A Study on the Issues in the Interpretation of Kim Sowol’s Poem “San-Yu-Hwa”(山有花) and His Perception of Nature

“San-Yu-Hwa” holds significant importance in the literary evaluation of Kim Sowol. This study begins by examining the structural elements of “San-Yu-Hwa” and reviewing its research history to establish a more comprehensive framework for understanding the poem. Furthermore, the goal of this paper is to elucidate the perception of nature embedded in “San-Yu-Hwa” by considering it within the broader context of Kim Sowol’s poetry. This study raises the issue that the prevalent interpretation of “San-Yu-Hwa” as a modern work based on ‘distance from nature’ may have resulted from an overemphasis on only certain aspects of the poem. Many previous studies have primarily focused on the distance between the poetic speaker and nature, treating elements such as the title, rhythm, and tense as secondary or disregarding them entirely. However, when considering the poem as a whole, an alternative interpretation is possible: the poetic speaker may not, in fact, maintain a distance from nature. In the broader context of Kim Sowol’s poetry, the poetic speaker tends to distance themselves from the city while seeking closeness to nature. In particular, ‘mountains’ in Kim Sowol’s poetry often serve as spaces for spiritual communion with the deceased or as sites of such longing. This can be attributed to the underlying worldview of his poetry, which is rooted in shamanism. While acknowledging the literary-historical significance of existing interpretations, this study argues for a broader exploration of the poem’s multiple layers of meaning. Through this approach, it aims to provide a more comprehensive perspective on Kim Sowol’s poetry.