Sogang Emeritus Professor Choi

Honored with 21st Lee Hyo-Seok Literature Award

For the '21st Lee Hyo-Seok Literature Award,' co-sponsored by the Lee Hyo-Seok Literary Foundation and Maeil Business Newspaper, Sogang Emeritus Professor Choi Hyun-Moo (Penname Choe Yun), majoring in European Languages and Cultures, was honored with the grand prize for her short novel, 'The Grammar of Possession.'

Lee Hyo-Seok is one of Korea's most cherished novelists, bringing great achievements to the development of modern Korean literature and purifying Korea's national sentiment through his lyrics and literary works. The Lee Hyo-Seok Literature Award was established to honor and pass on his spirit while contributing to the advancement of Korean literature, with awards presented to novelists demonstrating the greatest literary achievement for a given year.

As to the factors leading to the selection of 'The Grammar of Possession,' the 21st Lee Hyo-Seok Literature Award Judging Committee (Chairman Oh Jung-Hee) said, "'The Grammar of Possession' is a masterpiece in awakening the burning truth of life among contemporary people who have been so tamed by the system of possession and greed that they are oblivious to how to live right in this world.“

Professor Choi Hyun-Moo taught as a professor in the Department of European Languages and Cultures at Sogang from 1984 to 2018 (for 34 years), also acting as Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of Sogang Library. Her other awards include the Yi Sang Literary Award and Dong-in Literary Award.

The award ceremony is to be held at the Lee Hyo-Seok Memorial Hall, in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Province, on September 26, and the awarded novel will also be published in September.

(Photography and text by Maeil Business Newspaper)