Was Kim Gu Really the Author of “My Wish”? New Study Points to Lee Kwang-soo
Creatrip Team
24 days ago
A popular line from Kim Gu’s 1947 essay “My Wish” — often cited today as proof that Korea’s cultural rise fulfills his dream — may not have been written by Kim Gu himself. Historian Do Jin-soon argues the piece was added to the printed edition and likely drafted by writer Lee Kwang-soo (이광수), a prominent literary figure familiar with Japanese culturalist ideas. The article challenges a common narrative that contrasts Kim Gu’s alleged cultural idealism with leaders like Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee, noting both Rhee and Park also promoted national defense and economic development that enabled Korea’s cultural exports. Scholars debate whether the essay’s tone fits Kim Gu’s known writings, and whether the possible authorship by Lee Kwang-soo reflects Japanese-influenced “cultural state” thought. The piece calls for careful historical reading before linking modern K-culture pride directly to Kim Gu’s personal vision.
