Ma Kwang-soo

1.1. Early Life and Education

Ma Kwang-soo was born on 14 April 1951, in Hwaseong-gun (now Hwaseong), during the 1.4 Retreat of the Korean War, while his parents, originally from Seoul, were fleeing south. He experienced a difficult childhood, growing up with a single mother after his father, a war photographer, was killed during the Korean War. He settled in Seoul at the age of seven (first grade), where he endured a sickly and impoverished upbringing. Despite these challenges, he enjoyed reading and showed a talent for art.

He graduated from Seoul Cheonggye Elementary School in March 1963, then attended Daegwang Middle School and Daegwang High School. During his senior year of high school, he debated between studying fine arts and Korean literature before deciding on the latter. In 1969, he entered Yonsei University at the top of his class in the Korean Language and Literature Department. During his undergraduate years, he played a key role in establishing the department's theater group, and was active in the Yonsei Literary Society, as a PD for the campus broadcasting station, and as a journalist for the school newspaper. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Korean Language and Literature in 1973, he pursued graduate studies at Yonsei University. While there, he adapted and directed Yangbanjeon, considered the first madanggeuk (Korean traditional outdoor play) in South Korea. He earned his Master's degree in Korean Literature in 1975, and his doctoral degree in 1983 with a dissertation on the poet Yun Dong-ju.

1.2. Literary Debut and Teaching Career

Ma Kwang-soo made his official literary debut in 1977. He published six poems, including "To the Belly Button" (배꼽에^Korean), "Song of a Ruffian" (망나니의 노래^Korean), "Goguryeo" (고구려^Korean), "Contemporary Marriage" (당세풍(當世風)의 결혼^Korean), "Cowardice" (겁(怯)^Korean), and "Zhuangzi's Death" (장자사(莊子死)^Korean) in the magazine Hyundae Munhak (Modern Literature), recommended by the renowned poet Park Doo-jin.

From 1975 to 1978, while pursuing his doctoral studies, he served as a lecturer at Yonsei University, Hanyang University, and Kangwon National University. In 1979, he was appointed as a full-time lecturer and later assistant professor in the Department of Korean Language Education at Hongik University, where he remained until 1983. Following the completion of his doctoral degree in 1983, he returned to Yonsei University as an assistant professor in the Department of Korean Language and Literature. During the Fifth and Sixth Republics, he began to gain recognition for his blunt criticisms and satires of what he perceived as the excessive didacticism and hypocrisy prevalent in Korean literature. He was subsequently promoted to associate professor and then full professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Yonsei University. In 1989, he debuted as a novelist with Boredom (권태^Korean) and also published I Like a Naughty Woman (나는 야한 여자가 좋다^Korean). However, the latter book received severe criticism from the media upon publication, leading to the cancellation of his lectures six months later.

2.1. Core Tenets

Ma Kwang-soo fundamentally believed that literature should serve as a means of creative deviation and an escape from dominant ideologies. He argued that the true purpose of literature is not to act as a moral textbook for the uneducated or to indoctrinate citizens. He asserted that if literature were burdened with the role of a solemn, innocent teacher or ideologue, its imaginative power and freedom of expression would be suffocated. For Ma, a writer's responsibility was to question whether the prevailing, useful values of society were truly righteous. He famously stated that blindly following established morals and values, or pretending to be a "gentle teacher," was the worst quality a writer could possess.

2.2. Critique of Korean Literature

Ma Kwang-soo was a fierce critic of what he saw as the hypocrisy, conservatism, and excessive moralizing within Korean literary traditions. He targeted the "gentlemanly literature" rooted in the Joseon Dynasty's upper-class culture, as well as literature packaged with ideologies and didactic lessons. He launched unreserved critiques, including of the Minjung literature movement, arguing that while some Korean literary figures advocated for the "people" and "people's literature," their actual prose style often failed to escape the "dignified literature" of the traditional upper class.

He also criticized the tendency of Korean novels to be excessively long, often spanning five or six volumes, and even short stories frequently exceeding 100 pages. He attributed this phenomenon to authors' preference for "quantity over quality," which he saw as paired with the prevalence of "intellectualist novels" that prioritized moral instruction. This specific criticism extended to acclaimed epic novels by popular literary figures.

2.3. Views on Education and Student-Teacher Relations

Ma Kwang-soo also critiqued the authoritarian nature of the Korean education system, particularly the hierarchical relationship between educators and students. He argued against the prevalent attitude of treating students as inferiors. He frequently advocated, "Professors, students are not inferiors," challenging the traditional, Confucian-influenced view where teachers held absolute authority and students were expected to be unconditionally subservient. This stance contributed to an ongoing debate about dehumanizing and authoritarian treatment of students by teachers and universities, fostering increased societal interest in student rights.

