Pak Hwasŏng or Pak Kyŏngsun (1904–1988) was a Korean novelist, short story writer and essayist. A witness to both Korea under Japanese rule and the Korean War, Pak's stories foregrounded social concerns and the particular situation of women caught in circumstances out of their control.[1]
Pak Hwasŏng's first published story, 'Ch'usŏk chŏnya' (Autumn Harvest Day Eve) - the story of a girl working in a textiles factory - appeared in the literary magazine Chosŏn mundan in 1925.[2] In 1926 she enrolled in the English department of Nihon Women's College in Japan, joining the Tokyo branch of Kŭnuhoe.[3] Unable to complete her studies, Pak returned to Korea, working as an educator in schools and for a variety of literary organizations.[1]