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Cho Hae-il

1941 – 2020

South Korean writer

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About Cho Hae-il

Lived 1941 – 2020 (aged 79). Cho Hae-il was a South Korean writer and poet.

Cho Hae-il (birth name Cho Hae-ryong, 18 April 1941 – 19 June 2020) was a South Korean writer.

Life Cho Hae-il was born April 18, 1941, in Manchukuo and was originally given the name Haeryong, which means "Sea Dragon". After the liberation of Korea his family returned to Seoul, and five years later the Korean War began. During the war his family joined the stream of refugees who retreated to Busan, only returning to Seoul in 1954 after the cessation of hostilities.

Work Cho made his literary debut with The Man Who Dies Every Day, which won first prize in the JoongAng Ilbo spring literary contest in 1970. Over the next few years Cho was quite prolific, publishing at least twelve short stories and the novella America between his first work and 1974. In 1976 Cho published The Winter Woman, which went on to achieve massive success and made Cho a popular writer, though he believed his fame to be undeserved. From 1974 to 1986, Cho wrote steadily, both short stories and newspaper serials.

Cho's work often focuses on the weaknesses of individuals and societies. His America (in English) tells the story of a man and local society deformed by the presence of U.S. troops in South Korea. His short story The Iron Mask tells the story of a couple attacked, and the wife beaten, while The Psychologists explores the dynamics of violence in the confines of a bus.

Selected works Kyŏul yŏja (1975) - serialized in The Chosun Ilbo Uyoil (1977) - collection Jibongwiui namja (1979) - serialized in the Seoul Shinmun Eksŭ (1982) - serialized in The Dong-a Ilbo Kalsu ŏmnŭn nara (1984) - serialized in JoongAng Ilbo Im Kkŏk-chŏng e kwanhan ilgopkae ŭi iyagi (1986) Amerikʻa (1990)

Media based on publications Wangshibri (1976) Winter Woman (1977), based on Kyŏul yŏja Jibongwiui namja (1979), based on Jibongwiui namja Wooyoil (1980), based on Uyoil X (1983), based on Eksu PpilKu (1997)

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Kyung Hee University

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Cho Hae-il's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Cho Hae-il?

South Korean writer (1941-2020)

When was Cho Hae-il born?

Cho Hae-il was born on 18 April 1941 in Manchuria.

When did Cho Hae-il die?

Cho Hae-il died on 19 June 2020 in South Korea.

What was Cho Hae-il's occupation?

Cho Hae-il was a writer and poet.

What nationality was Cho Hae-il?

Cho Hae-il was South Korean.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Cho Hae-il

· Wikidata: Q5103342

· DBpedia: Cho Hae-il

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cho Hae-il. https://biography.guide/cho-hae-il/

MLA: "Cho Hae-il." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cho-hae-il/.

Chicago: "Cho Hae-il." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cho-hae-il/.

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