Origins & Early Life

Kim Dong-in (Korean: 김동인; October 2, 1900 – January 5, 1951) was a Korean writer. Kim Dong-in, born on October 2, 1900, in Pyongyang, South Pyongan Province, Korean Empire, was a pioneer of realism and naturalism in Modern Korean literature. A son of a wealthy landowner, like many other young Korean intellectuals Kim took his higher education in Japan, attending the Meiji Academy in Tokyo and entering the Kawabata School of Fine Arts. Kim dropped out when he decided to pursue writing as a career.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1919, Kim and other advocates for "art-for-art's-sake-literature," launched the influential but transitory journal Creation (Changjo) in Japan along with Joo Yohan, Jeon Yeongtaek, Choi Seungman, and Kim Hwan. Creation took a stand against the didactic literature ("national literature" to put it another way) proposed by Yi Gwangsu, In Creation Kim published his debut story, "The Sorrows of the Weak" (Yakhanjaui seulpeum). In 1925, Kim published one of his most famous works, "Potato," which was a breakthrough in Korean "realist" fiction and a further salvo in his ongoing literary war with Yi Gwangsu. Kim lived an extravagant lifestyle (thanks to the inheritance received...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aaron Copland — Contemporary (Born in 1900) (1900): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Dennis Gabor — Contemporary (Born in 1900) (1900): Pioneering physicist known for the invention of holography and electron optics.
• Friedrich Nietzsche — Contemporary (Died in 1900) (1900): Influential German philosopher known for 'Will to Power' and 'Übermensch'
• Abanindranath Tagore — Contemporary (Died in 1951) (1951): Pioneering figure of the Bengal School, modernizing Indian art against Western influence.
• André Gide — Contemporary (Died in 1951) (1951): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• Arnold Schoenberg — Contemporary (Died in 1951) (1951): Modernist composer who pioneered atonality and the twelve-tone technique.
• Ayumi Hamasaki — Shared historical date (10-02 · Born) (1978): Japanese Pop Icon, 'Empress of Pop,' best-selling solo artist in Japan.
• Badly Drawn Boy — Shared historical date (10-02 · Born) (1969): English indie singer-songwriter known by the stage name Badly Drawn Boy.
• Alfred Brendel — Shared historical date (01-05 · Born) (1931): Czech-born Austrian pianist, composer, and scholar renowned for Beethoven.
• Amelia Earhart — Shared historical date (01-05 · Died) (1939): Iconic American aviator whose pioneering flights shaped early 20th-century aviation.
• 1900 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1900
• October 2 (10-02) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 2
• 1951 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1951
• January 5 (01-05) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 5