3.1. Publication and Controversy

Ma Kwang-soo gained widespread attention in the early 1990s, especially after the publication of his novel Happy Sara (즐거운 사라_{Jeulgeoun Sara}^Korean) in 1991. The novel quickly ignited an obscenity debate due to its controversial content, particularly its depiction of a female university student engaging in sexual relationships with her professor. This drew strong opposition from conservative media outlets, literary figures (such as Lee Mun-yeol), and university professors, many of whom questioned Ma Kwang-soo's qualifications as a professor given the book's themes. Some conservative critics went as far as describing his work as "nauseating" and "worthless."

Amidst the controversy, Ma Kwang-soo argued that his writing was a rebellion against the "dignified," "gentlemanly," and "didactic" traditions of Korean literature. He stated that Korean novels, no matter how sexually explicit, often maintained a tone of reverence and concluded with moralistic lessons or reflections, and that he aimed to challenge this by creating a character like Sara, who defies such conventional endings.

3.2. Arrest, Trial, and Sentencing

Despite support from a minority of progressive and liberal writers, on 29 October 1992, Ma Kwang-soo was abruptly arrested during a lecture. He was charged with producing and distributing obscene material, as Happy Sara was classified as obscene. Prosecutors justified the arrest by stating that while freedom of expression was acknowledged, the novel violated social norms and could negatively influence adolescent readers by encouraging imitative behavior. They also claimed that prior warnings and sanctions had been ineffective, and Ma had continued to promote his work more explicitly. Ma Kwang-soo later claimed that Hyun Soong-jong, then Prime Minister and a former law professor, had issued a special directive for his arrest without a warrant.

Following his arrest, public curiosity surged, leading to Happy Sara selling out. While conservative groups, including six Confucian organizations (Sungkyunkwan, Yudohoe) and ten religious youth groups, along with writer Lee Mun-yeol, welcomed the arrest, a counter-movement emerged. Between 200 and 300 literary and publishing figures, including Ko Un, Kim Byung-ik, and Yu An-jin, issued a joint statement condemning the perceived infringement on artistic freedom and suppression of publishing. On 2 November, writers and about 50 Yonsei University students protested his arrest in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. However, the Sixth Republic government reportedly suppressed these protests, labeling them as pro-communist. Ma Kwang-soo appealed his case multiple times, but his appeals were consistently rejected. On 28 December 1992, the Seoul District Court sentenced him to eight months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence, after which he was released.

3.3. Academic Consequences and Reinstatement

The legal proceedings had severe repercussions on Ma Kwang-soo's academic career. In 1993, he was suspended from his position at Yonsei University due to the legal scandal. On 16 June 1995, the Supreme Court rejected his final appeal, upholding the original verdict. Consequently, on 8 August 1995, Yonsei University officially dismissed him from his professorship.

q=Yonsei University, Seoul|position=right
However, the political landscape shifted, and public opinion began to favor his reinstatement, especially after the transition to civilian government. In 1998, Ma Kwang-soo received a special pardon and was reinstated to his professorship at Yonsei University. Despite this, he reportedly suffered from depression for a period following these events. In 2000, he faced further challenges when he was reportedly rejected for reappointment during a review, allegedly due to ostracism from his colleagues in the Korean Language and Literature Department. Although the university initially suspended the decision due to strong student protests, Ma Kwang-soo, experiencing severe trauma-induced depression, took a leave of absence. He was eventually reinstated in 2002, though he took another leave of absence at the end of that semester due to worsening depression. He fully recovered and returned to Yonsei University in 2004, resuming his lectures and public speaking engagements. He was re-promoted to full professor in 2007 and officially retired in August 2016.

3.4. Societal Impact and Freedom of Expression

The "Happy Sara" incident transcended a mere legal case, becoming a significant cultural event that illuminated the profound tensions between artistic freedom, censorship, and the evolving social liberalism in South Korea during the 1990s. It served as a critical moment in the ongoing struggle for human rights and democratic expression.

The arrest of Ma Kwang-soo sparked a nationwide debate, polarizing society between those advocating for artistic freedom and those upholding traditional moral values. Conservative media and literary figures, including Lee Mun-yeol, vehemently criticized his work as obscene and harmful, especially to youth. Conversely, liberal and progressive intellectuals, including prominent literary figures like Ko Un, rallied in support of Ma Kwang-soo, framing his prosecution as an egregious act of censorship and an infringement on the fundamental right to freedom of expression. This incident highlighted the deep-seated remnants of Confucian authoritarianism within South Korean society, where figures like university professors were traditionally regarded as sacred, and any deviation from perceived moral norms was met with severe condemnation.

