Sowol Poetry Prize

The Sowol Poetry Prize (Korean소월시문학상) is one of the most prestigious literary awards in South Korea. Established by the publishing company Moonhaksasangsa (문학사상사) in 1986,[1] the prize aims to commemorate the soul of the poetry of Kim Sowol.

The awardees are selected through a two-round process. During the first round various published poems are chosen and evaluated by a selected university professors, poets, literary critics, and editors-in-chief of Literary Thought (문학사상, the literary magazine published by Moonhaksasangsa); readers of the magazine are also polled on their opinions. The selected entries then progress to the second round, in which ten works of poetry are ultimately chosen through rigorous discussion by the judges; the author of the winning poem will receive the grand prize, while the remaining nine poems are listed as runners-up.[2] Every year Moonhaksasangsa publishes a collection of that year's winning poems.

Winners

List of recipients and the poem titles in chronological order.

Prize Year Title Author
1986 "The Bowl 1" (그릇 1) O Seyeong
1987 "The Forest and Birds of Our Nation" (우리 나라의 숲과 새들) Song Sugwon
1988 "At the Imjin River" (임진강에서) Jeong Ho-seung
1989 "A Telltale Song" (숨길 수 없는 노래) Yi Seongbok
1990 "Roaming Metonymy" (떠도는 환유) Kim Seunghui
1991 "Mountaintop Graveyard" (산정묘지(山頂墓地)) Jo Jeonggwon
1992 "Ascending Hwaum" (화엄에 오르다) Kim Myeongin
1993 "A Lonely Painful Regret" (뼈저린 후회) Hwang Ji-u
1994 "For the Sake of Altitude" (고도를 위하여) Im Yeongjo
1995 "Fastening Buttons" (단추를 채우면서) Cheon Yanghui
1996 "On Seeing a Tall Man" (키 큰 남자를 보면) Mun Jeonghui
1997 "Why People Do Not Know" (사람들은 왜 모를까) Kim Yongtaek
1998 "Waiting for a Whale" (고래를 기다리며) An Dohyeon
1999 "By Love, I" (사랑으로 나는) Kim Jeongran
2000 "A Well-Ripened Apple" (잘 익은 사과) Kim Hyesun
2001 "On the Road of Camellia Woods of Baekryeon Temple" (백련사 동백숲길에서) Go Jaejong
2002 "Autumns of Earth" (지구의 가을) Yi Munjae
2003 "Around, Mom's Doorae Table" (둥근, 어머니의 두레밥상) Jeong Ilgeun
2004 "On the Side of Amur River" (아무르 강가에서) Pak Jeongdae[3]
2005 "The Pupil of Time" (시간의 동공) Pak Jutaek
2006 "Around That Time" (그맘때에는) Mun Tae-jun
2007 "In the Room Where Island Seop Is Seen" (섶섬이 보이는 방) Na Huideok
2008 "A Great Grand Sleep" (크나큰 잠) Jeong Kkeutbyeol
2009 "Except the Bright Beat of My Heart" (가슴의 환한 고동 외에는) Pak Hyeongjun
2010 "In Air" (공중) Song Jaehak
2011 "A Thousand Year Under the Peach Blossoms" (복사꽃 아래 천년) Bae Hanbong
2012 "A Meal On the Road" (길 위의 식사) Lee Jaemoo
2013 "Bukcheon-Crow" (북천-까마귀) Yoo Hongjoon[4]

References

  1. ^ 명저의 산실 - 문학사상 (in Korean). Moonhaksasangsa.
  2. ^ 소월시문학상 [Sowol Poetry Prize]. Doosan Encyclopedia (in Korean).
  3. ^ 박정대
  4. ^ 유홍준 시인, 소월시문학상 수상. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 2013-06-13.