Novelist Bora Jung Named Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year

Bora Jung Selected as Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year
Minumsa's Anthology of Korean Women's Literature Wins Content Award
Jeonbuk Culture and Arts Gender Equality Network Recognized for Organizational Support
Awards Honor Contributions to Gender Equality in Arts and Culture

Novelist Bora Jung will receive the "Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year" award in 2025.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on September 1 that, together with the Women and Culture Network and the Women’s News, it will hold the 2025 Gender Equality Culture Awards ceremony at 3 p.m. on September 2 at the National Folk Museum of Korea, and that novelist Bora Jung has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year award.

Bora Jung has been recognized for her works such as "Cursed Bunny" and "Your Utopia," which have garnered global attention for their outstanding literary depiction of the realities faced by women and other socially marginalized groups. She has also been credited with expanding the scope of gender awareness in literature, particularly through her engagement with various genres such as science fiction, horror, and fantasy.

Writer Bora Jung is discussing the topic "The Achievements, Significance, and Potential of Global (K-Story) Korean Women Writers" at the "2022 Women Leaders Forum" held on the 19th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The Gender Equality Culture Awards were established to encourage artists and cultural organizations who have contributed to the spread of gender equality culture across the fields of culture, sports, and tourism. The awards include three Minister’s Prizes in the categories of Gender Equality Culture Person of the Year, Gender Equality Culture Content of the Year, and Gender Equality Culture Support (Organization). In addition, there is one Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Chairperson’s Prize in the category of Gender Equality Culture Support (Individual), as well as sponsorship awards such as the Eulju Culture Award, the Ilgyeong Culture Award, and the New Artist Award, making a total of 15 prizes across 7 categories.

The Gender Equality Culture Content of the Year award goes to Minumsa’s "Anthology of Korean Women’s Literature." This project has been recognized as the first literary history initiative to systematically organize the flow of women’s literature that emerged over the past 100 years of Korea’s modern and contemporary history, allowing women’s narratives to take center stage in literature rather than remain on the periphery.

The Gender Equality Culture Support (Organization) award will be presented to the Jeonbuk Culture and Arts Gender Equality Network. This network, comprising 12 organizations in the Jeonbuk region, has been acknowledged for its contributions to creating a gender-equal ecosystem in the local cultural and artistic community through initiatives such as operating an art criticism school and organizing exhibitions of materials.

The Gender Equality Culture Support (Individual) award will go to theater artist Jongcheol Won. The Eulju Culture Award will be presented to the philosophy bookstore Soyoseo, while the Ilgyeong Culture Award will go to media artist Ahyoung Kim. A total of nine individuals, including sculptor Haeyoung Seo, will receive the New Artist Award.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Women and Culture Network have recognized the importance and role of arts and culture in achieving gender equality and have been presenting the Gender Equality Culture Awards since 2008. Now in its 18th year, the awards have honored over 190 recipients to date. The organizations plan to continue discovering and recognizing artists who are dedicated to promoting a culture of gender equality. Detailed information on previous awardees can be found on the Women and Culture Network website.

Anyone who supports the purpose of the Gender Equality Culture Awards and wishes to congratulate the recipients is welcome to attend the ceremony. Applications for participation can be submitted through the Women’s News website.