“Without a word, walking side by side on an autumn path where cosmos flowers were in full bloom, the person who smiled quietly when our eyes met, the immensely kind and intellectual person whose hand I couldn’t even hold, must have had no choice in the face of aging and illness. My first love, who told me I resembled a cosmos flower just like my clumsy self&mdashaging is sad, but beautiful and fresh memories still live within my heart…”
This is a passage from ‘Cosmos Love,’ the winning work by Soon-yi Yoo (78, pictured), who debuted as an essayist by winning the 2026 Gwongwan Memorial Foundation (Chairman Chan-yeol Jung) ‘Literature World Newcomer Literary Award.’
Residing in Westchester, New York, Yoo graduated from Kyungpook National University and Korea University’s Department of Nursing, and retired after working as a nurse for about 40 years at medical centers including New York’s Albert Einstein Medical Center.
Later in life, she began studying writing, commuting weekly to the ‘Red Workshop Literary Club’ led by poet Eun-ja Kim in New Jersey. Through dedicated writing efforts, she finally reaped the fruit of her literary debut.
Judges Chan-yeol Jung and Dong-chan Kim evaluated that the work reflects upon and interprets memorable experiences to create meaning, successfully earning readers’ sympathy through the power of storytelling.
Essayist Yoo shared her thoughts, saying, “Starting with this newcomer literary award, I will study even harder from now on, and I am grateful to teacher Eun-ja Kim and the fellow writers of the Red Workshop Literary Club who guided me so I could write.”
