Korean poetry
I’ve been asked to write a book on Korean poetry. Do you think I should? I do not know Korean poetry well, but I do know what I like, and I have had several impactful experiences that have informed me of the power of poetry. The first experience came when I was at a banquet in San Francisco on the heels of a day-long conference. Sitting across from me was a businessman who was supporting the…
The writer was approached to author a book on Korean poetry, despite not possessing extensive knowledge in the subject matter. They acknowledged their limited understanding of Korean poetry but emphasized their familiarity with what they find compelling. An impactful encounter occurred during a banquet in San Francisco, shortly after a day-long conference.
At the event, a businessman, supporting the conference but not an academic, sat across from the writer. Unaware of the academic discussions, the businessman expressed interest in the subject. As the banquet was primarily attended by Korean Americans, the writer constituted one of only three Caucasians present. During conversation, the businessman inquired about the writer's position.
The writer, a lecturer in Korean history and literature at Brigham Young University in Utah, was initially vague when stating "history and literature." The businessman then focused on the literature aspect and asked about the writer's literary teachings. The writer responded by mentioning hyangga, sijo, gasa, and folk tales in various languages.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Korean poetry koreatimes.co.kr
