Jung Yong-jun

2.1. Early Life and Education

Jung Yong-jun was born in 1981 in Gwangju, South Korea. He pursued his higher education at Chosun University, where he graduated with a degree in Russian studies. He furthered his academic career by studying creative writing at the same university's graduate school, earning a master's degree. Subsequently, he also engaged in doctoral studies in creative writing at Korea University. A notable aspect of Jung Yong-jun's early life was his experience with stuttering. From a young age, he developed strategies to manage his stutter, often attempting to subtly alter words or rephrase sentences to facilitate smoother communication. He has noted that while he stutters significantly when speaking with family, their understanding and lack of judgment allow him to communicate comfortably and express himself fully with them. This lifelong experience with stuttering has profoundly influenced his understanding of language, becoming a foundational element in his literary approach and a recurring theme in his works.

2.2. Literary Debut and Early Activities

Jung Yong-jun commenced his literary career at the age of 26, embarking on a path of writing fiction. He actively sought out fellow writers, attended literature classes, and eventually enrolled in graduate school to hone his craft. Despite initial uncertainties about his talent, he felt an unprecedented desire to continuously write, improve, and connect with the literary world, a motivation that has sustained his career to the present day. His official debut came in 2009 when his short story Good Night, Oblo (굿나잇, 오블로^Korean) was selected for the Hyundai Literature Prize for New Writers, published in the magazine Hyundai Literature. Following his debut, he quickly gained further recognition, with his short story Gana (가나^Korean) being selected for the 1st Webzine Moonji Literary Award's "Novel of the Month" in 2011. In the same year, his short story Tteo Tteo Tteo, Tteo (떠떠떠, 떠^Korean) earned him the 2nd Young Writer Award, marking the beginning of a prolific and acclaimed career.

3.1. Major Themes and Narrative Style

Jung Yong-jun's works frequently delve into profound and often challenging themes such as alienation, loss, and the fundamental meaning of existence. He employs a variety of narrative styles to explore these subjects, demonstrating a remarkable versatility in his storytelling. His short story collection Gana (가나^Korean) features a body wandering across the ocean, yearning for its home, an allegory for profound longing and displacement. In Meok-I (먹이_{The Feed}^Korean), he presents a delusional man's encounter with a wild predator within the confines of his own room, exploring the boundaries between reality and perception. Saranghaeseo geuraetseumnida (사랑해서 그랬습니다_{Because I Loved}^Korean) offers a particularly poignant and unsettling narrative, where a fetus in the womb takes its own life for the sake of its unintentionally pregnant young mother, pushing the limits of sacrificial love and despair. These examples showcase his unique ability to craft narratives that are at once intimate and universal, drawing readers into a deeply reflective space. The writer Paik Gahuim praised Jung Yong-jun's writing, stating, "The way his sentences draw the reader in is absolutely outstanding. The blade of the imagination of a novel where language is the protagonist, and of the writing skills that come from his small form is sharp and powerful. He stands on the ground with short but solid legs. That is how a writer should be." This observation underscores the impactful nature of his prose and his ability to evoke strong emotions and thoughts with precision.

3.2. View on Language and Expression

Jung Yong-jun's personal experience with stuttering has profoundly influenced his conceptualization of language and its manifestation in his literary works. His lifelong engagement with the challenges and nuances of verbal communication has led him to develop a deep, often philosophical, view on the nature of expression. This unique perspective is vividly illustrated in several of his stories. For instance, Tteo Tteo Tteo, Tteo (떠떠떠, 떠^Korean), a short story about the love of a stuttering man who works at an amusement park, directly reflects his personal struggle and offers a tender exploration of communication beyond words. His novel Babel (바벨^Korean) takes this exploration to an allegorical level, envisioning a dystopian future where humanity refrains from speaking due to a putrid smell, dubbed 'pellets,' resulting from a failed experiment aimed at crystallizing speech. This narrative explores the societal implications of a breakdown in verbal communication and the fundamental role of language in human connection, showcasing how his personal journey with stuttering has informed a broader, critical inquiry into the essence of human speech and its potential for both connection and decay.

4.1. Short Story Collections

Jung Yong-jun has published two significant short story collections:

• Gana (가나^Korean), published by Moonji Publishing in 2011. This collection includes stories like the titular Gana, which explores themes of longing and displacement, and Tteo Tteo Tteo, Tteo (떠떠떠, 떠^Korean), a story deeply informed by his experiences with stuttering and the nature of love. Another notable story from this collection is Meok-I (먹이_{The Feed}^Korean), which delves into psychological states.
• Aren't We Blood Relatives? (우리는 혈육이 아니냐_{Urineun hyeolyuki aninya}^Korean), published by Munhakdongne in 2015. This collection further explores the complexities of human relationships and the intricate bonds, or lack thereof, between individuals. It also contains the story Seolleung Sansaek (선릉산책^Korean), which later received the Hwang Sun-won Literary Award.

4.2. Novels

Jung Yong-jun has authored several novels that expand upon his thematic interests with greater narrative scope:

• Babel (바벨^Korean), published by Moonji Publishing in 2014 and 2015 (sources vary on the exact year, likely reflecting different editions or initial serialization). This novel is a profound exploration of language, communication, and societal decay, building upon his personal reflections on speech and its societal function.
• From Tonio (프롬 토니오^Korean), published by Munhakdongne in 2018. This work represents a continuation of his thematic explorations in a longer narrative format, engaging with new characters and intricate plotlines.

4.3. Translated Works

Several of Jung Yong-jun's works have been translated into other languages, introducing his unique literary world to a broader international audience, particularly in Japan.

• Seolleung Sansaek (宣陵散策^Japanese), translated by Fujita Reiko and published by Quon in October 2019, as part of the Korean Literature Short Stories series.
• Ghost (幽霊^Japanese), translated by Asada Emi and published by Sairyu-sha in October 2021.