A collection of short stories written during the time when Korea was a Japanese colony.
The author, Kang Kyeong-ae, had a difficult life. She was born in a poor family that could not afford not only tuition fees, but even the basic school supplies. Still, she went to school, which seemed impossible to someone with her status. She lived and worked during the Japanese occupation and witnessed many atrocities against Koreans. All these experiences had an impact on her works and views.
The Underground Village is a book that leaves the reader with a deep reflection for long hours and that hits like a thunderbolt. The author deals with the themes of colonialism, nationalism and patriarchy (she was a staunch feminist). Rejection, loneliness, loss are some of the motives that run through the collection pages. The stories show the author’s extraordinary sensitivity and rebellion against the ruling regime and the injustices that affected innocent people.
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