jae-bong. Where is a North Korean Spy to go in the Age of Post-Ideology? 'Hankyoreh', August 10, 2006.
http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/book/148251.html Despite these accolades, some have criticized that Kim Young-has deterministic worldview led to overly cynical and negative depictions of South Koreas activist groups and their decline.Woo, Chan-je. The Net of the Connection Era and the Ontology of Ghosts Kim Young-has 'Bichui Jeguk'. Munhwayesul, 2006.
http://www.arko.or.kr/zine/artspaper2006_12/pdf/192.pdf
Adaptions
In 2016, 'Bichui jeguk' was adapted into a play bearing the same title by the combined efforts of the National Theater of Korea and the Centre Dramatique National Orlans. The play was performed in March and May of the same year in Korea and France, respectively. In Korea, English and French subtitles were provided for the foreign audiences in attendance.Park, Ta-hye. "Bonjour Korea, Meet the France Melted into Korea." 'Money Today', March 6, 2016.
https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2016030411182103447&outlink=1&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.naver.com Several French staff participated in the making of the play. In particular, Arthur Nauzyceil was in charge of directing and Valerie Mrejen handled the adaption. In addition to this, Pierre-Alain Giraud from the creative team brought to life on stage the both familiar and unfamiliar daily life of Seoul that was depicted in the novel. And Gaspard Yukievich designed the grayscale costumes, expressing the image of humans that become ever more blurry as they exist in a large world. The play also created excitement as it was the return to theatre for the actress Moon So-ri.To, Jae-jin. "[Performing Arts News] Hwang Hye-seon - Performance of 'Bichui Jeguk', Based on Kim Young-has Novel." 'The Catholic Times', February 27, 2016.
http://www.cpbc.co.kr/CMS/news/view_body.php?cid=621723&path=201602
Bibliography
Editions
Kim, Young-ha. 'Bichui jeguk'. Moonhakdongne, 2006.Translations
<< >>, , 2006 / 'Your Republic is Calling You.' Mariner Books, 2010.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/9518<< >>, , 2006 / 'L'EMPIRE DES LUMIRES.' Philippe Picquier, 2009.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/10182
<< >>, , 2006 / 'IM REICH DER LICHTER,' Heyne, 2008.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/10546
<< >>, , 2006 / 'Imperium wiate', Kwiaty Orientu, 2010.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/11561
<< >>, , 2006 / 'L'impero delle luci,' METROPOLI d'Asia, 2013.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/10782
<< >>, , 2006 / 'e svtla,' ARGO, 2013.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/8736
<< >>, , 2006 / ' ,' Sluntse, 2017.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/30321
<< >>, , 2006 / , , 2008.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/11137
<< >>, , 2006 / , , 2012.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/8358
<< >>, , 2006 / , , 2019.[Digital Library of Korean Literature] https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/node/40839
Awards
Manhae Prize for Literature (2007)Kim Young-ha Wins the Manhae Prize for Literature. Yonhap News, August 1, 2007. https://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=001&aid=0001714115
References
Further reading
*[http://kimyoungha.net/ Kim Young-has official website]
Category:2006 novels
Category:21st-century South Korean novels
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