Kim Kwang-kyu (born January 7, 1941) is a South Korean poet and translator."김광규 " biographical PDF available at: http://klti.or.kr/ke_04_03_011.do#

Life

Kim was born in Seoul and studied German language and literature at

Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...

. Early in his university career, he participated in the demonstrations of the April Revolution that was repressed by a massacre on April 19, 1960, leading to the fall of President

Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...

. He later studied for two years in Munich 1972-4. He discovered a talent for writing during his middle and high school years when his works were published in school magazines and even won a national prize. However, he did not begin writing poetry until his return from Germany in his mid-thirties. He has been working as a professor in the German department of Hanyang University (Seoul) since 1980. He has published translations of 19th century German poems (1980), of poems by

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

(1985), of radio dramas by Günter Eich (1986), and of poems by Günter Eich (1987).Kim Kwang-kyu – by Brother Anthony: http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/Kkkbio.htm

Work

Kim utilizes simple yet highly effective language to capture the forgotten truth behind everyday experiences. According to fellow poet

Choi Yearn-hong Choi may refer to: * Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname * Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐) * Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname * CHOI-FM, a radio station ...

, "The most important quality of Kim Kwang-kyu's poems is that they are easy to read." With chilling poise, Kim provides a critique of the unjust world while at the same time allowing readers to reassess their own lives.

Works in Translation

*''Die Tiefe der Muschel'' – German (''Jogae-ui gipi'') *''The Depth of a Clam'' – English (" ") *''رحلة إلى سيول'' – Arabic (''Sanghaeng'') *''Faint Shadows of Love'' – English (''Huimihan yetsarang-ui geurimja'') *''Země mlh'' – Czech (''Daejanggan-ui yuhok'')

Works in Korean (partial)

*''The Last Dream Drenching Us'' (''Uri-reul jeoksineun majimak kkum'' 1979) *''No It Is Not So'' (''Anida geureotchi anta'' 1983) *''The Heart of Mt. Keunak'' (''Keunaksan-ui maeum'' 1986) *''Like a Petty Mind'' (''Jompaeng-i-cheoreom'' 1988) *''Water Way'' (''Mulgil'' 1994) *''Though I Have Nothing'' (''Gajin geot hana-do eopjiman'' 1997) *''When We First Met'' (''Cheo-eum mannadeon ttae'' 2003)

Awards

* Today's Writer Award (1981) * Nokwon Literature Prize (1981) *

Kim Suyeong Literary Award The Kim Suyeong Literary Award is a literary award established in 1981 by Minumsa in honor of the South Korean poet Kim Su-yeong Kim Suyeong was a Korean poet. Life Kim Soo-young (1921–1968) was a Korean poet and translator whose poetry ...

(1984) * Pyeon-un Literature Award (1994) * Daesan Literature Prize (2003) * Isan Literary Award (2007)

Awards for translations

* Translation Prize in the Republic of Korea Literary Awards (1991, 2001)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Kwang-kyu 1941 births Living people Academic staff of Hanyang University Seoul National University alumni South Korean writers