Experts in literature and national heritage to gather at Ttangkkeut Sunrye Literary Hall on Oct. 31
Ttangkkeut Sunrye Literary Hall in Haenam-gun is set to formally examine the literary and cultural heritage value of the "foil poems," the most celebrated artifacts left by poet Kim Nam-ju.
A national academic symposium titled "The Language of Scratching, the Poetics of Inscription: The Foil Inside a Milk Carton and the Poetry of Kim Nam-ju" will be held at 1 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the first-floor lobby of the literary hall.
Kim, a native of Samsan-myeon in Haenam-gun, has drawn renewed attention this year — he was posthumously awarded the Order of Civil Merit Magnolia Medal in June, and in September a retrial of the "Nam Min-jeon case" ended in a not-guilty verdict. The symposium is drawing interest as an occasion to reexamine the poet's life, work and the significance of the handwritten materials he left behind.
The foil poems are prison writings Kim scratched onto the inner foil of milk cartons using a sharp implement during his incarceration, when he had no free access to pen and paper. They are considered invaluable records that illuminate not only his literary output but also the social conditions of the 1980s and the circumstances under which he created while imprisoned.
The symposium will feature a poetry reading performance, an author discussion, a keynote address and thematic presentations. Topics will range from personal recollections by writers who knew Kim directly, to literary interpretations of his work, to the foil poems' characteristics as a medium and their value as national heritage.
Hosted by poet Baek Ae-song, the event will open with a poetry reading performance by theater company Saegyeol. That will be followed by an author discussion titled "The Kim Nam-ju I Knew," featuring poets Kim Hyeong-su, Go Hyeong-ryeol and Gang Hyeong-cheol, and a keynote address by poet Do Jong-hwan, a former minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The second session will feature three presentations: the sociocultural significance and value of Kim Nam-ju's poetry in the 1980s, by Go Yeong-jik; the media characteristics and literary-historical value of Kim Nam-ju's foil poems, by Lee Eun-gyu; and a review of the national heritage value of Kim Nam-ju's handwritten manuscripts, by Lee Su-gyeong. Jang Eun-yeong, Yang Sun-mo and Kim Seon-gi will serve as discussants. Oh Chang-eun, a professor at Chung-Ang University, will chair the general discussion.
After the symposium concludes, the Kim Nam-ju Literary Festival, organized by the Kim Nam-ju Memorial Foundation, will follow on the outdoor stage of the literary hall.
In 2024, Ttangkkeut Sunrye Literary Hall received on deposit about 600 personal effects from Park Gwang-suk, the poet's surviving spouse, including six of the foil poems, and has since been displaying and managing them. The symposium is expected to extend the foil poems — previously introduced through exhibition — into the realm of academic inquiry, with an in-depth look at their literary-historical significance and their value for preservation and future use.
The event is open to all interested members of the public. Inquiries can be directed to Ttangkkeut Sunrye Literary Hall.
"Kim Nam-ju's foil poems are precious literary materials with historical significance, rarity and a uniquely unconventional method of creation," a county official said. "Through this symposium, we aim to systematically establish the value of the foil poems and lay an academic foundation for their future preservation and use."
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