‘International Market Tailor’ Sijo ... Professor Jeong Yuji of Gyeongnam Information University, 5th Korea Sijo Literature Grand Prize

Professor Jeong Yuji, Gyeongnam Information University.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] ‘Smooth International Market Street, ~smoothing out the fuzz, wearing a green star button~’.

The background of the work that won this year’s Korea Sijo Literature Grand Prize is Busan International Market, and the protagonist in the work was a tailor.

Professor Jeong Yu-ji of the Military Science Department at Gyeongnam Information University wrote this sijo.

Gyeongnam Information University announced on the 15th that Professor Jeong won the grand prize at the 5th Korea Sijo Literature competition hosted by the Korea Sijo Literature Promotion Association.

Professor Jeong took the top prize at the competition held in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the quarterly sijo magazine Korea Sijo Literature.

Professor Jeong Yu-ji, who won the grand prize with the work titled ‘International Market Tailor,’ debuted in the sijo category of Monthly Literature in 1991. As a mid-career writer with five sijo collections published, she had previously won the prestigious domestic sijo literary award, the 8th Yeokdong Sijo Literature Award.

Dr. Lee Jeong-ja, the judging committee member and standing advisor of the Korea Sijo Literature Promotion Association, introduced the work by saying, “It takes Busan’s famous spot, International Market, as its poetic subject and evokes a deep resonance.”

Dr. Lee evaluated it as “a work with outstanding poetic ability and sophistication, structured with linguistic craftsmanship and completeness based on sharp poetic observation.”

Professor Jeong Yu-ji said, “Sijo is the seed that blooms the flower of traditional culture, and with that seed, I have selected a beautiful and profound fixed-form poem that sows the seeds of tradition again in this barren world.”

Professor Jeong added, “Taking this award as an opportunity, I will strive to write sijo embodying loyalty and patriotism like Admiral Yi Sun-sin for my students in the Military Science Department, and also play a role in spreading sijo.”

Patterns that pluck the string of spring and breathe in the wind

The moon rises at the fingertips removing the basting thread

Smooth International Market Street

The place that follows is bright

Alley with pressed flab, firm hand stitching

Smoothing out the fuzz, wearing a green star button

Ironing the dawn

Offering a set of sunlight

This is the full text of the grand prize-winning work, ‘International Market Tailor.’

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