In January 1966, Paik Nak-chung, then a 28-year-old professor at Seoul National University, founded the quarterly journal "Creation and Criticism" (Changbi). The 132-page booklet priced at 70 won was groundbreaking for its time, encompassing literature along with humanities and social sciences.
"For intellectuals to fulfill their duties, they need a base where they can meet, confirm each other's goodwill, gain strength, and renew their stance of creation and resistance," Paik wrote in the inaugural issue.
In 1974, the journal established Changbi Publishers and began publishing books. The publication endured a turbulent history, clashing with authoritarian regimes. The Chun Doo-hwan military government forcibly shut down "Creation and Criticism" in 1980 and revoked its publishing license in 1985. The journal was revived in 1988 following the democratization movement and changed its name to "Changbi" in 2003.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of "Creation and Criticism." A critical comprehensive journal serving as both a literary and opinion magazine surviving six decades is rare in Korean intellectual history and globally.
"Satisfying readers interested in literature and those interested in political discourse is not easy," Lee Nam-joo, editor-in-chief of "Creation and Criticism," said at a press conference on February 24 at the Changbi Seogyo Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul. "Combining these two elements has been Changbi's important direction and strength."
Despite surviving 60 years through tumultuous modern history, Changbi's future is not entirely bright. Literature faces growing concerns amid the dominance of video content, and the journal's presence is not what it once was when it was required reading on college campuses. This is why "Creation and Criticism" has set "K-discourse" and "strengthening reader engagement" as its future direction.
"As a quarterly journal, we will more actively serve as a base for K-discourse," Lee said. "We will contribute to solving social problems through K-discourse based on the historical experience of the Korean Peninsula."
In 2024, Changbi launched a series titled "Exploring K-Discourse," presenting K-discourse across eight installments covering topics including Dasan and Confucian modernity theory, Kim Dae-jung's philosophy, and K-democracy. The series continues in the spring 2025 issue, signaling commitment to spreading K-discourse. A new series on the possibilities of Korean literature and K-thought will also begin, with the spring 2026 issue featuring criticism on the cultural critic aspects of Yeom Sang-seop and Na Hye-seok. A K-thought symposium is planned for fall.
Changbi also plans to strengthen reader engagement through book clubs. The journal currently has 10,000 subscribers—7,500 print and 2,500 digital. The company aims to expand activities of "Club Changbi," which has strong support from readers in their 20s and 30s who make up 40% of total subscribers. The second iteration of "Club Changbi" has 2,700 participants engaged in events such as "Contemplating Care through Han Kang's Novels" and "Reading Poetry from the Winter Issue."
"Young people distancing themselves from books is a problem across the entire publishing ecosystem," Lee said. "However, we view positively the phenomenon of readers in their 20s and 30s preferring to discuss and interact with members through reading groups."
The company is also pursuing commercialization of publishing-based intellectual property (IP), preparing to adapt "Kkamnyang the Problem-Solving Cat," which has published eight volumes since 2020, into visual media.
This month, Changbi established the Changbi Cultural Foundation with a 1 billion won contribution. Novelist Hyun Ki-young was appointed as the inaugural chairman. The foundation will manage literary awards including the Manhae Literature Award, Baekseok Literature Award, and Shin Dong-yup Literature Award, conduct research and forums on social discourse and publishing, and carry out social contribution projects to promote literature and humanities.
Regarding Honorary Editor Paik Nak-chung's role, Lee said, "He has no official role. When the magazine is published and editorial meetings are held, he conveys opinions along with other advisors, and we reflect them." Paik retired in 2015.