South Korean Studies on Literary Sinitic Sources from Vietnam

Abstract This study examines the history of Korean research on Vietnamese literary Sinitic texts from the mid-twentieth century to the present. While aiming to deepen understanding of Vietnam, its primary goal has been to enrich Korean studies and contribute to discourses on Tongasia and the East Asian community. Korean literary researchers, particularly those focused on fictional Sinitic narratives, pioneered the comparative studies of chuanqi 傳奇 fiction from Korea and Vietnam, helping to overcome Korea-centered approaches of Korean Literary Sinitic literature. Early research centered on Sinitic poetry exchanged between Korean and Vietnamese literati, but recent work has expanded to include the travel writings of Vietnamese envoys. These new directions have contributed to deep understanding of the complex interplay of prejudice and friendship in premodern Korean-Vietnamese relations and point toward the possibility of improved bilateral ties in the future. Research has expanded to Vietnamese Sinitic poetry and prose unrelated to Korea, with growing attention to figures beyond Nguyễn Trãi 阮廌 (1380–1442), Phan Bội Châu 潘佩珠 (1866–1940), and Hồ Chí Minh 胡志明 (1890–1969). The most promising development explores the relationship between Sinitic texts and Chữ Nôm, shedding light on how Literary Sinitic interacted with local languages across East Asia. Though still developing in Korea, this field holds great potential beyond political influences.