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목계장터 / Mokgye-Jangteoh (The Marketplace) by Kyung-rim Shin is an anthology of poems published in 2012. In this book, the author’s work to date is arranged in groups of similarly-themed texts. Some of the most famous poems included in it are: “농무 / Nong-mu” (Farm Dance), “목계장터 / Mokgye-Jangteoh” (The Marketplace), “가난한 사랑 노래 / Gananhan Sarang Norae” (Love Song of the Poor), and “길 / Gil” (The Road). Kyung-rim Shin, born in 1936, mostly deals with the side effects of Korean urbanization, focusing especially on the rural villagers who had to deal with the emptiness of small villages and the decline of small farms. He makes notable use of traditional Korean imagery, historical references, and anecdotes to deliver his ideas through poetry.

These days, even Korean students need to use a Koran dictionary to fully understand Mr. Shin’s poems. It is a good idea to have a good grasp of Chinese when reading Korean poetry from the past or from older authors, because many Korean words are derived from Chinese. For example, “농무” (Farm Dance) literally translates into “agriculture-dance” in Chinese. This poem paints a scene that is rarely seen in Korea these days, mentioning words like “징 / jing” (Korean cymbals), “꽹과리 / Kwengwari” (another type of Korean cymbals), and “쇠전” (butcher shop). It describes a night spent by the poet in an impromptu festival in an agricultural village. Another poem, “목계장터,” makes frequent use of eastern Confucian imagery, mentioning the “하늘” (sky), the “땅” (ground), the “청룡” (blue dragon), and the “백룡” (white dragon). This imagery helps evokes a complete and peaceful state of mind in the midst of a traditional marketplace that complements the natural surroundings.

"Kyung-rim Shin is a celebrated poet and readers who wish to find out more about the emotional and ideological background behind Korea’s movement towards industrialization should definitely check out this anthology."

Sometimes, even looking at a dictionary is not enough, as Mr. Shin uses a lot of outdated slang with historical connotations, especially in the poem “농무.” For instance, he uses nicknames for villagers, like “꺽정이” and “서림이.” Without historical knowledge, these nicknames can simply be passed off as equivalents of “Bob” and “Joe.” However, they are the names of infamous Korean politicians from the Choseon dynasty, who caved in to greed and betrayed their country to outer powers. There are many such examples in Mr. Shin’s poetry, even outside this anthology.

In the poems “가난한 사랑노래” and “길,” Mr. Shin takes on a vaguer and more pedantic approach to delivering his message. “가난한 사랑노래” uses an anecdotal voice to activate readers’ empathy, as he describes the pains of poverty, love, and everything else in life. He mentions all the sacrifices a boy from a small village must make to succeed in a city he was forced to move into in order to make money. The urban imagery is mixed with cool colors and the frequent mention of snow, giving the city a cold and unappreciative atmosphere. This poem is pedantic in that it was used almost like a warning for peasants who were eager to move into the city during the era of industrialization in the 60s and 70s. “길” is more universal. It is simply a reminder to all readers that life does not always wind up as clearly as a road. The first line, “사람들은 자기들이 길을 만든 줄 알지만 길은 순순히 사람들의 뜻을 좇지는 않는다” (People think they pave the roads, but the roads don’t always listen), summarizes the whole text pretty well. Kyung-rim Shin is a celebrated poet and readers who wish to find out more about the emotional and ideological background behind Korea’s movement towards industrialization should definitely check out this anthology.

"The author makes notable use of traditional Korean imagery, historical references, and anecdotes to deliver his ideas through poetry."