방각본·필사본 계열 <김원전>의 특징과 선본(善本) 문제 = Characteristics of the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition of Kim Won Jeon and the Issue of the Best Edition

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aims to identify the characteristics and status of the different versions of the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition of Kim Won Jeon and to address the issue of determining the best edition. Among the three editions of Kim Won Jeon’s different versions, the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition includes the Seoul edition of Kim Won Jeon, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Yonsei University, the Kim Won Jeon housed at Harvard University, and the Kim Won Jeon in Ewha Womans University’s collection. As research on Kim Won Jeon has primarily focused on the Seoul edition, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Yonsei University, Harvard University, and Ewha Womans University has been almost entirely unknown. Therefore, this paper compares the Seoul edition of Kim Won Jeon, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Yonsei University, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Harvard University, and the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Ewha Womans University to highlight the distinctive features of each different version found in the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition of Kim Won Jeon.
The version at Yonsei University closely resembles the Seoul edition and is valuable for clarifying ambiguities in the Seoul edition. The Harvard University version is notable for its focus on the prosperity of the family and for the manuscript writer’s comments in the postscript. The Ewha Womans University version stands out for its consistent story development, which enhances the plausibility and logical flow of the narrative. Particularly, this paper argues that the Ewha Womans University version is the most refined among the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Editions of Kim Won Jeon. Considering its characteristics, the long-standing view of the Seoul edition as the best edition needs reevaluation.
In a situation where the selection of the best edition of the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition of Kim Won Jeon must rely on the completeness of the work, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Ewha Womans University remained a noteworthy version. This is because the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Ewha Womans University contains more accurate and detailed descriptions compared to the Seoul edition of Kim Won Jeon, which has been previously regarded as the best edition. While the Seoul edition of Kim Won Jeon reveals errors in its settings and flaws in its narrative development, the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Ewha Womans University does not exhibit such issues. Considering these facts, this paper concludes that the Kim Won Jeon preserved at Ewha Womans University should rightfully be regarded as the best edition of the Woodblock Print and Manuscript Edition of Kim Won Jeon, as it appropriately adheres to its settings, demonstrates consistent storytelling that enhances plausibility, and has fewer errors in its settings and narrative development. Lastly, this paper explains the need for further discussion on the different versions of Kim Won Jeon preserved in the Keimyung University and National Hangeul Museum collection edition.