Hong Sok-jung facts for kids

Hong Sok-jung (Chosŏn'gŭl: 홍석중) is a well-known writer from North Korea. He was born in Seoul in 1941. He is famous for writing interesting novels, especially those about history. His grandfather, Hong Myong-hui, was also a famous writer.

Early Life and Writing Career

After the Second World War, when Hong Sok-jung was a child, he moved to North Korea with his family. He later served in the Korean People's Navy. He studied literature at Kim Il Sung University, a very important university in North Korea.

His first published work was a short story called "Red Flower," which came out in 1970. In 1979, he became part of the main group for North Korea's official writing organization, the Joseon Writers' Alliance.

Famous Books and Awards

In 1993, Hong Sok-jung published one of his most successful books, Northeaster. This was a long and important novel, sometimes called an epic.

In 2002, he released another important book called Hwang Jin-i (Chosŏn'gŭl: 황진이). This was a historical novel set in the 1500s during the Joseon Dynasty. The story is about a talented woman named Hwang Jin-i, who was a Kisaeng (a type of artist and entertainer). In the book, she discovers that people are starving and meets government officials who are not honest.

Hwang Jin-i received a special award in South Korea called the Manhae Literary Prize (Hangul: 만해문학상) in 2005. This was a big deal because it was the first time a writer from North Korea had won this award. A part of the novel was even translated into English and shared in an international collection of writings in 2006.

See also

• North Korean literature