Damyang-gun Successfully Concludes the 22nd National Gasa Literature Festival for Modern Succession and Development of Gasa

Various Events Including Academic Conference, Korean Gasa Literature Award, Gasa Recitation Contest, and Gasa Rap Festival

Lee Jungwon's 'Sambereul Jjada' Selected as Grand Prize Winner of Korean Gasa Literature Award

[Damyang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Chunsu] Damyang County in Jeollanam-do announced on the 8th that the "22nd National Gasa Literature Festival," held to modernly inherit, develop, and popularize Gasa, a traditional Korean literary genre, concluded successfully.

The event was hosted by Damyang County and organized by the Korean Gasa Literature Academic Promotion Committee, held from the 5th to the 6th under the theme "Novels Written in Gasa."

The first day consisted of an academic conference and an awards ceremony, where seven people including Professor Choi Han-seon of Jeonnam Provincial College presented and discussed Gasa literature written as novels, and selected the winners of the "8th Korean Gasa Literature Award."

Out of a total of 108 submissions received from last November to September, the grand prize was awarded to Lee Jung-won’s work "Sambae-reul Jjada" (Weaving Hemp Cloth), praised as a masterpiece skillfully utilizing pure Korean language with both narrative and entertainment value.

"Sambae-reul Jjada" was recognized for aligning with the identity of Gasa and demonstrating the potential of modern Gasa. The metaphor of "weaving hemp cloth with warp and weft" representing the twists and turns of life was highlighted as an excellent example of new Gasa poetry.

Park Seong-min’s "Jjaeboseonchang" received the grand prize, Baek Yoon-seok’s "Reading the Extra Edition" won the excellence award in the general category, and in the newly established student category, Kim Geon-young, a third-year student at Damyang Hanjae Middle School, along with four others, received excellence awards.

On the second day of the competition, the "17th National Gasa Poetry Recitation Contest" was held, with 42 teams including elementary school students and the general public from across the country participating.

The grand prize went to Jo Hyeong-yeon, the general category grand prize to Kim Yuri, and the student category grand prize to Kim Yuna (Damyang Dong Elementary School, 4th grade). The general category excellence awards were given to Kim Mi-ae and Kim Mi-kyung, the student category excellence awards to Song Seung-yeon (Damju Elementary School, 5th grade), Kim Hwan-yu (Gwangju Unri Elementary School, 6th grade), and encouragement awards to Kim Mi-suk and six others.

Meanwhile, the "3rd National Youth Gasa Rap Festival," held on the 30th of last month, saw enthusiastic participation from 28 youth teams nationwide.

The grand prize was awarded to Seo Yun-woo (Busan Yongin High School, 3rd year), the grand excellence awards to Ahn Ji-tae and one other (Mokpo Deokin High School, 3rd year), Han Tae-young (Busan Dadae High School, 2nd year), the excellence awards to Jeon Hyun-jun (Busan Gudeok High School, 3rd year), Kim Min-jae (Gimhae Gwandong Middle School, 2nd year), and encouragement awards to Bae Kyung-do and three others.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.