Establishment of the 'Choi In-ho Youth Culture Award'... First Recipient is Novelist Kim Ae-ran

"'Eternal Youth' Choi In-ho's 10th Anniversary Marks Establishment of Cultural Award Named After Him"

Marking the 10th anniversary of writer Choi In-ho, who stood at the center of youth culture in the 1970s and earned titles such as “the youngest winner of the New Year's Literary Contest,” “the youngest serialized novelist in newspapers,” and “the writer whose works have been adapted into films the most,” the “Choi In-ho Youth Culture Award” has been established. The judging panel, chaired by literary critic Yoo Sung-ho, selected novelist Kim Ae-ran as the first recipient of the Choi In-ho Youth Culture Award. The prize money is 10 million won, and the award ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. on the 22nd at the Seoul Museum of History.

Novelist Choi In-ho [Photo by Yonhap News]

The judging panel described Kim Ae-ran as “a futuristic writer who unravels the aspects of communication impossibility in our era through her unique prose” and “a rare writer who has received passionate support from both the establishment and the public.” They added, “She was highly praised for capturing everyday life with her distinctive cheerful sensibility and expressing it through stories, thereby showing a new generation’s literary sensitivity toward the lives of youth.”

Novelist Kim Ae-ran expressed her gratitude, saying, “It is difficult for a writer to write for a long time, but it is also not easy to continuously try new things. I understand that (Choi In-ho) teacher did both. I want to learn from his stride and strength,” and added, “I will dream of the power to write long and write anew.”

Established to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Choi In-ho (1945?2013) and to honor his literary and cultural achievements while expanding the horizon of youth culture, the Choi In-ho Youth Culture Award will select recipients annually in fields such as literature, theater, film, and music. Candidates are artists who inherit Choi In-ho’s artistic spirit and broaden the scope of youth culture.

On the day following the award ceremony, the 23rd, a special screening of the film March of Fools, based on the late writer’s work, will be held at the Cinematheque KOFA of the Korean Film Archive in collaboration with the Korean Film Archive. The cultural arts magazine Cultura, which hosted and planned the establishment of the Choi In-ho Youth Culture Award, will feature a special issue titled “Choi In-ho and Youth Culture” in its September edition.