Nam Jin-Woo (Hangul 남진우; born 1960) is a South Korean poet, literary critic, and professor.
He studied creative writing at Chung-Ang University, where he also received his master’s and doctoral degrees.
His literary career began when he won the Dong-a Ilbo New Writer's Contest for poetry in 1981 and the Chosun Ilbo New Writer’s Contest for literary criticism in 1983.
[1] In the 1980s, he was a member of the literary society Siundong (“poetry movement”) alongside poets Ha Jae-bong, Lee Moon-jae, and Park Deok-kyu.
As a poet and critic, he played a major role in turning Munhakdongne into a quarterly magazine that introduced the latest Korean literature in the 1990s.
In 1992, he accused writer Lee In-hwa for plagiarizing his debut novel Naega nuguinji malhal su itneun janeun nuguinga (내가 누구인지 말할 수 있는 자는 누구인가 Who Is It That Can Tell Me Who I Am) from other sources,[3] and has since participated in other plagiarism debates.
[4] In 2015, he became involved in a plagiarism debate once again, this time surrounding his wife and novelist Shin Kyung-sook.
As the debate intensified, Nam resigned from the Munhakdongne editing committee.
Nam Jin-Woo is sometimes referred to as a “pilgrim who does not stop pursuing what is sacred or mysterious.”[6] Since his first poetry collection Gipeun gose geumureul deuriura (깊은 곳에 그물을 드리우라 Cast the Net into Deep Waters), he has primarily been concerned with the transcendental sacred.
He attempts to “reach the sacred by writing about the impossibility of sacredness in this unfortunate era.”[7] Nam uses imagery such as flames, sand dunes, unexpected visits by animals, the deep hue of death, and distant sounds.
He believes that his task as a poet is to persistently seek salvation even if it proves impossible.
『깊은 곳에 그물을 드리우라』(민음사, 1990) : 재판(문학동네, 1997) Cast the Net into Deep Waters.
『새벽 세 시의 사자 한 마리』(문학과지성사, 2006) A Lion at Three in the Morning.
『올페는 죽을 때 나의 직업은 시라고 하였다』(열림원, 2000) : 재판(문학동네, 2010) At the Time of His Death, Orpheus Said His Profession Was a Poet.
『미적 근대성과 순간의 시학』(소명출판, 2001) Aesthetic Modernity and the Poetics of the Moment.
“The Limitless of Burning Poetry.” Lyric Poetry and Poetics, Summer 1998 Issue.
정끝별, ｢무덤 위에서 덜그럭대는 그로테스크 시학｣, 『천 개의 혀를 가진 시의 언어』, 케포이북스, 2008.
“Grotesque Poetics Rattling Above a Grave.” In The Language of Poetry Has a Thousand Tongues.