KOREAN LITERATURE

Course objectives

Educational Goals The curriculum of Korean studies at ISO aims to provide international and national students with a better understanding of Korea not only on the linguistic but also cultural profile. The course in Korean Literature will be dedicated to the period from its origins to the Chosŏn period (1392-1910). Several poetic literary genres will be analyzed: hyangga, ch'angga, sijo and kasa. We will focus in particular on the birth of the novel (sosŏl) which reached the peak of success in the seventeenth century, as a conclusion of the evolutionary process that, drawing on the indigenous cultural heritage and the Chinese narrative tradition, led to the achievement of the Korean alphabet Hang'ŭl and a rich production of literary prose, which joined the Chinese one. The novel P'ansori, a literary form based on the tradition of oral transmission that uses, no longer mythological or supernatural figures but, human stereotypes of the time, will also be studied. Some passages will be read and commented on within selected works. Specific Goals. At the end of the course the student will have to know the general lines of the history of Korean literature from its origins to the Chosŏn period (1392-1910), with particular attention to the relationship between literary texts and the cultural, historical, artistic and linguistic context in which they have been produced. Specifically, the student must acquire a certain knowledge of the literature and culture of the country he studies the language, through the tools provided to him for the analysis and interpretation of a literary text. To achieve this goal, in addition to lectures, the reading and a critical and contextualised analysis of a selected representative works of the literary period will be particularly helpful. The student will therefore be able in the future to analyze not only the literary and stylistic characteristics, but also the historical, social and philosophical ones of the text.

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SOMIN CHUNG Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Classes are conducted in English.
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of Korean history is useful for more easily understanding the course content.
Books
Bruno Antonetta L. e Riotto Maurizio, La Letteratura Coreana, Roma, L'Asino d'Oro, 2014. From chapter 1 to chapter 27 included
Frequency
In accordance with the university's regulations.
Exam mode
1. Written Test: 20 points 2. Group Project: Virtual Interview with a Literary Character - 10~11 points Objective: This project aims to have students go beyond textual comprehension to reinterpret and creatively express a literary character from a modern perspective. It is designed to comprehensively foster teamwork, critical thinking, and digital media literacy. * Submitting the interview script only is worth a maximum of 10 points. Submitting both the interview script and the video is worth a maximum of 11 points. (In this case, writing the script and the video production can be done as a team, and a team can consist of 2 to a maximum of 4 members). * Procedure: 1. Character Selection and Analysis: Select one fictional character to interview from the literary works covered in the course. With your team members, conduct an in-depth discussion and analysis of the character's personality, values, role in the story, and symbolic significance. 2. Interview Scriptwriting (in Italian): * Based on your analysis, write an interview script in Italian. * The script must demonstrate a deep understanding of the core content of the literary work. * Going beyond simple summary, the questions and answers should include the team's original interpretations of the character's actions and psychology, or an evaluation from a contemporary viewpoint. 3. Virtual Interview Video Production (using Google Vids): * Based on the completed script, produce a virtual interview video of no more than 10 minutes. * Utilize the various features of Google Vids to enhance the immersive quality of the interview (e.g., inserting images/videos showing the character's historical background, subtitles, sound effects, etc.). * The interview will be conducted in Italian. (Korean subtitles are recommended) * Evaluation Criteria: * Script: Understanding of the work and character, creativity of interpretation, depth of questions. * Submission: Interview script, link to the video. (Dicembre 19)
Bibliography
-Yu Mongin, I racconti di Ou. Un classico della letteratura coreana, a cura di Antonetta L. Bruno, Carocci Editore, 2019 -Hŏ Kyun, Hong Kiltong – Il brigante confuciano, a cura di Riotto M., Milano, O Barra O edizioni, 2004 -Kim Manjung, Il sogno delle nove nuvole, a cura di Riotto M., Sellerio Editore, Palermo 2002 -Lee Sanggu, Storia di Suk'yang e Storia della giovane Sugyŏng -Romanzi anonimi del XIX secolo , a cura di Mary Lou Emberti Gialloreti, MIM Edizioni Srl, 2022 -Principessa Hong, Memorie di una principessa di Corea del XVIII secolo, a cura di Vincenza D'Urso, O barra O edizioni Srl, Milano, 1998
Lesson mode
This course explores the trends and characteristics of classical Korean literature across different historical periods. Students will engage in in-depth analysis by reading major literary works representative of each era through their translated versions (with original texts provided as needed). All lectures and discussions will be conducted in English; however, related reference materials will be provided in Italian to offer a broader academic perspective.
  • Lesson code1027018
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseOriental languages and civilizations
  • CurriculumLingua coreana
  • Year2nd year
  • Duration12 months
  • SSDL-OR/22
  • CFU6