The original handwritten manuscript of novelist Shim Hoon’s colonial-era masterpiece Evergreen Tree and his iconic poem “Until That Day” have returned to South Korea 90 years after his death, according to the National Museum of Korean Literature. Museum officials introduced the archival materials during a press conference held at the Eunpyeong Cultural Center in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, following their repatriation from the author’s descendants.
The newly returned collection comprises 46 items totaling 59 individual pieces. Alongside the complete handwritten manuscript of Evergreen Tree—a work exploring the harsh realities of colonial-era Korean agriculture—the collection features original drafts for Shim’s other major literary works, including The Weaver Woman and An Eternal Smile, as well as the Shim Hoon Poetry Collection, personal photographs, and his obituary telegram.
The repatriation marks a milestone for Korean literary history, as it provides the first public look at the complete handwritten manuscript of Evergreen Tree. Prior to this acquisition, only nine loose pages of the novel, including portions of episodes 21 and 78, were preserved at the Shim Hoon Memorial Museum in Dangjin. The newly acquired materials were kept by Shim’s descendants living in the United States, specifically curated and maintained by his third son, Shim Jae-ho, who worked as a journalist for Dong-A Ilbo before moving to the U.S. in 1974 and storing the collection in his Arlington, Virginia, home.
Literary Value and the Shadow of Colonial Censorship
Among the repatriated documents is the Shim Hoon Poetry Collection, compiled directly by the author in 1932 for a planned publication. The volume includes the author’s handwritten draft of “A Letter Sent to My Mother from Prison,” penned while Shim was incarcerated in Seodaemun Prison following his arrest for participating in the March 1st Independence Movement of 1919 as a fourth-year student at Gyeongseong First Higher Common School. The manuscript pages submitted to the library of the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s police bureau for publication approval bear heavy traces of colonial censorship, including red lines and red stamps.
During the press conference, National Museum of Korean Literature Director Lim Heon-young emphasized the profound historical importance of the collection. “Shim Hoon’s ‘Until That Day’ deserves to be evaluated as the ‘second death-defying poem’ under Japanese colonial rule, standing shoulder to shoulder with the ‘Death-Defying Poems’ of Maechun Hwang Hyun from the late Joseon Dynasty,” Lim stated, highlighting the dual legacy of Shim as a writer, journalist, and independence activist.
Family Stewardship and Public Exhibition Plans
During the repatriation announcement, Shim Hoon’s granddaughters, Shim Young-joo and Shim Young-min, participated via video link to share the family’s journey of preserving the texts. Shim Young-joo noted that the documents had been carefully guarded by her father in a paulownia wood box for 50 years, driven by the belief that the literary heritage ultimately belonged in Korea.
Museum administrators confirmed that the newly secured manuscripts and personal artifacts will be systematically cataloged and preserved in accordance with the family’s wishes. The general public will have the opportunity to view the complete manuscript of Evergreen Tree, the censored poetry collections, and related historical documents when the National Museum of Korean Literature officially opens its doors to visitors in April 2027.
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