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Yoon Dong-Ju Literature Museum: A Museum Dedicated to Korea's Most Beloved Poet

by Korean Literature Now October 16, 2023

Yoon Dong-Ju Literature Museum: A Museum Dedicated to Korea's Most Beloved Poet

Foreword

Wising not to have

so much as a speck of shame

toward heaven until the day I die,

I suffered, even when the wind stirred the leaves.

With my heart singing to the stars,

I shall love all things that are dying.

And I must walk the road

that has been given to me.

Tonight, again, the stars are

brushed by the wind.

Who is the most beloved poet in Korea?

Korea’s own Yoon Dong-Ju.

Today, in The Place, we will explore

the Yoon Dong-Ju Literature Museum.

Let’s go!

Florian Krapf

Competed in the Netflix reality series Physical: 100

Guest starred in the MBC every1 series Welcome, First Time in Korea?

Let’s see.

We’ve come a pretty long way.

Here it is, Yoon Dong-Ju Literature Museum.

We’re here.

The Place Seochon Literary Tour: Yoon Dong-Ju Literature Museum

Formerly a pressurization facility and multiple water tanks,

the Literature House was designed to commemorate the works of Yoon,

which were as inspirational as the pressurized pumps

that allowed water to flow mightily.

The first thing that caught my eye was this well.

This was the actual well that sat in the poet’s house.

“Self-Portrait”

Coming round the mountain, I go up alone to

the solitary well at the edge of the rice field

and peer in, quietly.

[...]

by Yoon Dong-Ju

tr. Kyung-Nyun Kim Richards, Steffen F. Richards

Sky, Wind, and Stars, Asian Humanities Press, 2003

One of his poems is the work titled “Self-Portrait.”

It also mentions a well.

I believe he may have been inspired by this well.

Behind me, you’ll see many photographs on display.

They speak to the thoughts and contemplations that ran through Yoon Dong-Ju’s mind.

Poet’s House (Gallery 1)

The poet’s life is featured in chronological order across 9 displays

through photographs and prints of handwritten manuscripts.

They tell of the poet’s thoughts on his art.

I see the covers of many books on the other side.

Excuse me. May I know what those books are?

Jung Rin Kang / Docent (Kang) : Yoon Dong-Ju was a poet and writer but he was also a voracious reader.

He was fond of Baek Seok and Chong Chi-Yong’s collections

as well as Kim Yeongrang’s Yeong-rang Collection and The Eulhae Collection of Great Poems.

Florian Krapf (Florian): It’s amazing that we get to experience the same thoughts and dilemmas he had.

Kang : Yoon Dong-Ju would walk the lengths of Inwangsan Mountain and be inspired to write poetry.

That was the reason this museum was built here.

Florian: Let’s head to the next exhibition hall.

Come with me.

We are inside the second gallery.

As you can see, it’s titled Open Well.

Open Well (Gallery 2)

Inspired by the well from Yoon’s “Self-Portrait,“

the gallery features the open roof of a repurposed water tank.

Wells held much significance for Yoon.

The space was designed with that motif in mind.

Let’s head to the third gallery.

I hear something.

Closed Well (Gallery 3)

Closed Well has preserved a disused water tank in its original form.

Videos of the poet’s life and art are screened in a room

meant for silence and self-reflection.

The roof is closed, hence the title Closed Well.

This is a great place for quiet contemplation.

In 1941, Yoon collected 18 of his writings and “Foreword“

to create the collection Sky, Wind, and Stars.

Imprisoned for aiding in his country’s independence effort,

Yoon died in prison after a year and a half.

He passed away at the age of 27

without witnessing the publication of his collection.

His works continue to shine and provide comfort to so many people.

That is the power of literature.

We hope you too can feel a measure of comfort

from Yoon Dong-Ju’s poetry today.

I’ll see you at our next place.

Bye bye!

Foreword

Wising not to have

so much as a speck of shame

toward heaven until the day I die,

I suffered, even when the wind stirred the leaves.

