The winners of the 2026 Munhak Segye essay category rookie award have been announced as Jeong Mi-jin and Yoo Soon-yi. The winning works are ‘The Voice Still Heard’ and ‘Cosmos Love,’ respectively. There were no selected winners in the poetry category.
The judging was conducted by poets and essayists Jeong Chan-yeol and Kim Dong-chan.
Jeong Mi-jin’s ‘The Voice Still Heard’ tells the story of a couple who grew up in different cultural backgrounds between Korea and the U.S., decided to divorce over child-rearing issues, and through various twists and turns, started a new life. The judges noted their focus on the authentic attitude of conveying personal experiences rather than trying to lecture the reader, along with the deep sincerity embedded in the writing.
Yoo Soon-yi’s ‘Cosmos Love’ is a work where an elderly author looks back on her first love from school days. It captures the innocent dates of youth and the story of how her first love married a close friend after studying abroad in the U.S. The judges evaluated that this story evokes memories for readers who have passed through the same era.
Judges Jeong Chan-yeol and Kim Dong-chan stated in their review, “Do not try to write better than others, but try to write better than your former self,” urging the two winners to contribute to enriching Korean diaspora literature through continuous creative work.
