Korean literature is extending its reach to the world—not only in the realm of novels but also in areas that have not received much attention, such as poetry. It is revealing its prowess. This can be seen in poet Kim Hyesoon¡¯s reception of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Award in the United States. Literary figures and readers worldwide look forward to the messages that Korean poetry and literature will convey.
MAY 2024
Monthly Issue
Writer. Sung Ji Yeon
Poet Kim Hyesoon was awarded the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Award in the U.S. for her work ¡°Phantom Pain Wings.¡± The NBCC selected it as one of the ¡°Best Books of 2023¡± across six categories, including autobiography, biography, criticism, fiction, general nonfiction and poetry. The NBCC Award, alongside the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, is one of the prestigious literary honors in the United States.
Kim is a poet who debuted in 1979 and has been actively engaged in her career for many years. ¡°Phantom Pain Wings¡± is her 13th work—published in 2019, marking the 40th year since her debut. The translation into English was done by the poet Don Mee Choi, who is based in the United States.
Kim¡¯s award holds significant importance—marking the first time a Korean work has received this accolade. Furthermore, it is also the first time a translated poem has been honored by the association. Since winning the 2019 International Griffin Poetry Prize for ¡°Autobiography of Death,¡± poet Kim Hyesoon¡¯s latest accolade further cements the excellence of her work and showcases the strength of Korean literature to the world.
The NBCC introduced the work as astonishingly original and boldly reflective of an alternative world of imagination, addressing the aftermath of war and dictatorship, the oppression of patriarchal society, the pains of life such as the death of a father and the consciousness of overcoming them.
Recently, Lee Geum-yi, a Korean author of children¡¯s and young adult literature, has been named a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award—while Author Hwang Sok-yong¡¯s novel ¡°Mater 2-10¡± has made it to the shortlist of the International Booker Prize. With these developments, coupled with Poet Kim Hyesoon¡¯s recent win, it is anticipated that the global spotlight on Korean literature will further elevate in the coming times.
© Yonhap News.Poet Kim Hyesoon on June 25, 2019, attending a news conference for her receipt of the Griffin Poetry Prize at Conference House Dalgaebi in Seoul¡¯s Jung-gu District.