The case also drew international attention. Media outlets in Japan and the United States reported on the controversy, often adopting a critical perspective on South Korea's suppression of artistic freedom. An article in the International Herald Tribune on 2 April 1993, titled "South Korea's Lonely Erotica Master," commented that Ma Kwang-soo's imprisonment made South Korea "the only democratic country in the 1990s unique in jailing writers and restricting their activities for reasons of fictional literary works." Literary critic Kang Jun-man later assessed Ma Kwang-soo's plight, stating that "Ma Kwang-soo's crime was being ahead of his time," noting that South Korea, during this period, exhibited a more severe form of intellectual authoritarianism than political authoritarianism, unique among democratic nations.

The "Happy Sara" controversy mirrored earlier obscenity cases in Korean history, such as Jeong Bi-seok's Lady Freedom and later cases involving films like Madame Aema, but the academic status of Ma Kwang-soo intensified the public outrage. The incident significantly contributed to the discourse on obscenity, artistic liberty, and the need for a more open and tolerant society, setting a precedent for future debates on censorship and freedom of expression in South Korea.

4.1. Post-Controversy Academic Life

After his special pardon and reinstatement to Yonsei University in 1998, Ma Kwang-soo resumed his teaching career. However, his academic journey was not without further challenges. In June 2000, he was reportedly denied reappointment during a faculty review, allegedly due to issues with his publication record and perceived ostracization by colleagues in the Department of Korean Language and Literature. This led to strong protests from students, prompting the university to initially suspend the decision. Nevertheless, Ma Kwang-soo entered a psychiatric hospital due to severe depression, which he attributed to feelings of betrayal, and subsequently took a leave of absence from the university. He was reinstated again in 2002 but took another leave at the end of that semester as his depression worsened.

By 2004, his health had recovered, and he returned to Yonsei University, actively engaging in lectures and public speaking. In 2007, he was re-promoted to full professor. In the late 2000s, despite the controversy, he taught general education courses at Yonsei University such as "Understanding Theater" and "Literature and Sexuality." He retired from Yonsei University in August 2016, but reportedly continued to suffer from depression following the series of incidents throughout his life.

4.2. Public Engagements and Media Appearances

Beyond academia, Ma Kwang-soo maintained a public presence through various activities. He was frequently invited as a speaker for various lectures and actively expressed his views on Korean society and literature. In 2009, he appeared on tvN's talk show Baek Ji-yeon's People Inside, where he openly voiced his dissatisfactions with Korean society, younger writers, his Yonsei University colleagues, and even the prosecutors and judges involved in his legal case.

In April 2010, his 1989 essay collection I Like a Naughty Woman was adapted into a theatrical play, generating significant public interest. The play featured the character 'Sara,' inspired by the protagonist of Happy Sara, with Ma Kwang-soo himself serving as the motif for the 'Professor Ma' character. In 2011, he published new novels titled A Letter of Crazy Words and Youth of Beautiful Youth. In 2017, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his literary debut, he released Ma Kwang-soo's Selected Poems, a collection featuring 119 poems, including selections from his six previous poetry collections from House of a Mad Horse (1980) to Everything Goes Sadly (2012), along with over ten newly written pieces.

5.1. Poetry Collections

• House of a Mad Horse (광마집^Korean, 1980)
• Noble Bones (귀골^Korean, 1985; 1989)
• Let's Go to the Rose Inn (가자, 장미여관으로^Korean, 1989; 2013)
• Love's Sadness (사랑의 슬픔^Korean, 1997)
• Yawhade Yallashong (야하디 얄라숑^Korean, 2006)
• Let's Unite, Naked and Alone (빨가벗고 몸하나로 뭉치자^Korean, 2007)
• A Lifetime of Romanticism (일평생 연애주의^Korean, 2010)
• I Get Excited When I See Something Torn (나는 찢어진 것을 보면 흥분한다^Korean, 2012)
• Everything Goes Sadly (모든 것은 슬프게 간다^Korean, 2012)
• Hell Rather Than Heaven (천국보다 지옥^Korean, 2014)
• Ma Kwang-soo's Selected Poems (마광수 시선^Korean, 2017)

