The 7th Grand Laureate of the LLPP

Medoruma Syun (1960~)

Medoruma Shun(目取真俊) is a Japanese novelist and one of the prominent writers representing Okinawan literature. He was born in 1960 in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, and graduated from the Department of Japanese Literature at the University of the Ryukyus. During his university years, he began engaging in literary activities and participating in anti-base protests, and in his youth, he was influenced by writers such as Oe Kenzaburo, Nakagami Kenji, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. After graduating from university, he worked as a temporary laborer, security guard, and private tutor before becoming a high school teacher, a profession he held until 2003. He debuted in 1983 with his work "Taiwan Woman: Record of a Fish Shoal" ("Gyogunki") and went on to receive significant recognition in the Japanese literary scene. He received the Akutagawa Prize in 1997 for "Droplets" ("Suiteki"), the Kawabata Yasunari Prize and the Kiyama Shohei Prize in 2000 for "Mabuigumi" ("Spirit Stuffing"), solidifying his position as a major Japanese writer.

Since his debut, Medoruma Shun has been representing ‘Okinawan (Ryukyuan) literature’ and expanding the scope of ‘Okinawan literature.’ His portrayal of Okinawa in his works is far from the familiar image of a popular travel destination with exotic charm from mainland Japan. Instead, he reveals the ‘true Okinawa,’ a land filled with tragic history and trauma, still grappling with ongoing oppression and struggle. Okinawa, originally an independent kingdom with a long history and unique culture, was annexed by Japan in 1879. Since then, it was mobilized as part of the Japanese military presence during World War II, occupied by the United States after Japan's defeat in the war, and "returned" to Japan in 1972, undergoing a tumultuous history. The unique culture, environment, and the deeply ingrained historical pain of the Okinawan people have significantly influenced Medoruma's works. In his works, he critiques the contradictory and unjust power dynamics that Okinawa faces through literary sublimation, thematically focusing on issues such as Japan's colonial discrimination and oppression against Okinawa, the scars left by the Battle of Okinawa, and the problem of the US military presence in Okinawa. Starting with his debut work "Taiwan Woman: Record of a Fish Shoal," he painfully summons the memories of violence inflicted on minority groups (Taiwanese comfort women) in Okinawa. In "Walking the Street Named Peace Boulevard" (1986) and "January 7th" (1989), he also tackles the contentious issue of the war responsibility of the revered 'Emperor' within Japan, positioning himself at the center of controversy. In the 1990s, he delved into the theme of the unfinished war in Okinawa in works like "Droplets," which won the Akutagawa Prize and is well-known in Korea, and "Spirit Stuffing," which received the Kawabata Yasunari Prize. Through these works, he incisively explores the traumas of war. In the 2000s, through novels like Rainbow Bird and In the Woods of Memory, he reconstructs ‘counter violence’ against the US military as a literary imagination, seeking the direction Okinawa should take. Even after receiving the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, Medoruma continuously challenges mainstream perspectives and embodies his aspirations through ‘literary activism,’ making him one of the notable writers as among non-Western authors in the 21st century.

The occupation and colonization by Japan, the role of being a geographical sacrifice amidst the Cold War dynamics between powerful nations, and the lingering (and still ongoing) scars of war are not unique to Okinawa alone. Therefore, Medoruma's portrayal of Okinawa's tragedy and suffering through his works resonates emotionally with our Korean modern history, such as the colonial period in Korea and the Jeju 4.3 Incident. The reason why the Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace, which selects and awards authors who have strived to overcome global issues like inequality, discrimination, violence, and war through outstanding literary achievements, has also paid attention to Medoruma Shun lies precisely here.

Beyond his novels, Medoruma is a practical intellectual who actively voices and acts on various social issues in Okinawa through essays, criticism, regional newspapers, major journals, and web blogs. Since 2010, he has been at the forefront of the Henoko anti-base protest in Okinawa, riding canoes in front of the Henoko sea to oppose the construction of US military bases and participating almost daily in maritime protest activities. Recently, he has been experimenting with creating novels in the Okinawan dialect.

The 7th Special Award Laureate of the LLPP

Jin Eun-young (1970~)

Jin Eun-young, the poet, philosopher, educator teaching literature and philosophy in academia, and translator, was born in Daejeon in 1970. She majored in philosophy at Ewha Womans University and completed her graduate studies there. In 2000, she began her literary career by publishing poems in the spring issue of the literary magazine Literature and Society. In 2003, she published her first poetry collection, Dictionary Made of Seven Words. Subsequently, she released her second collection, We, Day by Day, in five years, followed by Stealing Away Songs in 2012. Her works reorganize the old and familiar daily life with sensual metaphors and vivid imagery while addressing contemporary realities with philosophical reflection and poetic political consciousness. She has received various literary awards, including the Daesan Literary Award, Hyundae Literature Award, Cheonsangbyeong Poetry Award, and Baekseok Literary Award. Additionally, she translated the novel "Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom" by American poet Sylvia Plath into Korean.

Jin Eun-young's fourth poetry collection, And I Love You Like an Old Street, is her first work in nearly ten years since her previous publication. Regarding the time spent dealing with health issues and her contemplation on poetry, the poet writes in the preface, “Poet’s Words,” of the collection, "The times when I tried to make one person a little less lonely passed." She also quotes the words of the British novelist and critic, John Berger, saying, "I'm looking for words to tell you that I'm with you." In a lecture questioning the social position and function of a poet, Jin Eun-young stated, "The poet is a person who converses through silence." Since her debut, the poet has been deeply committed to the writing of "literature that shares the pain of the times." She listens to the voices that remain unheard in the community and visually expresses their lives through literature—an arduous and challenging task that the 42 intense and sensory poems in this collection beautifully achieve.

In this way, the poetry collection And I Love You Like an Old Street presents a delicate beauty of poetic metaphor born from long contemplation, centered around love and solidarity, and explores the role of the poet through the spirit of the times with remarkable insight. Recognizing these unique qualities, the Selection Committee for the Special Award selected poet Jin Eun-young as the recipient of the 7th Special Award laureate of the Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace 2023. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the poet's debut poetry collection.