K-Book Review: “The Wings” by Yi Sang

Writer: Shivani Singh Chhaunkar (Delhi, India)

Editor: Prachi Vaid (Delhi, India)

Kim Hae-gyeong, known by his pen name Yi Sang, was born in 1910 and is one of the most prominent writers and a revolutionary figure of Modern Korean Literature. Though he was an architect by profession, he is well known for his short story titled “The Wings.” It was published in the Korean language magazine “Jogwang,” which was popular in colonial Korea. His works represent the surrealistic and psychological literature of that era. “The Wings” deals with depression, restlessness, mental confusion, consciousness, and ego death. Known for his experimental wordplay and avant-garde techniques, Yi Sang tragically died at the age of 26 due to tuberculosis in 1937.

THE PLOT

“The Wings” begins with an unsettling phrase, “Have you ever seen a stuffed genius? (박제가 되어버린 천재를 아시오?)” Here, stuffed refers to a taxidermied body that has retained its shape but has lost its vitality. The narrator of the novel is confined to a “sunless room,” which apparently has no windows. He is weak and at times unable to stay outside of his home for long hours. His energy levels are low, and his adventures often drain him even more. It is discussed that the protagonist resembles Yi Sang in certain aspects.

Deconstruction of this text reveals much-needed details beyond what meets the reader’s eyes. The man lives with his wife in House No. 33, located in Jongno 3 (sam)-ga, which was famous for its red-light district. She takes care of him and loves him a lot. He has the same feelings for her, too. He is unemployed while his wife entertains guests regularly at their house. He’s not sure what she does, but she gets paid, through which they sustain themselves.

He describes himself and his wife as being “like two suns.” This mainly refers to the sun on the Imperial Japanese flag and the Taegukgi symbol on the Korean flag. Frequent visits by visitors to their house refer to the subjugation of Koreans by the Japanese military and civil officials. At that time, countless women were forced to become “Comfort Women” who worked as sex slaves for the Japanese military men.

Even though they were living under one roof, both characters were living different lives. His wife Yeonshimi wears clean clothes and lives in a lavish room. Whereas the man only owns a Corduroy suit and is deprived of essentials. She enjoyed delicious food with her guests, whereas he had to “silently gulp down” unpalatable food. It was a contributing factor to why he gradually got weaker and paler. His wife controlled him and his actions. She often gave Adaline sedatives to keep him away from reality, which was much harsher than the alternate reality that she created on her own. However, she constantly tried to stand next to him, took care of him when he was sick, and provided him with food and money.

THE COLONIAL HISTORY

The narrator appears to be naive, but he’s definitely not clueless about his surroundings. He was an intellectual who knew about Marx and Malthus, too. In colonial Korea, writers were advised not to produce anti-colonial literature or stories that would provoke a sense of nationalism among them. Due to strong censorship, Yi Sang wrote his novel by incorporating metaphors to cross this barrier with ease. He believed that the artificial modernity brought by Japan was decadent for Korean society.

During the colonial period in Korea, sheer poverty was rampant, and Korean civilian men were forcefully drafted into the Japanese military as soldiers. Japan also tried to erase the identity of Koreans by prohibiting the usage of the Korean language and by compelling them to adopt Japanese names and customs.

The short story concludes with the main character standing on the rooftop of the Mitsukoshi department store saying, “Wings, spread out again! Fly. Fly. Let me fly once more.” These lines refer to the aspirations of Koreans who wanted to achieve liberation from the oppressive colonial rule and live their lives independently.

Have you read any of the literary works written by Yi Sang? What do you think about “The Wings”? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Moumita Mondal says:

July 18, 2026 at 5:07 pm

It sounds really interesting and different from usual stories. The whole idea of feeling lost and wanting to escape life in some way makes me curious. It feels like the kind of book that’s a bit deep and a little confusing, but in a way that makes you want to read more and slowly understand it better