Miscellaneous records on Korean poetry, culture, and more.

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...

Why I Don't Say Anything               By Yoo Hyun-ah If I tell Mom, we just don't see eye to eye, And if I tell my teacher, things get blown out of proportion.

 Illicit Love                                                 by Oh Bong-ok I become a torrential downpour, pounding down upon my own head, to sever the heart that longs to reach you. I become a germ, burrowing into the raw edges of my wounds, to reignite the fire of desire for you. A dozen times a day, I rush forward, wondering if there is anything in this world that isn't a sin. I leave bloody footprints against the towering thorn-hedge that bars the way to you, only to realize—*no, this isn't right*—and turn back. I erase the footprints left by that solitary retreat. Afraid—terrified—that you, too, might stumble and plunge into those traces. About the Author (OH Bong ok) Born in Gwangju in 1961.  Studied Korean Language and Literature at the Yonsei University Graduate School. Made his literary debut in 1985 by publishing "Within My Fence" and seven ot...

  Flower                                   by   Ahn Do-hyun Because there is something inside the body that causes pain unless it is spewed outward, a flower blooms. To be honest, for the flowering tree, the very act of blooming is an ordeal. My longing for you— it is the act of sending to you—directly to you— an ugly wound that would fester and rot if not allowed to burst open; much like a flower pushing its stalk up into the empty air. Indeed, the flower stalk, finding the task of blooming so arduous, shakes its own body violently. Oh love, why is it that I feel no pain? I fear that once the pain within me dries up completely, my longing, too, will lose its fragrance. After struggling all night long just to survive, with a mouthful of blood— unable to spit it out, yet unable to keep it in— a flower blooms. /Ahn Do-hyun, *Seaside Post Office*, Munhakdongne, 1999/