2025 Sejong International Sijo Competition
Winners | Judges | Winning Entries
Winning Entries
Borrowed Pulse
My father’s watch—its leather worn—now circles my own wrist.
Its steady ticking, a borrowed pulse, I press against my skin.
It counts not hours lost, but measures how long love can live.
My Groom
He stands so formal in front of the church, handsome as ever
He has my love and whole heart, which jumps as I hold my breath
He says “I do”, as I say “it should be me”, silently from the back pew
Kitchen Oracle
Grandmother measures rice by hand, no cup could know the perfect weight.
Her wooden spoon stirs histories that simmer in the cast iron pot.
Three pinches salt, she always says, then throws in five for lucky taste.
She never said
She never said, “I love you,” just served a bowl of seaweed soup.
She never said, “Take care,” only passed me a bowl of warm juk.
Now I sip broth from a paper cup—its steam fades, like her warmth.
An Erosion of Memory
I once carved my name on the old river rock behind our house.
Each summer, the floods returned, softer, quieter, but never kind.
Now the stone forgets me slowly, like Grandma forgot my voice.
Doorway in the Rain
A stranger smiles at the bus stop, rain dripping from his hair.
My hands clutch the grocery bag, unsure if I should answer.
But his laugh feels like a doorway—warm—and I walk through it.
Hidden Song of Home
Korean once flowed like rivers wide and shining through my youth,
Now my tongue falters, yet my heart hums its hidden song of home,
I gather lost words and stitch them back to life and love once more.