이 글은 염주용의 삶과 문학 활동을 되짚고, 광복기 부산 지역문학의 핵심 매체인 문예신문의 성격을 고찰하는 데 목적을 두었다. 문학적 여정에서 가장 치열했던 광복기의 매체 활동은 그를 근대 부산 지역문학사에서 중요한 위상을 차지하는 문학인으로 규정하는 근거다. 논의의 바탕이 되는 일차문헌이 대부분 유실된 상태에서 일부자료만으로 매체의 성격을 규명하는 작업은 어려운 일이다. 그런데도 제한된 자료만으로도 『문예신문』의 됨됨이와 필진 성격, 광복기 부산 지역 문학사회의 지형도와 지역문학의 성장 동력을 파악할 수 있었다.
염주용은 1930년 『조선일보』 독자문예란에 시 ｢노동자｣를 투고한 이래 9편의 시와 평문 3편, 연극대본 『동래성 함락의 날』을 남겼다. 1937년 잠시 『생리』 동인으로 활동하기도 했지만, 만주에서 돌아온 광복 초기 조선청년문학가동맹 경남지부와 삼남문학회에서 문단적 지위를 확보한 이후 『문예신문』을 발행함으로써 지역문학사에 적지 않은 기여를 했다.
주간지 『문예신문』은 필진 구성에서 이념적 스펙트럼이 다양한 필진이 참여하고 있는 까닭에 좌우 편향성을 극복하고 있는 중도적인 성향의 매체라 볼 수 있었다. 제호에 걸맞게 시, 소설, 수필, 평론, 아동문학(동요, 동시, 동화)을 중심으로 지면을 구성했으며, 지역 안팎의 문단 소식뿐만 아니라 문화계, 교육계의 동향까지 전하고 있었다. 무엇보다도 『문예신문』은 지역의 문학후속세대를 발굴하여 부산 지역 문학사회를 두텁게 형성하는 데 큰 역할을 담당하였다. 신춘문예제도를 도입하여 지역작가를 발굴하고 그들의 문학적 실천을 북돋았으며, 학생문학상과 아동문학상을 제정하여 부산 지역문학의 성장 동력을 확보하고자 했다. 앞으로 제한된 자료의 한계를 넘어 매체 발굴을 통해 근대 부산 지역문학사를 새롭게 쓸 수 있는 바탕을 마련해야 하겠다.
This study aims at examining the life and literary activities of Poet Yeom, Ju-yong, who practically led the modern regional literature of Busan and closely looking at the weekly literary magazine “Munye Sinmum” that he published. There has not been many studies on Poet Yeom, Ju-yong because it was difficult to find his literary works that can shed light on his literary achievement and to verify “Munye Sinmun” that established him as a practical leader and guardian of the Busan's regional literature, so much so that he was even equated with “Munye Sinmun”.
To begin with, records of his life continue to cause confusion. The writing on the 5th edition of “Busan Munhak” published in 1973 by the Busan Branch of the Korean Literary Association intensified the confusion. Whenever Yeom, Ju-yong is mentioned, some incorrect information about him has been reproduced again and again base only on Jeong, Soeng-su’s recollection. After high school graduation, Yeom, Ju-yong contributed “Nodongja(Workers)” in the reader’s literary section of the “Chosun Ilbo” and since then he wrote 9 poems, 3 literary criticism and a playscript “The Day of the Fall of the Dongnae Fortress”. He was briefly a member of the literary coterie “Saengli” before he joined Manchu State around 1938 and turned to the puppet state. His status in the regional literary history was significantly heightened during the Independence Period. After he secured a recognized place as a right-wing writer in the Gyeongnam Branch of the Chosun Association of Youth Writers and Samnam Literary Club, Yeom, Ju-yong began to make considerable contribution to the regional literature by publishing “Munye Sinmun” since August 1946, which served as a key base sustaining the Busan's regional literary society.
Second, the 2-page weekly tabloid “Munye Sinmun” was published every Monday mainly featuring literary works. Its publisher, located at 1-48, Daegyo-tong, Busan-bu, has a comprehensive system with editorial, printing, publicity, entertainment, general affairs, sales departments. As a literary magazine, its space was mostly covered with poems, novels, essays, criticism, children's literature (children's songs, children’s verses and children’s stories) as well as with news from the local music, arts, theater and movie industries and latest trends of the schools.
Third, “Munye Sinmun” did not support any particular faction, making it difficult to categorize it into left-wing, right-wing or moderate media by general standards. The magazine is rightly regarded as a middle-of-the-road media thanks to its line-up of the writers who tried to stay away from ideological biases. Given the fact that its writers had various ideological spectrum, it can be said that the publisher remained aloof from the political situation or pursued an apolitical editing style. It was quite a surprise to see this composition of writers because the first half of 1948 when the 6th edition, which is still in existence, was published, was considered the period when the ideological inclinations of writers were very conspicuous.
Fourth, the media was marked by its bold projects and page layout designed to guide next-generation writers of the local community into the mainstream literary circles. For example, the annul spring literary contest was introduced to find promising local writers and encourage their literary activities, and competitions for students literary awards and children's literary awards were held to allocate space in the paper to elementary and middle school students to discover future growth engines for the regional literature. It is fair to say, therefore, that “Munye Sinmun” played a key role in strengthening the base for the regional literature by discovering talented writers from the media landscape of Busan crowded with many newspapers and providing student writers with an opportunity to contribute their literary works.
