"Gradually and Then Suddenly": Ernest Hemingway in Korea

Abstract: This paper explores the depth of Ernest Hemingway's impact on Korean literature and culture. Chronologically, it tells the story of Hemingway's reception in Korea from its beginning in the 1930s up to the present to reveal how Korean attitudes toward Hemingway have evolved over time, to the point where he is one of the most recognized and influential Western literary figures in Korea. Over the past ninety years, he has been introduced to Korean readers through translations, newspaper articles, and literary essays, along with film adaptations of his major novels. These different media have all been integral to the development of Hemingway's popularity on the Korean peninsula. Besides influencing important Korean writers like Seong-won Hong, Hemingway has become an icon of American culture and literature in South Korea—evident in a variety of art forms such as drama, pansori , and music, as well as in the branding of various kinds of businesses.