Ko Un facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ko Un
Ko Un in 2011
Born	Ko Un-tae (1933-08-01) August 1, 1933 (age 92) Gunsan, Zenrahoku Province, Korea, Empire of Japan
Language	Korean
Citizenship	South Korean
Genre	Poetry
Spouse	Lee Sang-wha ​ (m. 1983)​
Korean name
Hangul	고은
Hanja	高銀
RR	Go Eun
MR	Ko Ŭn
Birth name
Hangul	고은태
Hanja	高銀泰
RR	Go Euntae
MR	Ko Ŭnt'ae

Ko Un (Hangul: 고은; born August 1, 1933) is a famous South Korean poet. His poems have been translated and shared in more than fifteen countries around the world. He was known for his important role in helping Korea become a democracy. Many people in Korea thought he might even win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Ko Un's Early Life

Ko Un, whose birth name was Ko Untae, was born in 1933. He grew up in a farming family in Gunsan, a city in Korea. At that time, Korea was under Japanese rule, and the Japanese government tried to stop Koreans from using their own language and culture. But Ko Un's grandfather taught him to read and write in Korean.

When he was 12, Ko Un found a book of poems by a poet named Han Ha-un. He was so inspired by these poems that he started writing his own.

Facing Difficult Times

Ko Un was still a teenager when the Korean War began in 1950. This war was a very hard time for him. Many of his family and friends died. He saw many difficult things during the war, which caused him a lot of pain and trauma. This experience affected his hearing.

In 1952, Ko Un decided to become a Buddhist monk. He lived as a monk for ten years. During this time, he published his first book of poems, Otherworld Sensibility (1960), and his first novel, Cherry Tree in Another World (1961).

After a decade, he chose to return to a regular life. From 1963 to 1966, he lived on the island of Jeju Province, where he started a charity school. Later, he moved back to Seoul.

Standing Up for Democracy

Ko Un's life changed when he learned about Jeon Tae-il, a young worker who protested for better workers' rights. This event deeply moved Ko Un and inspired him to become involved in helping society.

In 1972, the South Korean government tried to limit democracy with something called the Yusin Constitution. Ko Un became very active in the movement to bring more democracy to Korea. He worked hard to improve the political situation.

• In 1974, he helped create the Association of Writers for Practical Freedom.
• He also became a leader in the National Association for the Recovery of Democracy that same year.
• In 1978, he became a vice-chairman of the Korean Association of Human Rights.
• In 1979, he became a vice-chairman of the Association of National Unity.

Because of his strong activism, Ko Un faced harsh treatment and challenges. He was imprisoned several times. In May 1980, during a time of political change, Ko Un was imprisoned for his activism, but he was later released in August 1982.

A New Chapter

After these challenging times, Ko Un's life became quieter. In 1983, he married Lee Sang-Wha, who was a professor of English Literature. She later helped translate some of his books.

Ko Un moved to Anseong, where he focused on his writing. He wrote many books and poems. He also continued to be an active leader in different organizations:

• He was elected chairman of the Association of Korean Artists (1989–90).
• He was president of the Association of Writers for National Literature (1992–93).
• In 1995, he was a delegate in the Committee of National Liberation.

In 2000, Ko Un visited North Korea as a special delegate for the Inter-Korean summit. This trip inspired his book of poems called South and North (2000). He has made many other visits to North Korea since then. He is also leading a project to create a Pan-Korean Dictionary. This dictionary will include all the different ways the Korean language is spoken in both North and South Korea. Many scholars from both sides are working on it.

In 2014, the Korean National Commission for UNESCO named him a Goodwill Ambassador for Peace.

International Recognition

Ko Un was not able to get a passport until 1990. Once he had it, he could travel abroad and represent Korean poetry around the world.

• From 2007, he was a visiting scholar at Seoul National University. He gave lectures there about poetry and literature.
• Since 2010, he has been connected with the International Center for Creative Writing at Dankook University.
• In 2013, he was invited to give lectures at Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He also received an Honorary Fellowship there.

Ko Un has continued to be active internationally. He has given readings at international book fairs in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. In 2018, he received the New Golden Age Poetry Prize at the Mexico City Poetry Festival.

Ko Un's Writing Style

Ko Un is known for his diverse writing. His poems can be quiet and thoughtful, or they can be short and impactful, like the poems in Flowers of a Moment. These poems often use short, contrasting images, similar to Japanese haiku.

Some say they can recall a thousand years
Some say they have already visited the next thousand years
On a windy day
I am waiting for a bus

Other works by Ko Un are very long and grand. For example, Paektu Mountain (1987–94) is a seven-volume epic poem about the Korean independence movement against Japanese rule.

The Ten Thousand Lives Project

One of his most famous works is the huge 30-volume collection called Ten Thousand Lives (Maninbo). Ko Un started writing this during his last time in prison. He made a promise that if he survived, he would write a poem about every person he had ever met.

He once said that he felt a deep sadness for those who died during the Korean War, especially since he survived. He felt a calling to bring back to life all those who had passed away. He believes that the memories of these people live within him and help him write.

Maninbo tells stories about people's lives and society. It uses everyday language, making it feel like a conversation. The poems often describe real events but end with a thoughtful message.

Novels and Buddhist Themes

Many of Ko Un's novels explore Seon (Korean Zen) Buddhism and spiritual life.

• The Garland Sutra or Little Pilgrim (1991) is based on an ancient Buddhist text. It tells the story of a boy learning from different Buddhist Masters.
• Son: Two Volumes (1995) is a long story that shares the history of Buddhist Masters in ancient Korea.
• Mount Sumi (1999) is about the challenges faced by Buddhism in the 18th century. It also explores the idea of karma, which are the connections between people from their past lives.

Awards and Honors

Ko Un has received many awards for his writing and his contributions to literature:

• Korean Literature Prize (1974, 1987)
• Manhae Literary Prize (1989)
• Joongang Literary Prize (1992)
• Daesan Literary Prize (1993)
• Manhae Prize for Poetry (1998)
• Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit (2002)
• Danjae Prize (2004)
• Late Spring Unification Award (2005)
• Bjørnson Prize Order for Literature (2005)
• Cikada Prize (2006)
• Yeongrang Poetry Prize (2007)
• Griffin Poetry Prize Lifetime Recognition Award (2008)
• Republic of Korea Arts Award for Literature (2008)
• America Award (2011)
• Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings (2014)
• NordSud International Prize for literature (2014)
• New Golden Age Poetry Prize at the Mexico City Poetry Festival (2018)

See also

In Spanish: Ko Un para niños

• Korean literature
• Korean poetry
• Writers Association of Korea