Gwangkyo Column by Kim Woo-young Proud of My 45-Year Friend Poet Jung Soo-ja's Receipt of the 'Musan Culture Award'

After a Hwaseong Research Association meeting ended last month, a few of us who found it hard to part gathered together. At that gathering, Poet Jung Soo-ja mentioned that she was receiving some award.

Poet Jung has previously achieved what is called the 'Grand Slam of Korean Sijo Literature Awards,' receiving the Central Sijo Award, Korean Sijo Award, Garam Sijo Literary Prize, Gosan Literary Award, and Lee Young-do Sijo Literary Award.

So when I joked, "Are there still awards left to receive?" she said this time it was the 'Musan Culture Award.' Since I had little interest in awards and was unfamiliar with literary news, I was hearing about such an award for the first time.

But she said the prize money was quite substantial. When I asked, "Is it around 30 million won?" she replied, "A bit more than that," and left it at that. I thought to myself, 'Then it must be 50 million won,' but it turned out to be 100 million won.

There's a saying, 'Your stomach aches when your cousin buys land,' but my stomach didn't ache.

Was it after I turned 50? When people around me did well, I felt pleased. When I pass by an empty restaurant on the street, my heart aches, and when I see long lines of customers at cafes in Haenggung-dong or at the fried chicken street, for some reason my stomach feels full.

The award goes to Poet Jung Soo-ja, and the prize money doesn't go into my pocket, so why do I feel so good about it?

There's a reason. Between him and me, there is a strong bond spanning 45 years. We met in our mid-twenties and have maintained our friendship ever since. Of course, both of us having 'strong personalities,' we bickered several times in between.

Yet our respect for each other has never wavered. When Poet Jung received his doctoral degree from Ajou University after truly backbreaking work, standing outside the award ceremony hall watching on a monitor, I unconsciously murmured, "Jung Soo-ja, well done!" (I later learned that his younger sister was standing behind me and heard those words.)

Whenever he received various awards, I was there with him, and he never failed to be there for me in my important affairs.

At some point, we also made such a promise. "Soo-ja, if you go first, I'll take care of your funeral rites." Of course, no one knows who will pass away first.

On the evening of June 9th, the 3rd Musan Culture Award ceremony was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Western Chosun Hotel in Seoul. (Related article: News S, May 21st, 'Poet Jung Soo-ja Wins 3rd Musan Culture Award')

The award is established and administered by the (Foundation) Seorak·Manhae Thought Practice and Commemoration Society to inherit the artistic spirit and philosophy of coexistence of Seorak Musan Venerable Joho Cho, himself a poet.

Venerable Musan Cho, who served as chief of Shin Heung Temple, the head temple of the 3rd District of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order, showed great interest and affection for cultural arts during his lifetime.

It was decades ago when Venerable Musan was chief of Shin Heung Temple on Seorak Mountain; I must have been in my early thirties. I visited him and had conversations when a seminar for writers was held in Gangwon Province. In the pre-recorded Dharma discourse that was screened at this awards ceremony, I could also hear his words: 'My thoughts are my koan,' which left a deep impression.

Venerable Musan, as stated in the remarks of Kwon Young-min, director of the (Foundation) Seorak·Manhae Thought Practice and Commemoration Society, was a great virtuous teacher who 'personally demonstrated a life of coexistence and harmony that tore down walls between people and society, and transcended the boundaries of ideology and values.'

The ceremony proceeded with remarks, video screening, announcement of judging results, award presentation, and congratulatory performances.

Congratulatory performances by 'Gimpo Wizards Choir,' the winning team of the '2025 Seorak Musan Culture Festival National Children's Choir Competition,' and 'Under Control,' the winning team of the 'National Youth Street Dance Festival,' drew enthusiastic applause.

Poet Jung Soo-ja's reception of the Musan Culture Award in the literature category is because she has consistently published works of depth starting with her first sijo collection 'Departing on an Evening Path' (2000), followed by 'The Back View of Evening,' 'A Well in the Void,' and 'When Pronouns Gradually Become Frightening' (2024), thereby maintaining the frontline of Korean sijo literature.

According to the judges, she has pursued with depth the aesthetics of restraint and condensation inherent in the formality of traditional sijo, while diversely innovating both content and form.

I deeply resonated with the judges' evaluation: "As the 'present' of Korean sijo literature, securing both the depth and breadth of lyricism and based on profound reflection on nature, the world, and humanity, she has offered deep engagement with and reliable solace to the lives of contemporaries."

"Using Venerable Musan's words as a stick, I have come this far. I hope that restraint, the fundamental spirit of sijo, becomes an effective aesthetic that puts the brakes on an era rife with violence and greed. I want to find and use language to examine our problems," said Poet Jung Soo-ja in her acceptance remarks, which also touched my heart.

After the ceremony ended, I returned to Suwon around 9 p.m. Despite the late hour, everyone gathered again to savor the afterglow of the awards ceremony.

"Soo-ja, don't waste the prize money on frivolous things; save it well to repay your loans and use it for your retirement funds." As an old friend, I didn't forget to nag.