Gwangju Bukgu Announces First Mudeung Literary Award Grand Prize Winner Kim Jonggwang

Gwangju Bukgu announced on September 11 that the inaugural winners of the "Mudeung Literary Award," established for the first time this year, have been selected.

Gwangju Bukgu Government Office.

The Mudeung Literary Award was created to discover emerging writers and foster local literature in celebration of author Han Kang, a native of Bukgu, receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature.

From May to June, Bukgu accepted submissions nationwide, dividing them into Grand Prize and Excellence in Work categories. A total of 633 entries were received in seven genres, including poetry, fiction, essays, children's stories, and literary criticism.

As a result of the review, author Kim Jonggwang's novel "Discovery of Goodbye" was selected for the Grand Prize. The work, set in a rural village and depicting life on the margins, was praised for its realism, exceptional prose, and the aesthetics of humor.

The Excellence in Work awards went to author Son Seokho's poetry collection, including "Hammering the Cry" and four other poems, as well as author Seo Youngji's novel "Maybe Today."

The awards ceremony will be held on December 10. It is organized to commemorate the first anniversary of Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature, and the winners will receive a total prize of 30 million won and a citation from the Bukgu district mayor.

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