Dong-A University Law School Professor Ha Taeyoung Publishes "The Night Was Deep," a Study on Novelist Narim Lee Byungjoo's Manuscript Literature

Following the Lee Byungju International Literary Award-Winning Work 'Night Has Fallen'

Reevaluating Lee Byungju: Commentary, Synopsis, and Notable Quotes

Dong-A University (President Lee Haewoo) announced that Professor Ha Taeyoung from the School of Law (Law School) has published a research book on the handwritten literature of novelist Narim Lee Byungjoo, titled "The Night Has Deepened."

This book is the second in a series by Professor Ha, following "The Night Has Fallen," which was published in 2022 and also focused on Narim Lee Byungjoo.

Professor Ha received the 8th Lee Byungjoo Literary Award for Research in 2022 for this book, which includes summaries, commentary, and notable quotes from ten works by Narim Lee Byungjoo, as well as in-depth analysis of legal principles depicted in the novels.

As a scholar of criminal law, Professor Ha once again explores the genre of "handwritten literature" in this book by analyzing the works of Narim Lee Byungjoo, drawing attention as a research book where law and literature intersect.

In this book, Professor Ha examines Narim's works such as "The Joy of Intellectual Life," "The Witness," "Trap of Fate," "Last Year's Song," "Swamp of Exile," and "Unraised Scream," offering commentary (reflections), plot summaries, and notable quotes (sentences), thus reading the works from three different perspectives.

Uniquely, the reviews of the works are structured in the format of academic theses and also include a summary of arguments in defense of Lee Byungjoo's literature. The second volume sheds light on Narim's legal and educational philosophies, and when the entire series is considered, it forms the anthropology of Narim Lee Byungjoo.

He explained, "I considered readers' preferences and dislikes. However, commentary alone is not enough. Plot summaries alone are not enough. And notable quotes alone are not enough. This is because you cannot fully appreciate a work from only one perspective. That is why I read each work three times, from different angles, to fully appreciate it."

He continued, "There has never been a research book in this style of handwritten literature before. However, 'Narim Lee Byungjoo's literature' is necessary because the writing is so beautiful. I wanted to show it to Narim Lee Byungjoo and present it as a gift to readers. This intention is embedded in this book."

Professor Ha earned his doctorate in law from Halle University in Germany and is currently nurturing future scholars at his alma mater. He has been working to popularize law through unique formats, consistently publishing a series on legal writing such as "Medical Law," "Bioethics Law," and "Corruption Investigation Office Law," based on the belief that "the law should be easy to read."

His research books include "Strengthening Criminal Law Provisions" and "Criminal Philosophy and Criminal Policy" (selected as an excellent academic book by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2008), and he received the Academic Award from the Korean Association of Comparative Criminal Law in 2014.

Cover of "The Night Was Deep," a research book on novelist Narim Lee Byungjoo's transcription literature by Professor Ha Taeyoung of Dong-A University Law School.