RAS Korea lecture takes aim at early 20th-century vernacular Korean humor
There's a lot of information out there about Korean history, whether through academic study, historical sites or even period K-dramas. We know, or at least think we know, how society functioned, how people dressed, where they lived and so on. But was Korea ever funny? The history of humor in Korea has been largely overlooked by historians. When a visiting professor at Korea University introduced…
The early 20th century saw a lack of academic focus on the humorous aspects of Korean culture. A Korean joke book from 1916, discovered by a visiting professor at Korea University, sparked interest in the subject for G.S. Hand, a graduate student and now professional literature translator. Hand felt compelled to translate these jokes after witnessing them, as he found them amusing and believed many were unaware of their existence.
Scholars specializing in Korean modern literature often study works from later periods, while classical literature scholars typically examine earlier texts, rarely delving into humor. The Kkalkkal Useum now houses 72 short humorous texts that were deemed amusing in 1916, although many likely predate the Joseon Dynasty, which spanned from 1392 to 1910.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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