Sowol Poetry Prize
そうぉるしぶんがくしょう
A prestigious Korean poetry literary award. Established in 1986 by the publisher Moonhaksasangsa (문학사상사) to commemorate the poetic spirit of Kim Sowol.
- Established
- 1986
- Organizer
- Moonhaksasangsa (문학사상사)
- Category
- Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
- Selection Method
- Selection
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Status
- Active
Description
The Sowol Poetry Prize (소월시문학상) is a prominent Korean poetry literary award established in 1986 by the publisher Moonhaksasangsa (문학사상사) to commemorate the poetic spirit of Kim Sowol. Winning works are selected from previously published poems through a two-stage process of primary and secondary screening. In the primary screening, university professors, poets, literary critics, and magazine editors make the selections, also referencing readers' opinions. In the secondary screening, judges hold discussions to finally select 10 poems, designating one as the grand prize (winner) and treating the remaining 9 as honorable mentions. The winning work is published annually as a poetry collection by Moonhaksasangsa.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Grand prize awarded to the author of the winning poem. The winning work is included in Moonhaksasangsa's annual poetry anthology. The remaining 9 poems are published and recognized as honorable mentions.
- Annual publication of winning poems by Moonhaksasangsa
- Runners-up recognition (nine runners-up listed)
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| First round (preliminary selection) | University professors, poets, literary critics, and editors of the magazine 『문학사상 (Literary Thought)』 make the selections. Reader votes and opinions are also referenced. | — | Multiple previously published poems are selected in the primary screening, determining the works to advance to the secondary screening (detailed schedule and ratios are not publicly announced). |
| Second round (final selection) | Discussions among judges regarding candidates selected in the primary screening are conducted, finally selecting 10 poems. One is determined as the grand prize, and the rest as honorable mentions. | — | Winners are announced by Moonhaksasangsa, and the winning poems are published in the company's annual poetry anthology. |
Criteria
- Degree of completion and technique of poetic expression
- Originality and unique voice
- Must be a previously published work (also referencing evaluations in the publication medium)
- Whether it resonates with Kim Sowol's poetic spirit (connection to tradition and poetic sensibility)
Application Tips
Dos
- 詩を信頼ある文学誌で発表する（本賞は既発表の詩を対象に選考される）
- 詩の表現力・完成度・独自性を磨く
- 金素月（Kim Sowol）の詩的精神や韓国近現代詩の文脈を読み込む
- 『文學思想（Literary Thought）』等、関連する媒体での発表を検討する
Don''ts
- 未発表作品のみで応募を期待する（公募形式ではないため）
- 量だけを重視して質を疎かにする
- 公募扱いと誤解して形式や条件を確認せずに進める
From Judges
- 言葉の選択やリズム、詩的イメージの鮮明さを重視してください
- 独自の声（オリジナリティ）と作品としての完成度を優先してください
- 投稿・発表の場を広げて、作品が読者や批評に晒される機会を作ってください