Marronnier Women's Writing Contest to Be Held on October 7... Open to All Undebuted Women Writers

Launched in 1983, the Oldest Women's Writing Contest in Korea
Record 1,246 Participants Last Year
Three Categories: Poetry, Prose, and Children's Literature
29 Winners to Be Awarded a Total Prize Pool of 40 Million Won

The 'Marronnier Women's Writing Contest,' the longest-running women’s contest in Korea, will take place in Daehakro next month.

Poster for the 44th Marronnier Women's Writing Contest, organized by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service, to be held on October 7th in the Marronnier Park area in Daehakro, Seoul. Any unpublished woman can participate in the poetry, prose, and children's literature categories. Pre-registration is open until the 27th. Korea Arts & Culture Education Service

The Korea Arts & Culture Education Service announced on September 22 that the 44th Marronnier Women's Writing Contest will be held on October 7 from 10 a.m. in the Marronnier Park area in Daehakro, Seoul.

The Marronnier Women's Writing Contest was launched in 1983 to discover new writers and support literary activities. It is organized by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the Suseok Cultural Foundation; Dong-A Pharm; and Dong-A ST.

Last year, the 43rd contest saw a record 1,246 participants. This year, there will be three categories: poetry, prose, and children’s literature (including children’s poetry and fairy tales). A total of 29 winners will be selected through on-site judging, and prize money totaling 40 million won will be awarded, sponsored by the Suseok Cultural Foundation.

Eligibility is limited to women who have not yet been published. Pre-registration is available via the Literature Square website until the 27th. Even those who do not register in advance can apply on-site at Marronnier Park from 9 a.m. to noon on the day of the event. All participants must bring identification, regardless of whether they pre-registered or sign up on-site.

Related events for participants and the public will also be offered. Kim Mella, author of collections such as "Dream My Dream" and "Ieung Ieung" and winner of the 2024 Young Writers Award Grand Prize, will give a literature lecture sharing her creative experiences and thoughts on writing.

An event allowing citizens to suggest actual writing prompts for the contest is being held until the 27th. Anyone can participate via the Literature Square website, and four people whose prompts are selected will each receive a mobile gift card worth 30,000 won.

Lee Beomheon, Chairperson of the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service, remarked, "The Marronnier Women's Writing Contest is the longest-running women’s writing contest in Korea, elevating the daily lives and perspectives of women into literature. I hope this event will provide an opportunity for unpublished women to discover their sensibilities and help expand the foundation of Korean literature."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.