Kim Seung-ok’s Science Fiction : Research Tradition and Scholarly Significance of “50 years from now, One Day of the D.π.9 Editor”

This study aims to recontextualize the themes and significance of Kim Seung-ok’s only science fiction work, “50 years from now, One Day of the D.π.9 Editor”. Originally commissioned in 1970 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dong-A Ilbo, “D.π.9” has traditionally been regarded as a conte. However, recent research has rediscovered this concept as science fiction. While both perspectives provide valuable insights, they fail to establish a broader continuum that links “D.π.9” to Kim’s other literary works, which this study seeks to achieve. First, the motif of distorted diagnosis and prescription appearing in Kim’s cartoons and previous works such as “A Journey to Mujin”(Mujingihaeng) and “Shall we have some tea”(Chana hanjan)is consistently presented in “D.π.9.” Second, this recurring motif reflects Kim’s political and sociological awareness, which stems from his career as a current-affairs cartoonist. The work engages with contemporary issues such as the significance of Mars exploration, the symbolic connection between childbirth and the scientific civilization, and the major scandal of the time—the Jung In-sook case—all of which are directly or indirectly reflected in “D.π.9.” Although these features resonate deeply with Kim's mode of literary figuration, they also leave room for the work to be interpreted as a text of political criticism. In this sense, the novel should be recognized as one of Kim’s most significant works, revealing the ills of the 1970s Korean society through his unique literary vision.