The 2023 Writing Competition - CLOSED
Deadline: March 31, 2023 (11:59pm CDT)
2023 Sejong Writing Competition Results:
Essay category winners
Sijo categoy winners
Winners Entries
Judges
Essay category
Focusing on introducing students and young adults to Korean culture and history through literature, our essay category utilizes folk tales and contemporary literature to explore Korean culture, past and present.
Adult division (age 19-30 years): Contestants are to read Kim Jung-hyuk's short story “The Glass Shield” and write an essay in response to the provided prompt.
Snior division (grade 9th - 12th): Contestants are to read Ha Seong-nan's short story “Waxen Wings ” and write an essay in response to the provided prompt.
Junior division (grade 8th and younger): Contestants are to write an essay in response to one of two provided prompts regarding a folktale of the contestant's choice. Contestants must choose one of the stories listed on our folktales page.
Sijo category
The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, write one poem in English on a topic of your choice. *Only one entry per applicant is permitted.
The sijo is a traditional three-line Korean poetic form organized technically and thematically by line and syllable count. Using the sijo form, write one poem in English on a topic of your choice. For examples of sijo, more information, and teaching materials – including teaching guides for sijo, please visit our website. *Only one entry per applicant is permitted.
Adult division (age 19 & older)
Pre-college division (age 18 & younger)
The goal of our sijo category is to introduce students to a lesser-known style of poetry, the traditional Korean sijo. Read about how to write sijo, or see last year's winning entries.
Registration and applications
Regarding the application, we would like to remind students that they may edit their entries and applications until the competition deadline.
We would like to stress that all personal information is kept strictly confidential and no information is shared with parties outside of the Sejong Cultural Society. Please email any questions or concerns to writing@sejongculturalsociety.org. We welcome and appreciate feedback of any kind.
Essay Category Prizes:
- Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500)
- Senior division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300)
- Junior division: First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100)
- Honorable mention (for all divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each)
Sijo Category Prizes:
- Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500)
- Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300)
- Honorable mention (for both divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each)
Mission
The goals of the Sejong Writing Competition are to discover children and young adults talented in writing and to encourage them to learn and write about Korean and its culture. Through this writing competition we hope to increase the awareness and understanding of Korea’s cultural heritage amongst the younger generations growing up in the United States.
Eligibility
This competition is open to all residents of the US and Canada regardless of ethnic background.
Sponsors
The Sejong Writing Competition is supported in part by grants from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea), DB Kim Jun Ki Cultural Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council Agency
Major Supporters:
Bisco Charitable Foundation, Friends of Pacific Rim Foundation