5.2. Novels

• Boredom (권태^Korean, 1990; 2005; 2011)
• Mad Horse Diary (광마일기^Korean, 1990; 1996; 2005; 2009)
• Happy Sara (즐거운 사라_{Jeulgeoun Sara}^Korean, 1991; 1992; 2013)
• Anxiety (불안^Korean, 1996)
• Into the Womb (자궁 속으로^Korean, 1998)
• Four Colors of Four People (사인사색^Korean, with 3 others, 1999)
• Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp 1, 2 (알라딘의 신기한 램프^Korean, 2000)
• Laura 1, 2 (로라^Korean, 2005)
• Mad Horse Chatter (광마잡담^Korean, 2005; 2012)
• Temptation (유혹^Korean, 2006)
• Aristocrat (귀족^Korean, 2008; 2012)
• Vivacious Lara (발랄한 라라^Korean, 2008)
• School of Love (사랑의 학교^Korean, 2009)
• First Love (첫사랑^Korean, 2010)
• Memoirs of a Crazy Horse (미친 말의수기^Korean, 2011)
• Sara Returned (돌아온 사라^Korean, 2011)
• Fetish Orgasm (페티시 오르가즘^Korean, 2011)
• Time and River (세월과 강물^Korean, 2011)
• Life That's Nothing Special (별것도 아닌 인생이^Korean, 2012)
• Ghost Story of a Henpecked Husband (공처가 괴담^Korean, 2012)
• Lewd Ghost Woman in the Grave (무덤 속 야한 유령 여인^Korean, 2012)
• Mystery of Two Women (미스터리 두 여인^Korean, 2012)
• Strange Love Story of an Old Bachelor (노총각의 이상한 러브스토리^Korean, 2012)
• Women of the Goblin House (도깨비 집 여인들^Korean, 2012)
• Lewd Mermaid Story (야한 인어이야기^Korean, 2012)
• Lewd Gods' Country (야한 신들의 나라^Korean, 2012)
• Peony Fairy (모란꽃 요정^Korean, 2012)
• Sexy Woman Who Came on a UFO (UFO를 타고 온 섹시 여인^Korean, 2012)
• Youth (청춘^Korean, 2013)
• 2013 Happy Sara (2013 즐거운 사라_{2013 Jeulgeoun Sara}^Korean, 2013)
• Imagination Play (상상놀이^Korean, 2013)
• Arabesque (아라베스크^Korean, 2014)
• As Long As I Like It (나만 좋으면^Korean, 2015)
• I Am You (나는 너야^Korean, 2015)
• Life Is Joyful (인생은 즐거워^Korean, 2015)
• The Illusion of Love (사랑이라는 환상^Korean, 2016)
• The Splendor of the Ephemeral (덧없는 것의 화려함^Korean, web novel, 2016)
• Secret History (야사^Korean, web novel, 2016)
• Will You Even Erase Memories (추억마저 지우랴^Korean, posthumous work, 2017)

5.3. Critical and Theoretical Works

• Symbolic Poetics (상징시학^Korean, 1980; 1985; 1997; 2007)
• A Study of Yun Dong-ju (윤동주 연구^Korean, 1984; 2005)
• Understanding Psychologistic Criticism (심리주의 비평의 이해^Korean, co-edited, 1986; 1995)
• Ma Kwang-soo's Literary Theories (마광수 문학론집^Korean, 1987; 1992)
• Poetry Creation Theory (시 창작론^Korean, co-authored, 1987)
• What is Catharsis? (카타르시스란 무엇인가^Korean, 1997; 2008)
• Poetics (시학^Korean, 1997)
• Seeing It Crookedly (삐딱하게 보기^Korean, 2006)
• Literature and Sex (문학과 성^Korean, 2000; 2008)
• Why Can't I Devote Myself to Pure Democracy? (왜 나는 순수한 민주주의에 몰두하지 못할까^Korean, 1991; 1997)
• An Apology for Sara (사라를 위한 변명^Korean, 1994; revised 2005)
• This Era Demands Individualists (이 시대는 개인주의자를 요구한다^Korean, 2007)
• There is No Adultery in All Love (모든 사랑에 불륜은 없다^Korean, 2008)
• Theater and the Spirit of Play (연극과 놀이정신^Korean, 2009)

5.4. Essays and Other Writings

• Loved and Loved and Loved, Yet... (사랑하고 사랑하고 사랑했는데도^Korean, with 3 others, 1988; 1990)
• I Like a Naughty Woman (나는 야한 여자가 좋다^Korean, 1989; 2010)
• Not Being Loved (사랑받지 못하여^Korean, 1990)
• Open Sesame (열려라 참깨^Korean, 1992)
• Another Art of Love (사랑의 다른 기술^Korean, 1992)
• Courage for Freedom (자유에의 용기^Korean, 1998)
• Men Also Dream of Divorce (남자도 이혼을 꿈꾼다^Korean, 1999)
• Freedom Shall Make You True (자유가 너희를 진리케 하리라^Korean, 2005)
• I Like Easygoing Women (나는 헤픈 여자가 좋다^Korean, 2007)
• Ma Kwang-soo's Brain Structure (마광수의 뇌구조^Korean, 2011)
• Let's Love Dirtily (더럽게 사랑하자^Korean, 2011)
• My Resume (나의 이력서^Korean, 2013)
• Around Twenty (스물 즈음^Korean, 2014)

