Kim Gi-taek, Lee Geon-yong, and Yang Jeong-su Receive the Republic of Korea Academy of Arts Award

The Young Artist Award Goes to Hwang Yuwon, Jeong Hana, Shin Changyong, Jeon Yeeun, and Jang Hyerim

Poet Kim Gitaek, composer Lee Geonyong, and dancer Yang Jeongsu will receive the Korea Arts Academy Awards. The Korea Arts Academy announced on the 30th that these three individuals were selected as this year’s awardees. Additionally, the newly established Young Artist Award inaugural recipients were announced as poet Hwang Yuwon, novelist Jeong Hana, pianist Shin Changyong, composer Jeon Yeeun, and dancer Jang Hyerim.

The Korea Arts Academy Award is an honor given annually to artists who have contributed to the development of the arts through outstanding creative activities. Kim Gitaek debuted in 1989 through the Hankook Ilbo New Year's Literary Contest and has published seven poetry collections over 32 years. These include "The Fetus’s Sleep (1991)," "Storm in the Needle’s Eye (1994)," and "Office Worker (1999)." Most of his work reflects on everyday life, contemplating the dehumanization of industrial society and the collapse of traditional values. His works have been widely recognized through translations into English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and other languages.

Lee Geonyong is a musician who has composed numerous instrumental and vocal pieces rich in artistic quality. His representative work includes the opera "Bombom (2000)," which is the most frequently performed opera in Korea. He has also released several works utilizing traditional Korean instruments. He is praised for breaking down the boundaries between Korean traditional music, Western classical music, popular music, and pure art music, presenting new musical paths.

Yang Jeongsu is a founding member of the Contemporary Dance Company, known as Korea’s first modern dance troupe. Over the past 46 years, he has performed in about 300 works, including the "Rain, Steps Series." He is also credited with transforming the Korean Modern Dance Festival into MODAFE (Modern Dance Festival), an international performing arts festival. Currently, he serves as the chairman of the Korea Modern Dance Promotion Association. He promotes international exchange and engages in various social contribution activities.

The Young Artist Award is given to artists under the age of 40 who have been active for more than five years in their respective fields and have achieved meaningful results. The inaugural recipient Hwang Yuwon is a poet who debuted after winning the Munhakdongne New Writer Award in 2013. His major works include "Maximization of the World (2015)" and "I Like This Crown in My Heart (2019)." Jeong Hana is a novelist who has published eleven novels and short stories since 2005. She is highly regarded by both the literary community and readers for her sharp yet warm perspective on the world. Her representative works include "Sea of the Moon (2007)," "Laughing for Myself (2009)," "Little Chicago (2012)," "Annie (2015)," and "Alcohol and Vanilla (2021)."

Shin Changyong is a pianist who became the first Korean to win first place at the Gina Bachauer International Artist Competition in 2018. He has gained fame by performing solo recitals and collaborating with prestigious orchestras in the United States, Germany, Italy, and other countries. Jeon Yeeun has worked as a commissioned composer for the National Opera Company and the National Symphony Orchestra, creating two operas, five orchestral works, and twenty chamber music pieces. Since 2015, she has also taught composition and music theory at several universities in Korea. Jang Hyerim is a key figure in establishing contemporary Korean dance (an innovative Korean dance style). With her deeply feminine appeal and creative choreography, she elevates the status of Korean dance on the international stage.