• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.119-130
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• 2018

In the late 1950s, departing from their unquestioning following of Soviet architecture, North Koreans attempted to discover the specificities of traditional Korean architecture and apply them to their contemporary monuments. This paper examines the ways in which North Korean architects developed their unique version of Socialist realism in the making of Pyongyang Grand Theater. The traditional elements in harmony with North Korea's political ideology-an early form of Juche ideology-and modern building technologies were to be viewed as contemporary elements, and not as a simple revival of the past. This study applies Socialist realism's compositional principle "national in form and socialist in content" to Pyongyang Grand Theater and examines specifically what "socialist content" and "national form" were and how the two were combined in the construction of Pyongyang Grand Theater. By situating the building in the context of localization of Socialist realism which is universal art principle of the communist world, this study contributes to the deeper and wider understanding of North Korea's Modern Joseon Architecture.

• Russian Language and Literature
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• no.66
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• pp.277-307
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• 2019

В данной работе эмпирически проанализированы материалы об опросе читеталей, читательских конференции, вечерах рабочей критики и записках чтения крестьян в качестве исходных данных, чтобы изучить понимание и требования массового читателя как субьекта советской культуры. В результате массовый читатель в 1920-х годах предпочитают классическую литературу, а не современную, и они ценят использование ясного и чистого русского языка, отражающего жизнь реальности, но избегая чрезмерно повторяющихся тем (гражданская война). Можно сказать, что они предпочитают литературу, которая может влиять на людей. Эстетические вкусы массовых читателей были особенно консервативными, особенно с ясным выражением и простым языком. В 1920-х годах массовый читатель создавал идентичность в качестве культурного субъекта в советской литературе на основе опыта участии в новой литературе. Но в начале 30-х годов массовый читатель теряет возможность использовать свою роль и способность как субъект советской культуры. Сталинский процесс культурного объединения в социалистический реализм, утвержденный в 1934 году, был сосредоточен на управлении и руководстве массами как советских культурных реципиентов, а не на понимании масс как субъектов. В результате массовый читатель был маргинализирован в советской литературе.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.7
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• pp.125-163
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• 2009

The artworks of Socialist Realism of the former Soviet Union, with the beginning of the 21st century, are gaining a new attention from art collectors. One reason for this might consist in the fact that relevant art pieces exemplify the ways in which they visualize ideas on the basis of their high-profile art tradition and also in which they integrate their utopian ideals with mysticism. These aspects of the Soviet art goes far beyond the wide-spread assumption that their art, as a means of propaganda, principally represents a political allegiance to the system. With Stalin coming into power in the 1930s, the artistic trend of Socialist Realism obtained a nationwide sympathy and support from people, giving birth to a new art which essentially corresponded to the demands of the political power. An official art current of the USSR over the period from the 1930s to 1950s, Socialist Realism was in tandem with the Communist commitment to the party and popularity, symbolizing a loyalty to the cause. It was thus characterized by plainness and lucidity so that ordinary people could gain easy access to art. Its salient feature, over an entire range of art, was an optimistic pursuit of a utopian dream. Therefore, it tallied with the popular sentiment for a Communist paradise, giving form to their beliefs in human agency working at the materialist world and also to such abstract concepts as force, fitness, and beauty by adding even mythical ideals. Its main subject matter includes harvest feasts of collective farms, imaginary socialist cities, grand marches of heroic laborers and in this way it served as a propaganda for a sacred utopia of socialist totalitarianism. On the other end of the spectrum, however, rose the second camp of art, which put an emphasis on bona-fide artistic activities of plastic art and on an artist's personal expression and freedom, as opposed to the surface optimism of Socialist Realism. Central to the Russian Avant Garde art, which prized the above-mentioned values, were Malevich's Geometric Abstraction and A. Rodchenko's Constructivism. Furthermore, in the transitional era of the late 20th century and the 21st century it was recognized that film art or electronic media art, rather than traditional genre of paintings, would function as a more efficient way of propaganda. These new genres were made possible by ridiculing the stereotypes of the Russian lifestyle and also by ignoring ethical or professional dimensions of artworks. That is, they reinvented themselves into a sort of field art, seemingly degrading the quality of artworks and transforming them into artifacts or simulacres in the very sense of post-modernism. The advent of the new era brought about the formation and occupation of pop culture of the younger generations, calling into question the idea of art as the class-determined. It also increased the attention to field art, which extensively found way to modern art centers, galleries, and exhibition projects. It can be stated that this was a natural outcome of human nature.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.115-126
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• 2019

Construction of the Pyongyang Railroad Station began in 1907 as an important foothold for the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula and the further invasion of Manchuria. As Pyongyang gradually grew in size and political significance, the Pyongyang Station came to have two responsibilities: Fulfill its functional role and serve as a monument to the growing dignity of the city. This study argues that the Pyongyang Station, newly rebuilt in 1958, was the first building to solve the demands for both functional expansion and the pursuit of monumentality. Stylistically, the original single-story wooden building became a three-story classical masonry building. The stylistic change symbolizes the political shift by which the building was reconstructed. The simple wooden building built by the Japanese, representing Pyongyang's status as a colonial provincial town, was transformed into an imposing gateway for the capital city of a newly born socialist state. Socialist Realism, correctly described by its slogan "socialist in content and national in form," harmoniously blended classical architecture, socialist symbols, and Korean local motifs. This study is significant in that it illustrates the historical changes and continuity of the Pyongyang Station from 1907, when it was first built, through the "liberated space" to the postwar reconstruction period of the 1950s.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.40
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• pp.159-183
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• 2015

This study examined the issue of criticism in Korean Chinese literature in 1990's. This is transitional time why China introduced a market economy system. It had an important effect on Korean Chinese society not the cultural climate but also literature. Besides, Diplomatic Relation between Korea and China in 1992 gave an impulsion to changing literature. So this study tried to take note of directionality of Korean Chinese literature through the Korean Chinese magazine Literature and Art(Munhakwayesul) and Zhangbaikshan. First issue of Korean Chinese literature in early 1990's is crisis and restoration of criticism genre. At that time criticism faced with what is modernity. Some critics insisted that criticism should to improve. So it was necessary to accept foreign theory. Then they were concerned postmodernism and deideology tendency. What was important thing is that they would find their culture identity. So few critics tried to communicated with world literature. Especially they emphasized communication with Korean writer who lives in other country. Ultimately they thought that Korean Chines literature must get literal universality and ethnic speciality. For example poet Nam-YoungJeon's totem poetry is representative work. The issues of Korean Chines criticism in 1990's are not directivity of literature but also directivity of culture identity. Korean Chines literature had departed from Socialistic realism little by little and had getting diversity. Above all things criticism aimed for international sense and ethnic culture identity.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.103-111
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• 2020

This article selected a feature film (1993) of Ken Loach who is widely known as 'Socialist Realism Film' director and attempted to explore the thesis of everyday (life) and alienation in daily space. To this end, major theories related to everyday life, dailiness, social space, daily space, alienation, and especially Henri Lefevre's discussions were used as the theoretical background and research methodology. According to the results, director Ken Loach presents the possibility of transformation of everyday life by criticizing the ills of capitalism that occur in public social spaces such as vacant lots and parking lots in and private daily spaces such as homes. It also emphasizes the reality that the alienation of the working class, which has no choice but to be exposed 'stone rain', is taken for granted and the paradox that the alienation from such reality can be achieved in everyday life. These research findings can be said to mean that the social space of everyday life is the basis for changing the dailiness of everyday life.