Seoul's Seongbuk-gu district will run a creative writing workshop at Culture Space Yi Yuksa every Saturday from Aug. 22 to Sept. 12, offering four sessions in which participants read works by the poet Yi Yuksa and put their own thoughts and experiences into writing.
Themed "From Yi Yuksa's Sentences to My Own," the workshop goes beyond simply appreciating the poet's work. It uses the sentences and expressions in his writing as a springboard for participants to create their own pieces. The program was designed to connect Yi Yuksa's literary legacy — a defining cultural resource of the district — with hands-on creative activity, bringing literature closer to everyday life.
Each session centers on one of Yi Yuksa's signature works: "Gwangya" (The Wilderness), "Cheongpodo" (Green Grapes), "Banmyo" and "Gyejeorui Ohaeng" (Five Elements of the Seasons). After reading and discussing the themes and expressions in each poem, participants expand on the lines and images that resonate with them, drawing on their own thoughts and experiences to produce original writing.
The workshop instructor is novelist Lee Yu-ri, who made her literary debut in 2020 through the Kyunghyang Shinmun spring literary contest with her short story "Red Fruit." Lee, who was named Seongbuk-gu's "One Book" author in 2022 and has published the short story collection "Broccoli Punch," will guide participants through the writing process and provide individual feedback.
Seongbuk-gu plans to develop the workshop into a signature literary education program rooted in Culture Space Yi Yuksa.
Each session runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and applicants may sign up for individual sessions of their choosing. Each session accepts 15 adult participants, and the registration fee is 3,000 won. Applications are available through the Seongbuk Modern and Contemporary Literature Museum website. For further inquiries, contact Culture Space Yi Yuksa directly.
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