Miscellaneous records on Korean poetry, culture, and more.

Stars                                    By Gong Jae-dong On a joyful night, there wasn't a single one— not a single one. But on a day of sorrow, the sky is filled with stars. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? On a night when I want to weep, there are stars in my heart, too. The whole world is stars. ----------------- < Reflecting on a Poem> On the night of October 2nd, the stars were so bright that I decided to take some photos of the night sky. While doing so, I was reminded of a poem about stars that I used to recite in my youth. Back then, although I experienced plenty of happiness, I also seemed to grapple with a sense of despair and discouragement I couldn't quite explain. Whenever I felt that way, I would look up at the sky and offer up a prayer—or perhaps something that wasn't quite a prayer. This is one of the poems that would come to mind as I gazed at the sky, steeped in so...

 A Letter from Sorokdo                                                       By Jeong Ho-seung With arms that are not arms, I embrace you; With feet that are not feet, I go to you. Wild camellias bloom on the wild camellia trees; With hands that are not hands, I gather the blossoms— Petal by petal, I set them afloat upon the sea; please receive them. Along the seashore where we once walked— You, with arms that are not arms wrapping around my waist, And feet that are not feet moving in step with mine— Come striding toward me now, following the path of camellia petals. * Sorokdo is an island off the southern coast of Korea where people with Hansen's disease once lived in a community. In the past, access was difficult, requiring a boat ride once or twice a day, but a bridge has since been built, making it easy to visit this beautiful island. It is...

Trip at a glance Route: Seoul → Gangneung (1 night) → Jumunjin → Yangyang → Sokcho (1 night) → Seoul Best seasons: Late spring through early autumn for beaches and surfing; October–November for autumn leaves in Seoraksan Getting around: KTX train to Gangneung, express bus back from Sokcho; a rental car or taxis make Day 2 much easier Must-eat: Chodang soft tofu, jang kalguksu, squid sundae, and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) How to get there from Seoul Seoul → Gangneung by KTX KTX high-speed trains run from Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station to Gangneung Station in about two hours. Book on the official Korail site in English, Let's Korail , and reserve early for weekends and summer holidays, when trains sell out. Sokcho → Seoul by express bus There is no train to Sokcho yet, so return by bus. Express buses leave Sokcho Express Bus Terminal for Seoul Express Bus Terminal or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (Gangbyeon Station, Line 2), taking roughly 2 hours 10 to...

  24-Hour Convenience Store 1                                     By Choi Young-mi Drop by whenever it suits you, wherever your feet or gaze may lead; just kill the engine and pull up anywhere. I’ll be there. Even without a flower-decked palanquin, wearing rouge on my cheeks and forehead, keeping the lights burning all through the night, I’ll be waiting for you. --------------------------------- <About the Author> Choi Young-mi (born September 25, 1961) is a South Korean poet and novelist. Her debut poetry collection, *At Thirty, the Party Is Over*, created a major sensation in Korean society with its language—at once delicate and bold—and a fresh realism that confronted life in the here and now. According to literary critic Choi Won-sik, "Choi Young-mi is an unfortunate poet who failed to receive proper recognition because the immense success of her debut collection caused her to be ove...

Walking Together                              By Park Seong-ryong Two people have walked a long, distant path, Yet only a single set of footprints remains. Traversing paths of enchanting blossoms and hacking through thorny thickets, Climbing up and down low hills and towering mountains— Whenever one’s gaze wandered, The other would lead the way, bringing us to this point. Along the parallel rails of a journey That was at times joyful and at others wearying, The seasons have quietly turned, And autumn flowers have begun to bloom. ------------------ About the Author          Park Seong-ryong (Poet) Born in 1932 in Haenam, South Jeolla Province              Department of English Literature, Chung-Ang University 1964 Hyundae Literary Award 1982 Poetry Literature Award 1989 PEN International (Korean Center) Literary Award 1992 Republic of Korea Literary Award...

  A Single Jujube                 By Jang Seok-ju It could not have turned red all on its own. Inside it lie a few typhoons, Inside it, a few peals of thunder, Inside it, a few strikes of lightning. It could not have rounded out all by itself. Inside it lie nights of biting frost, Inside it, months of scorching sun, Inside it, days of the crescent moon. -------------- From the poetry collection *The Deeply Red Tiger* (Jang Seok-ju, *Aeji*, 2005) Selected as a "Fine Poem" by readers in the Winter 2009 issue of *Sihaneul(PoemSky)* ----------------------------------------------------- < Reflection > In the yard stands a jujube tree—unlike the one in Jang Seok-ju’s poem—that simply thrives. I am so grateful for it. It bears large, plump fruit, too. Let’s brew some delicious jujube tea again this year! I’ll melt away the winter chill of the Gangwon-do mountains with the rich, fragrant warmth of jujube tea!   Thanks to you, I’m gett...