This year marks the 90th anniversary of Yi Sang's notable short story 'Wings', which was first published in 1934 but faced reader protests that halted its serialization. Another significant milestone is the completion of his unfinished work 'Ogamdo', which also reached completion 90 years ago. The poet Yi Sang, who lived a short life full of mystery, had a lasting influence on Korean literature, and his relationships, including with other artists like the painter Gu Bon-ung, continue to fuel interest and speculation regarding his legacy.

A recent novel titled 'Portrait of Jupiter' highlights Gu Bon-ung, a prominent modernist painter during Japan's colonial rule, who played a crucial role in Yi Sang's life and artistic environment. As a mutual friend since Yi Sang's elementary school days, Gu Bon-ung not only influenced Yi Sang's pen name but also his artistic vision. While Gu Bon-ung is relatively lesser-known, his relationship with Yi Sang reflects an intimate connection often overlooked in the narratives surrounding the poet.

The novel offers a unique perspective as it features Gu Bon-ung as the narrator, exploring Yi Sang's forgotten artistic ambitions through the interpretation of Yi Sang's works. The text blurs the lines between reality and fiction by suggesting that Gu Bon-ung's insights into Yi Sang's life are speculative, thus complicating the historical understanding of both figures and their intertwined legacy in Korean literature and art history.