(English) MY FATHER'S LIBERATION

MY FATHER'S LIBERATION is the first full-length novel to be published in 32 years by Jeong Ji-A, a critically acclaimed realist” novelist, and winner of numerous literary awards including the Kim Yu-jeong Literary Award, Sim Hoon Grand Prize for Literature, Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award. 

Beginning with the line, Father died (…)  Oh Damn,” this novel makes readers cry and laugh with the power of narrative unique to Jeong Ji-A, despite the rather serious and heavy subject matter. The novel, which provides both a grand scale and an irresistible sense of immersion into the story, deals with the period of three days after the former partisan” father’s death as the present setting. However, once following the intertwined stories told at the funeral, the ordeal of 70 years of modern Korean history presents itself vividly. Combining the scars of history and family love, this work quenches the readers’ thirsts who long for bold narrative.  

The Partisan” Father who dreamt of an equal society, crossing Jiri Mountain and Baekun Mountain with a carbine rifle in his hand since after the Japanese colonialism era, has been bitterly defeated. But even then, Father lived as a socialist” in a capitalist” Korea, never giving up on his belief that an equal, fairer world will come eventually. In a society where everybody is well-fed and educated without discrimination, his acting as if he was on the verge of a revolution, was close to black comedy. The Father and I” have been running parallel all life. On the dawn of Labor Day, he died after crashing his head into a telephone pole. I” then hears four episodes surrounding the father during the three days of his funeral…… Would I” be able to let him go in the way he most wanted? 

(Chinese) 父亲的解放日志

小说以"前任游击队"父亲去世后的3天为背景,但如果跟着葬礼上错综复杂的故事,就会生动地展现解放后70年现代史的桎梏。 与如此雄壮的规模一起,同时给人带来无法放手投入感的只有Jung ji-a才能具备的叙事力量。 但是这部小说的真正妙趣或许在于"轻松"。 "父亲死了。 （……）这样的妈呀"开头的第一章中，读者们可能会找到感觉，但这本书虽然具有严肃的主题意识，但并不是一本正经的小说。 用南道津津有味的口才讲述的轶事虽然各自悲伤,但扑哧扑哧地笑起来,用一句"不要郁愤涌上心头,现在该'勇敢地做人',心里暖暖的"(秋千词,Kim mi-wol)。

소설은 ‘전직 빨치산’ 아버지의 죽음 이후 3일간의 시간만을 현재적 배경으로 다루지만, 장례식장에서 얽히고설킨 이야기를 따라가다보면 해방 이후 70년 현대사의 질곡이 생생하게 드러난다. 이러한 웅장한 스케일과 함께 손을 놓을 수 없는 몰입감을 동시에 안겨주는 것은 정지아만이 가능한 서사적 역량이다. 그러나 이 소설의 진정한 묘미는 어쩌면 ‘가벼움’에 있다. “아버지가 죽었다. (…) 이런 젠장”으로 시작하는 첫 챕터에서 독자들은 감을 잡겠지만 이 책은 진중한 주제의식에도 불구하고 ‘각 잡고’ 진지한 소설이 아니다. 남도의 구수한 입말로 풀어낸 일화들은 저마다 서글프지만 피식피식 웃기고, “울분이 솟다 말고 ‘긍게 사람이제’ 한마디로 가슴이 따뜻”(추천사, 김미월)해진다.