7.1. Family Background

Ma Kwang-soo was born during the Korean War, a time of national turmoil. His father, a war photographer, died in action, leaving his mother to raise him alone. He lived with his mother until her passing a few years before his own death. His surviving family included his half-sister, Cho Jae-pung, and his niece, Han Ok-mi, who is a professor of music at Catholic University of Korea. As he had no children or spouse and his parents had both passed away, his assets were inherited by his closest blood relative, his half-sister. Following discussions between his half-sister and niece, Ma Kwang-soo's personal belongings and posthumous works were donated to his alma mater, Yonsei University.

7.2. Marriage and Divorce

In 1985, Ma Kwang-soo married Kim Bang-ok, a professor of theater studies. Their marriage, however, ended in divorce in January 1990. The couple had no children. Kim Bang-ok later became the 17th president of the Korean Theatre Studies Association in 2008.

9.1. Contemporary and Later Assessments

Ma Kwang-soo's arrest and trial in 1992 sparked a major debate in South Korea, often pitting traditional morality against artistic freedom. While he was criticized by conservative figures like Lee Mun-yeol for his "obscene" content and for his critique of the "intellectualist" literary trend, his supporters argued that his work was merely "ahead of its time." Literary critic Kang Jun-man famously stated that Ma Kwang-soo's "crime was being ahead of his time," noting that Ma himself believed his work was about five years ahead of its era. Kang further argued that the suppression of Ma Kwang-soo was a manifestation of an intellectual authoritarianism more severe than political authoritarianism, making South Korea unique among democratic nations in how it treated its writers.

In later assessments, particularly after the late 1990s, some scholars and critics began to re-evaluate his works, suggesting that they were not merely obscene but rather daring explorations of human sexuality and critiques of societal hypocrisy. This shift in perception positioned him as a pioneer who challenged established norms and taboos.

9.2. Literary and Societal Influence

Ma Kwang-soo's provocative writings and his unwavering stance had a profound and lasting impact on Korean literature and the broader discourse on freedom of expression. He directly challenged the prevailing "didactic" and "moralistic" tendencies in Korean literature, advocating for a more authentic and liberating artistic expression. His work forced a national conversation about the boundaries of art, censorship, and individual liberty in a rapidly changing society. The Happy Sara incident became a benchmark case, influencing subsequent discussions on human rights and artistic freedom in South Korea, demonstrating the power of literature to provoke social change and expose societal tensions.

9.3. Criticism and Support

Throughout his career, Ma Kwang-soo faced a wide spectrum of responses, from strong opposition to fervent support. His critics, often from conservative and religious circles, accused him of promoting obscenity and corrupting public morals, particularly among youth. They viewed his status as a university professor as an aggravating factor, seeing his work as a betrayal of academic integrity and traditional values. For instance, Professor Son Bong-ho of Seoul National University argued that Ma Kwang-soo should not be referred to as a "professor" due to his controversial works, a sentiment Kang Jun-man strongly rebuked as a lack of "generosity" towards differing opinions. Professor Lee Tae-dong further criticized the portrayal of a "promiscuous and perverted sexual relationship" between a female student and her professor, arguing it made academic grades a subject of "bargaining," which was a grave social issue.

Conversely, Ma Kwang-soo garnered significant support from liberal literary figures, academics, and student activists who championed his right to freedom of expression. They saw his prosecution as a politically motivated act of censorship, a remnant of authoritarian rule suppressing artistic and intellectual freedom. Groups like the Yonsei University Korean Language and Literature Student Council actively campaigned for his reinstatement and published books defending his work. They argued that his critiques of "gentlemanly literature" and the hypocrisy of Korean intellectuals were valid and necessary.

9.4. International Reception

The controversy surrounding Ma Kwang-soo's arrest in 1992 and 1993 attracted attention from international media, notably in Japan and the United States. These foreign observers often viewed the situation critically, portraying it as a case where the South Korean government suppressed artistic expression. International reports highlighted South Korea's unique position among democratic nations in imprisoning a writer for fictional literary works. This international scrutiny contributed to the perception of the "Happy Sara" incident as a significant human rights issue.