96-year history of Dong-A’s column ‘Hoingseol-suseol’

"Hoingseol-suseol (gibberish talks)" first appears in an article of ancient literature evaluating Jeong Mong-joo by poet Lee Saek in the Goryeo Dynasty. Lee wrote in the piece, “Jeong was always logical when he talks across (hoing) or vertically (su).” In Neo-Confucianism, "hoing" means the reality that we are living in and "su" means that time continues on from the past. It was the best praise suggesting that Jeong was well versed with both the reality and history.

The column "Hoingseol-suseol" of the Dong-A Ilbo made its debut in the July 25, 1920 issue, or the 100th issue of the daily. Commenting on the Japanese imperialists’ distribution ban on the newspaper 16 times for three months since its establishment, the first Hoingseol-suseol read that freedom of press is ruthlessly violated and that Hoingseol-suseol is all the more valuable in place like this. It is interesting to find in the closing part saying, “Let’s just post a congratulatory article suggesting that today’s marks the 100th issue of the Dong-A Ilbo, and shelve Hoingseol-suseol…although we are not sure who will like it.”

Hoingseol-suseol could mean that talks are not logical and is desultory, but it has also been used to suggest positive connotations as well. Song Joon-gil, a scholar from the mid Joseon Dynasty, said that it is straightforward talks or indirect talks to enlighten people. "Sojaejip," a collection of literary works from the late Joseon Dynasty, labels it "to enlighten and help people understand by making rhetorical talks from diverse perspectives." The Dong-A Ilbo would use the term in an ambiguous way under Japan’s brutal colonial rule over Korea, and tried to shed lights on and analyze the reality through free style writings and from diverse viewpoints.

Criticism in Hoingseol-suseol was sharp and harsh. In the July 26, 1920 issue, the second day after the column’s launch, the column criticized Japanese Governor-General Headquarters by saying, "If it is something like the skin of cicada, please just supply it to herbal medicine stores." In the August 8, 1920 issue, after the Japan Empire announced a plan to recruit Koreans as civil servants, the column raised issue with fictiveness of the plan, saying, "They should not use politics as if sales schemes used by street vendors at a night market." As Dong-A marks the 95th anniversary of the foundation today, we come to reflect upon ourselves whether Hoingseol-suseol is successfully inheriting the mind and spirit of the time when it was first launched. We renew our commitment yet again in our quest to face the reality and history through insight in tune with the new era.