Parkmunseogwon’s Literary Publications and the Reflection of the Publishing Environment

During the Enlightenment Period, Parkmunseogwan’s publication of literary works aimed at enlightening the public and promoting patriotism. However, by the 1910s, under the control of Japanese colonial rule, the publishing industry shifted towards profit-driven genres, with a significant expansion of new and classical novels aimed at entertainment and leisure. Particularly, as competition for publishing classical novels intensified, the Gyeongseong Book Publishers Association controlled the duplication of classical novels through an exclusive publishing rights system. Other new and classical novels, which were not subject to the association’s regulations, were published by borrowing publishing rights from Parkmunseogwan’s holdings, authors, or various copyright holders. Having laid the foundation for its business through the publication of new and classical novels, Parkmunseogwan did not limit itself to this and sought to diversify its publishing activities. In the 1920s, they showed interest in entering the high-end literary market for intellectuals, publishing various translations and new literary works. In the 1930s, they took it as their mission to contribute to society by publishing high-quality translations, adaptations, new literary works, and classical texts. Through the publication of works with consideration for the public’s economic accessibility, Parkmunseogwan expanded the base for high-quality literature and published a wide variety of literary works, including literary anthologies, children’s books, and film adaptations. Additionally, it established Boseong Seogwan to explore and cultivate a new market for popular literary works.