Cho Taeil

Cho Taeil (1941–1999) was a Korean poet.

He was born in 1941 in Gokseong, Jeollanam-do Province.

In 1959 when he was admitted to Gwangju High School, he learned about poetry from Kim Hyeonseung, a poet, and studied literature with Lee Seongbu and Mun Suntae.

In 1962, “Dasi podoeseo (다시 포도에서 From Grapes Again)” was chosen by Jeonnam Ilbo.

In 1963, he was admitted to Kyunghee University with Lee Seongbu, majoring in Korean literature.

When he was a sophomore in 1964, he received attention as his poem “Achim seonbak (아침 선박 Morning Vessel)” was chosen by Kyunghyang Shinmun.

He participated in a literary coterie, “Sinchunsi” with Lee Seongbu and Shin Sehun.

His first poetry collection, Morning Vessel (1965) tends to have modernistic aspects that are somewhat abstruse but he has converted to realism after he was published Theory of Kitchen Knife (1970).

He established the monthly poetry magazine, Siin, in 1969 to produce talented poets such as Kim Jiha and Kim Juntae.

He was one of the poets who actively engaged in social matters during the Yushin era, and led the Minjung poetry in the 1970s along with Shin Kyeongrim and Kim Jiha.

He launched a poetry magazine, Siin (시인 Poet) and played a leading role in establishing the Council of Writers for Freedom and Practice.

He became renowned for his participation in social issues after he published a poetry collection, Sikkalron (식칼론 Theory of Kitchen Knife) in 1970.

Representing his earlier poetry, Theory of Kitchen Knife was considered as a remarkable accomplishment of the 1970s’ poetry that reflected the society.

The kitchen knife is a tool to fight against the lack of political freedom as well as a tool to raise self-awareness.

At the same time, it does not belong to one person but it is a weapon that can be shared.

He considered the public to be an agent of historical development and focused on the public awareness.

In that regards, the series of “Theory of Kitchen Knife” particularly shed light on the rage of the public.

The rage of the public is ethical conduct that can be justified as lawful resistance of the oppressed.

He established the Council of Writers for Freedom and Practice in 1974 together with Lee Seongbu, Ko Un, Baek Nakcheong, Shin Kyeongrim and Hwang Seokyeong.

He was prolific even while he was behind bars many times.

He published a poetry collection, Gukto (국토 National Territory) in 1975, but it was banned right away.

Through the poetry collection, National Territory (1975), he bluntly criticized the filthy reality compared with the national territory that is filled with freedom and love.

In “Gukto seosi (국토 서시 National Territory Prologue),” the grass and stones refer to the public and he depicts the endless vitality of the public.

In 1977, he led the publication of Yang Seongu's poetry collection, Gyeoulgonghwaguk (겨울 공화국 Winter Republic) where Park Chung Hee's dictatorship was compared with a winter republic, for which he and Ko Un were arrested.

In 1978, the banned poetry collection, National Territory, was translated into Japanese and published by Likasyobo as part of the series of Korean modern poetry, which made him famous for a resistance poet.

In 1979 when he had a drinking bout on a rooftop and loudly criticized Park Chunghee and the Yushin dictatorship, he was arrested and put in jail.

He was released after 29 days and this has been referred to as Cho Taeil's rooftop event.

In 1980, he tried to issue a statement to request the lifting of martial law but he was sentenced 2 years in prison for violation of martial law.

In 1980, witnessing the brutal massacre in Gwangju, he described his rage and frustration that was “burning from deep inside” in a low tone (“Sorideul bunnohanda (소리들 분노한다 Voices Enraged)”).

His poetry of the late 1980s remarkably changed to highlight communion with nature in an effort to sublimate anguish.

His straightforward criticism during the Yushin era turned into a metaphorical form in Gageodo (가거도 Gageodo Island) (1983).

He said “The spring has not come yet” in “Bomsomun (봄소문 A Rumor of Spring)” as the Yushin dictatorship was replaced with another military dictatorship.

In 1988, he played a leading role to reorganize the Council of Writers for Freedom and Practice into the Association of Writers for National Literature and he served as the first executive director.

After he became a professor of creative writing in Gwangju University since 1989, he worked on writing poetry as well as poetic theories.

He died of liver cancer in 1999.

That year, he received a posthumous award.

In 2001, the memorial stone for the poem, “Pulssi (Grass Seed)” was set up in Gwangju, and in 2003, Cho Taeil Poetry Literature Hall was built.

In 2004, an anthology, Naneun noraega doieotta (나는 노래가 되었다 I Became a Song), edited by Shin Kyeongrim was published.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of his death, the Cho Taeil Literary Award was founded in 2019.

Lack of Political Freedom and the Public's Resistance