With my heart singing to the stars,

I shall love all things that are dying.

And I must walk the road

that has been given to me.

Tonight, again, the stars are

brushed by the wind.

플로리안: 한국에서 가장 사랑 받는 시인은 누구일까요?

시인 윤동주입니다.

오늘 함께 할 [The Place]은 ‘윤동주문학관’입니다.

그럼 여러분, 출발해 볼까요?

어디 보자~

먼 길을 내려왔는데

여기구나! 윤동주문학관

다 왔습니다.

윤동주문학관

버려진 수도가압장과 물탱크를 개조해 재탄생한 윤동주문학관.

느린 물살에 압력을 가해 힘차게 흐르도록 도와주는 가압장처럼

새로운 자극을 주는 시인의 작품을 기념하는 공간.

가장 먼저 눈에 들어온 건 ‘우물’이에요.

이 우물은 윤동주 시인이 살던 집에 있던 실제 우물을 옮겨와 전시해 두었어요.

윤동주 시 중에 「자화상」이 있잖아요.

자화상

윤동주

산모퉁이를 돌아 논가 외딴 우물을 홀로 찾아가선

가만히 들여다봅니다.

[...]

그 시에도 우물이 등장하는데요.

제 생각에는 이 우물을 보면서 영감을 받지 않았을까 싶어요.

그리고 제 뒤에 보면 여러 사진이 전시되어 있는데요.

시인채 (제1전시실)

9개의 전시대에 시인의 인생을 시간적 순서에 따라

배열한 사진 자료들과 함께 친필원고 영인본이 전시.

시인의 시심을 느낄 수 있는 공간.

건너편에는 굉장히 많은 책 표지들이 보이는데요.

실례가 되지 않는다면 어떤 책들인지 알려주실 수 있나요?

해설사: 윤동주는 시인이자 문학가였지만 다방면의 책을 많이 읽었던 독서광이기도 했어요.

특히 백석 시집과 정지용 시집, 김영랑의 『영랑시집』과 『을해명시선집』을 특히 좋아했습니다.

플로리안: 윤동주 시인의 당시 고민과 생각을 우리도 직접 경험할 수 있어서 좋을 것 같아요.

해설사: 윤동주 시인이 인왕산 자락을 거닐면서 시상을 떠올렸던 인연으로 윤동주문학관을 이곳에 세우게 된 계기가 되었습니다.

플로리안: 이어서 다음 전시실로 넘어가 보도록 하겠습니다. 따라오세요!

(제1전시실) 시인채에 이어서 제2전시실로 들어왔습니다.

보시다시피 ‘열린우물’이라는 공간인데요.

열린 우물 (제2전시실)

윤동주의 시 '자화상'에 등장하는 우물에서 모티브를 얻어

용도 폐기된 물탱크의 윗부분을 개방하여 ‘열린 우물'이라 함.

우물이라는 존재가 윤동주 시인에게 큰 의미가 있기 때문에

모티브를 삼아 이런 콘셉트로 만든 것 같아요.

그럼 바로 이어 제3전시실로 가보도록 하겠습니다.

소리가 나네요?

뭐지?

닫힌 우물 (제3전시실)

용도 폐기된 물탱크를 원형 그대로 보존하여 만든 '닫힌 우물'.

침묵과 사색의 공간으로 조성해 시인의 일생과 시 세계를 담은 영상물 상영.

윗 부분이 닫혀 있어서 ‘닫힌 우물’이라고 합니다.

사색하거나 침묵하기에 괜찮은 장소인 것 같아요.

윤동주 시인은 스물일곱 살에 하늘의 별이 되었는데요.

아직도 그의 작품은 반짝이고 수많은 사람들의 상처를 보듬어 주고 있는데요.

이것이 바로 문학의 힘이 아닐까 싶어요.

여러분들도 오늘 하루는 윤동주 시인의 시를 통해 따뜻한 위로를 느꼈으면 좋겠습니다.

여러분 우리는 다음 플레이스에서 보도록 하죠.

Bye~ Bye!

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