Sangnoksu

They agree to spend three years in the countryside before getting married, but Yongshin dies from overwork; Dong-hyeok swears to continue his efforts to promote literacy on her grave.

[3] Sim Hun wrote the novel as part of an effort to promote education in the Korean countryside during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

[3] The practice of helping rural communities in Korea is known as nonghwal [ko], and Sangoksus female protagonist has been called "a quintessential portrait of such colonial period enlightenment activity".

[9] The novel was influenced by Yi Kwang-su, a Korean writer and independence and nationalist activist, who also wrote the book's introduction.

[1] Sim Hun won the Dong-A Ilbo 15th Anniversary Full-Length Novel Contest, and used much of the prize money (KRW100, which was a significant sum at the time) to help establish Sangnok Elementary School.