2025 Sejong International Sijo Competition
Winners | Judges | Winning Entries
Winners
| One Division | |
|---|---|
| Winner | Shivangi Tanakpur, Uttarakhand, India sijo |
| Runners-up | Ella Schmuck Luverne, Minnesota, USA sijo |
| Eugene Cha Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA sijo |
|
| Honorable Mention |
Kirti Barthwal Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India sijo |
| Chiadikobi Nwefuru Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria sijo |
|
| Zizipho Godana Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa sijo |
|
| Rachel Hong Belmont, California, USA sijo |
About Winners
Shibangi
winner
I am Shivangi, an English Literature student from Uttarakhand, and I am deeply honored and grateful for this recognition. As an INFJ, I have always been drawn to the contrast between what is spoken and what remains unsaid, the quiet depths hidden within simple gestures. This contrast is what drew me to the sijo, a form that can hold a universe of feeling within just three lines, so precise, yet so infinite.
I first encountered the sijo during a class lecture on poetic forms. My professor had shared a particularly striking example, and I was captivated by how the final line reframed everything that came before, that too so naturally. I was fascinated, yet in my first attempts, I confess, I wrote only for the sake of that twist alone, and what emerged felt hollow. I thought perhaps I could never write a genuine sijo. Months later, when I discovered this competition through social media, I remembered a piece I had written spontaneously, for the first time without forcing the volta. The thought of love enduring even as time decays came to me when I saw a worn-out watch on my friend’s wrist at our farewell ceremony. It looked out of place with her beautiful dress. When I asked, she smiled softly and said, “It’s my father’s. I feel his presence with it.”
No more words were needed. The lines arrived on their own, as if the feeling itself had found its form. That’s when I realized the volta isn’t something you construct; it reveals itself when true emotion leads. To have this piece recognized feels like the most beautiful affirmation. This experience has deepened my respect for the Korean tradition that embraces both restraint and profound emotion, a harmony I believe connects all human hearts. Thank you for this incredible honor.
Note: According to the winner, “Shivangi” is her full given name. In her region (Uttarakhand, India), it is common for individuals to use a single name rather than a separate family (last) name.
Ella Schmuck
runners-up
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Eugene Cha
runners-up
My name is Eugene Cha, and I am a high school student at Paul Duke STEM High School in Norcross, Georgia.
I first learned about Sijo when I was doing research about poetry. I thought this traditional Korean poetic form was fascinating because it expresses deep emotions and reflections within such a structured rhythm. As I studied more, I became inspired by how Sijo balances simplicity and complexity, allowing writers to convey meaningful ideas with elegance and restraint.
Through this experience, I learned not only about the beauty of Korean literature but also about the importance of connecting cultural heritage to modern expression. Writing my own Sijo helped me reflect on my identity and discover how language can bridge generations and preserve tradition in a changing world.
Kirti Barthwal
honorable mention
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Chiadikobi Nwefuru
honorable mention
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Zizipho Godana
honorable mention
My name is Zizipho Godana, and I am a writer and postgraduate student based in Pretoria, South Africa.
I first learned about the Sejong International Sijo Competition while exploring international poetry contests online. I was drawn to the sijo form because of its balance, precision, and limitations— qualities that challenge and inspire me as a writer.
My entry was inspired by the kindness of strangers. Writing this sijo reminded me of how form can deepen meaning — how structure can hold emotion gently, without constraining it. This was my first time writing sijo, and it will definitely not be the last.
Rachel Hong
honorable mention
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