Turning disappearing Korean words into poetry... Poet Seong Baek-gwang wins Hancom Literary Award grand prize

[Financial News] Poet Seong Baek-gwang won the grand prize for their free-verse poem “Funeral for Words” at the second Hancom Literary Award ceremony. The work mourns Korean words that are disappearing from everyday life.
According to Hancom Group on the 8th, the ceremony was held on the 7th at Hancom Group’s Cheongrium in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province. Around 150 people, including winners, their families and judges, attended, and celebratory performances followed. Seong received 30 million won in prize money and a plaque.
The contest was hosted by the Hancom Literary Award Steering Committee and organized by the Korean Association of Poetry and Literature, with support from Hancom Group and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Hancom Group Vice Chairman Byeon Seong-jun, Steering Committee Chair Jeong Hyeon-deok and judging panel Chair Kim Seul-ong were among those who presented the awards.
In their acceptance remarks, Seong said, “Words like ‘masil,’ ‘jeomun nyeok’ and ‘ppaedaegi,’ which my mother used, are a legacy that holds the everyday life and warmth of an era.” He added, “I tried to hold funerals for words that are disappearing, but they did not die after all; calling my name today, they came back to life.”
The grand prize is awarded to one work selected from submissions of free verse, essays and short stories in the general and university divisions. Writers could enter regardless of whether they had made their literary debut. Hancom Group said it focused on finding works in which creators expressed, in their own words, what they had personally experienced and thought in an era when artificial intelligence (AI) writes sentences on people’s behalf.
The general division’s top awards went to writer Gu Yeong-in for an essay and writer Park Hyeon-ju for a short story. In the newly established youth and high school division, student Min Hui-ju of Daejeon Daeseong Girls’ High School won gold for their free-verse poem “The Automatic Door Knows No Hesitation.” The division was open not only to high school students but also to young people outside the school system.
The poem contrasts a person hesitating in front of a door with an automatic door that opens first. Min said, “I don’t want to miss out on things I’ve wanted to try just because I’m waiting to feel confident,” adding that they would continue to put thoughts they discover in everyday life into their own words.
Prize money in the youth and high school division is 2 million won for gold and 1 million won for silver. Winners in this division receive one-on-one written critiques of their work from active writers. A total of 15 people received awards, including six silver and bronze prize winners, four honorable mentions in the general division, and Oh Su-chan, a teacher at Yeomyeong School who received the supervising teacher award. All winning works will be published in a book titled “Hancom Literary Award Winners’ Collection.”
This year’s contest was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hangul Day and the 580th anniversary of the promulgation of Hunminjeongeum. Around 7,700 free-verse poems, essays and short stories had been submitted by September 30.
Entries were judged with the submitters’ names, ages, careers and literary debut status concealed. The steering committee assembled a panel of writers, literary critics and Hangul scholars, among others, and kept the panel’s membership confidential even from the judges themselves. In a previously released statement on the judging, panel Chair Kim Seul-ong explained that the judges examined, over several stages, the works’ fresh insights, depth of thought and use of Korean expression.
Hancom Group plans to raise the Hancom Literary Award grand prize in stages to 100 million won to enhance the award’s stature. In his congratulatory remarks, Hancom Group Chairman Kim Sang-cheol said, “The group will only provide support, and I hope the Hancom Literary Award will establish itself as a gateway for writers.”
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