Writer Song Ji-na of 'Sandglass' to share the roots of creativity in Jeju

【The Financial News, Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 Writer Song Ji-na, who scripted the dramas 'Eyes of Dawn' and 'Sandglass,' which portrayed the twists and turns of modern Korean history, will share her creative experiences in Jeju, where she spent her school years.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 18th, the Jeju Literature Center will mark its fifth anniversary with special lectures, a photographic exhibition and a literary seminar from the 23rd through November 7.
The most notable event is a special lecture by writer Song Ji-na, to be held at 3 p.m. on the 23rd in the main auditorium on the fourth floor of the Jeju Literature Center. Under the theme 'Writer Song Ji-na: Stories That Began in Jeju,' the lecture will explore how her experience growing up in Jeju influenced her work, her process of developing and writing stories, and the relationship between literature and popular culture.
Song graduated from Sehwa Middle School and Sehwa High School in Gujwa-eup, Jeju City. She has written numerous dramas, including 'Eyes of Dawn,' which began airing in 1991, 'Sandglass,' which aired in 1995, and 'The Legend.' Her works, which narratively explored modern Korean history, drew attention, and in 2020 she received the Order of Cultural Merit for her contributions to the development of popular culture and the arts.
The lecture will connect Song's school years in Jeju with her experience writing popular culture works that reached audiences nationwide. Song is expected to explain firsthand how she finds story ideas and develops characters and events.
The Jeju Literature Center is accepting registrations for 150 lecture participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be accepted through the 'Education and Program Applications' section of the center's website until the 23rd.

The Jeju Literature Center, which opened in Donam-dong, Jeju City, on October 23, 2021, is the first public facility in the Jeju region dedicated to literature. It has served as a space that traces the development of Jeju literature from the modern to the contemporary period and explores the region's distinctive history and culture, including Jeju-language literature, Jeju myths and 4·3 literature.
The fifth-anniversary photographic exhibition, 'Linking the Times of Literature: Five Years of the Jeju Literature Center,' will be held in the center's first-floor book café from the 23rd through November 7.
The exhibition will use photographs and records to showcase major events and programs held since the center opened, focusing on the Jeju language, Jeju myths, 4·3 literature and writers from Jeju. It will look back on how, over the past five years, activities bringing writers and local residents together have promoted regional literature and expanded opportunities to enjoy it.
There will also be an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing regional literature. A literary seminar on the theme 'The Development of Regional Literature and Five Years of the Jeju Literature Center' will be held at 3 p.m. on November 7 in the center's main auditorium on the fourth floor. Professor Kim Dong-yun of Jeju National University will deliver the keynote presentation, and Kim Su-yeol, former chairman of the Jeju Culture and Arts Foundation, will chair the session. Members of the Jeju Literary Association and the Jeju Writers' Association, as well as media representatives, are expected to join the discussion.
Participants will review the center's operational achievements over the past five years and discuss its role and future direction in revitalizing regional literature. A key topic will be how to document and preserve literature that reflects Jeju's distinctive language and historical experiences, and share it with the next generation.
Ryu Il-sun, head of Jeju Province's Culture, Sports and Education Bureau, said, "I hope this will be a meaningful occasion to share with local residents the achievements the Jeju Literature Center has built up over the past five years," adding, "We will continue working to help residents engage with literature in their everyday lives and to share the value of Jeju literature widely."


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