Novelist Choi Jae-hoon Selected for the 26th Han Mu-suk Literary Award for 'Dangerous Metaphor'

"Praised for exploring modern human anguish through imagination crossing fantasy and reality with solid narrative"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) successfully held the '26th Han Mu-suk Literary Award Ceremony' on the 25th at the district office's planning situation room.

The Han Mu-suk Literary Award was established in 1995 to honor the achievements of the late novelist Hyangjeong (香庭) Han Mu-suk (韓戊淑, 1918?1993), who passed away in 1993, and to promote the development of Korean novels. Starting with the first award given to Park Wan-seo for 'The Butterfly of Hallucination,' it has been awarded annually and has now reached its 26th edition.

Born in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Hyangjeong Han Mu-suk debuted in 1942 and served as a representative member of the Korean Novelists Association, president of the Korean Women Writers Association, and director of the Korean Writers' Association.

She is recognized for her significant contributions to literary history by embedding Korean identity and historical consciousness into her works. She was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit of the Republic of Korea and the Grand Prize of the Republic of Korea Literature Award, among others.

Accordingly, since the 21st Han Mu-suk Literary Award in 2015, Jongno-gu has been hosting the award ceremony in collaboration with the Han Mu-suk Foundation to promote Korean literature.

The judging targets novels published within the past year. As a result, the winning work this year was selected as the novel 'Dangerous Metaphor' by novelist Choi Jae-hoon.

The judges highly praised the work for its artistic sincerity and diligence, noting that it embodies the fate and wounds of individuals living in chaotic times through the novel, reflecting on modern human anguish with imagination that transcends fantasy and reality and a solid narrative.

Novelist Choi Jae-hoon began his literary career in 2007 by winning the New Writer Award from 'Literature and Society' and received the Hankook Ilbo Literary Award in 2011. His collections of short stories include 'The Castle of Baron Quirval' and 'Dangerous Metaphor,' and his novels include 'Seven Cat Eyes,' 'Butterfly Sleep,' 'Angel's Chain,' and 'Just a Murderer.'

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “We will continue to work with the Han Mu-suk Foundation to honor and further spread the literary spirit of the late Hyangjeong Han Mu-suk and strive for the revival of pure literature in our country.”