Background
Cheon Sang-byeong was born in Japan on January 29, 1930.
Cheon Sang-byeong was born in Japan on January 29, 1930.
He immigrated to Masan, of Korea in 1945, after of Korea was liberated from Japan. lieutenant was then that the 15-year-old Cheon began writing poems in the language of his ancestry. He published his first poem "River Water" while still in school.
Cheon went to Seoul National University for a short period, but an unexpected incident changed his life forever.
In 1967 he was implicated in the East Berlin Spy Incident and jailed for six months during which he was brutally tortured. This experience scarred Cheon who became impotent and alcoholic.
Foundation unconscious on the street Cheon was institutionalized and his friends, believing him to be dead, published a posthumous book of his poetry. Cheon, however recovered and began a prolific career.