이 글은 광복기 지역 문학사회의 형성과 창작 기반을 신문 잡지 매체를 중심으로 실증적으로 고찰하는 데 목적을 두었다. 매체 연구는 문학사회의 형성과 전개 양상을 구체적으로 확인할 수 있는 방법 가운데 하나다. 매체 활동을 통해 알 수 있는바, 광복기 부산 지역은 문학인들의 진퇴와 맞물려 새로운 문학사회가 형성되었다.
광복기 부산 지역문학은 전반적으로 경남문학이라는 큰 틀에서 규정할 수 있었다. 광복 직후 지역 안쪽에서 조선신문화건설회, 조선문학동맹 부산지부, 삼남문학회 등 각종 문화단체가 결성되었으나, 문단 헤게모니를 장악하기 위한 좌우파의 극렬한 이념 투쟁은 찾아볼 수 없었다. 새로운 국가와 민족문학의 건설이라는 당면과제를 실천해 나가는 과정에서 이념 노선에 따라 단체를 조직하고 정세에 따라 새로운 모색을 거듭했던 것으로 보인다. 특히, 광복 초기 조선문학동맹 부산지부가 결성되어 기관지를 발행하는 등 활발하게 활동했으나, 시대 상황에 따라 우파문단으로 재편되고 말았다. 이는 부산 지역의 독자적인 성격이라기보다는 한국문단의 전체의 일반적인 성격이라 볼 수 있을 것이다.
광복기 부산 지역문학은 유입문인의 두드러진 활동과 지역 연고에 바탕을 둔 필진의 교환, 소지역 사이의 수평적 연대, 학생 투고문단의 활성화와 청년문사들의 등장을 통해 지역문학 장(場)이 형성되었으며, 독자적인 문학사회를 형성하는 주요한 동력을 확보할 수 있었다. 지역문학의 세대 구성이 한결 두터워졌던 시기가 바로 광복기였다.
This paper aims at studying the formation of Busan's regional literary society and the foundation for its creation by mainly focusing on the media of newspapers and magazines. Studying media is one of the most effective methods for shedding light on the literary society of Busan during the Liberation Period. By taking a closer look at characteristics of a specific medium and literary activities of writers in the medium, it was found that Busan's regional literature did not stay away from the mainstream Korean literature of the time, and literary society was realigned based on writers' course of action.
First, the regional literature of Busan during the Liberation Period should be seen in a broader context of Gyeongnam literature. Many literary groups including the Joseon New Culture Association, the Busan Branch of Joseon Literary Alliance and the Samnam Literary Association were established, but there was no struggle between ideologies to seize hegemony of the literary circles. To pursue the predominating goal of building a new sovereign state and creating national literature, these groups were set up based on a specific ideology and continued to seek new approaches depending on constantly changing situation. A case in point is the Busan Branch of Joseon Literary Alliance, which was founded during the early Liberation Period and actively engaged in various activities, including the publication of its official paper, but it was restructured into a right wing literature due to the changing times and circumstances.
Second, one of the most notable characteristics of Busan's regional literature during this period is that the regional literature in Busan could obtain its future growth engine from outstanding activities by migrated writers, the exchange of a lineup of the writers based on their hometowns and horizontal alliance among small areas. This can be ascertained by checking the list of writers and their characteristics in such newspapers as 「Minju Jungbo」,「Busan Ilbo」, 「Busan Sinmun」, 「Jayu Minbo」 and 「Saneop Sinmun (Industrial Newspaper)」. Taking a glance at the media publication during the early Liberation Period shows us a pronounced ideological divide among newspapers. While 「Minju Jungbo」, 「Inmin Haebangbo (People's Liberation Newspaper)」 and 「Munye Sinmun (Literary Newspaeper)」 were left-leaning newspapers, 「Busan Ilbo」, 「Busan Sinmun」, 「Jayu Minbo」 and 「Saneop Sinmun」 tilted toward the right. It is difficult, however, to research the overall activities and trend of left-wing writers during the early Liberation Period due to the lack of substantial evidence of 「Inmin Haebangbo」 and 「Munye Sinmun」.
Third, the regional literature of Busan during the Liberation Period was comprised of various generations, with active contributions from Song, Yeong-taek, Kim Wol, Yun Jae-won and many other students and the emergence of young writers including Yim, Ha-su, Jang Ho, Lee, Seok-in and Jeong, Yeong-tae. Based on the vertical alliance with the established writers, the horizontal alliance with regional young writers and the publication of media, they became the key players in Busan's regional literary scene. It can be said that contributions from student writers and young writers served as an important catalyst for the formation of an independent literary society in Busan. They were incorporated into the established literary circles, one after another, after the Korean War Period, while solidifying their positions in the regional literary society.
As part of Gyeongnam Literature, the regional literature in Busan during the Liberation Period produced a lot of literary works thanks to newspaper media and diversified the lineup of its writers. As the realignment of the literary circles during the Korean War Period gave rise to the war refugee literature, Busan's regional literature began to build its own literary society.