Poet Sun Hyang Kim Honored with 2025 Orpheus Texts Book of the Year Award for So Long

South Korean Poet Sun Hyang Kim (right) receives the 2025 Orpheus Texts Book of the Year award.

Special recognition was given to the translation—the work of the author in collaboration with co-translator Dean J. Ouellette

RICHARDSON, TX, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- South Korean writer, scholar and humanitarian Sun Hyang Kim has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Orpheus Texts Book of the Year Award for her poetry collection "So Long," marking a significant achievement for Korean literature on the international stage.

The award ceremony took place on October 28, 2025, at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, with approximately 70 distinguished guests celebrating this recognition of Korean literary excellence. The Orpheus Texts Book of the Year Award, presented annually by Mundus Artium Press, honors works with a lasting impact on world literature.

Gjekë Marinaj, Director of Mundus Artium Press, noted the collection's remarkable success. "The first Mundus Artium publication of Sun Hyang Kim's poetry collection 'So Long' sold out in a few months, and its new edition continues to captivate readers worldwide," Marinaj said in his presentation.

He highlighted the merits of “So Long,” including its "strong metaphors and allegories" that display "excellent artistry and stunning power." Marinaj commended the collection's clarity of structure and expression, which "sets it apart from other poetry" in contemporary literature.

Special recognition was given to the translation—the work of the author in collaboration with co-translator Dean J. Ouellette—which Marinaj said "connects two languages and continents so naturally that English readers won't sense that the poetry is translated." The publisher called Sun Hyang Kim "a truly outstanding poet" whose work exhibits the highest standards "from its basic design to its linguistic artistry."

In her acceptance speech, Sun Hyang Kim reflected on the cultural significance embedded in her work's title. "In Korean, '안녕' is a unique word used both when meeting and parting, while 'so long' is a phrase said between close friends when parting, so it is full of affection," she explained.

The poet expressed her "gratitude to everyone who was with me in creating '안녕 (So Long).'" Drawing inspiration from John Keats, she quoted: "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: / Its loveliness increases; it will never / Pass into nothingness…"

The ceremony attracted Korea's most prominent cultural and diplomatic figures, including Kyungnam University President Park Jae Kyu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Song Min-soon, former Ambassador to the United States Ahn Ho-young, President of the Korea Diplomatic Association Shin Bong-gil, Chairwoman of Hyundai Group Hyun Jeong-eun, President of the Korean Women's Associations United Huh Myung, and Vice President of the Korean Red Cross Jung Chae Young.

Sun Hyang Kim's poetry is shaped by her personal experience of division and reconciliation. Born in North Korea and later settling in the South, she offers unique insights into themes of identity, separation and healing.

The poet's academic career spans prestigious institutions including Ewha Womans University, Kyunghee University, and Kyungnam University, where she served as Professor of English Literature. Beyond academia, she has shown humanitarian leadership as Vice President and Acting President of the Korean Red Cross, and served as Chairperson of the University of North Korean Studies.

"So Long" represents the culmination of her poetry, distilling achievements from three volumes published over thirteen years: "Verse Diary" (2012), "Golden Roses" (2021), and "The Day, The Flower" (2024). Her work pioneers the genre of the "verse diary," characterized by refined language rooted in experience.

Several pieces in "So Long" provide intimate reflections on the poet's involvement in events that shaped modern Korean identity, including the Korean War, historic inter-Korean summits, and meetings of separated Korean families. These works offer both personal testimony and historical perspective on a divided nation.

Sun Hyang Kim's earlier work includes the autobiographical sketches "Broken Moon" (1980), which remain a touchstone of her reflective prose. She received the Special Award of the Kim Daljin Literary Prize in 2021, recognizing her distinctive poetic voice.

In parallel to her original poetry, she has established herself as a distinguished translator and scholar of English Renaissance poetry, particularly John Donne. Her publications include "Five Metaphysical Poets of the 17th Century" (1996), "The Songs and Sonnets of John Donne" (1998), "Divine Poems of John Donne" (2001), "Elegies of John Donne" (2005), and "Selected Poems of John Donne" (2016).

Sun Hyang Kim's Orpheus Texts Book of the Year Award underscores a growing international appreciation for Korean literature and its ability to speak universally while maintaining its own cultural focus. Her achievement opens new pathways for Korean works to reach global audiences and contributes to ongoing dialogue between Eastern and Western traditions.

The Orpheus Texts Book of the Year Award honors writers whose work possesses exceptional artistic merit and potential to influence contemporary discourse. Sun Hyang Kim's selection affirms her position among the most significant figures in Korean poetry and acknowledges her contribution to fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Mundus Artium Press, housed at The University of Texas at Dallas, is dedicated to publishing literary works demonstrating artistic excellence and cultural significance.

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