Poet Kim Suwon Publishes Poetry Criticism Collection 'In Case of Nothing'

Lecturer at Dong-A University, Earned Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate All at Dong-A University

Kim Suwon (real name Kim Kyungsook), an alumna currently teaching at the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Dong-A University, has published a collection of poetry critiques titled "In Case of Nothing."

Kim graduated from Dong-A University and completed an integrated master's and doctoral program in 2020. Since the second half of that year, she has been serving as a lecturer in the Department of Korean Language and Literature, and in 2021, she made her literary debut in the poetry category of the Busan Ilbo New Year Literary Contest.

Kim draws attention by publishing her first book as a collection of critiques rather than a poetry collection. Through this book, readers can get a sense of how a poet reads poetry and how poets are seen through the eyes of another poet.

In this book, the author sheds light on poets active in the Busan region. Humbly accepting the current era in which poetry is seldom read, she especially sought out and read poetry collections by Busan modernist poets within the region. Even so, she set aside the regional identity and focused solely on the works themselves.

"In Case of Nothing" unravels poetry through the eyes of a poet, aiming for a comfortable and approachable style. While maintaining her unique perspective, she analyzes and deconstructs poetry with a generous approach so that anyone can read it. Even readers unfamiliar with poetry will find it easy to embrace the voices of these poets.

Kim stated, "Poetry is nothing. It merely exists beside us," and added, "If the poet's calling is to find value in insignificance, then the reader's calling is to luxuriate in that value." She believes that reading poetry is akin to reading people, and is a way to live as a human being.

Cover of poet Suwon Kim's poetry critique collection "If It Is Nothing".

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