Novelist Hong Seong-gu Wins the “2026 Shim Hun Literary Award”

The winner of the “2026 Shim Hun Literary Award” has been announced. The Shim Hun Literary Award, which is open to emerging writers who have not yet published their first collection of works, celebrated its 29th anniversary this year, and Hong Seong-gu was selected as the winner in the fiction category. The winning collection consists of “Poly Sound” and five other stories.

This year, 236 applicants submitted manuscripts totaling at least the length of a full book for the Shim Hun Literary Award. Following the initial review, five authors—Kang Ji-won, Ko Eun-kyung, Bae Eun-jeong, Lee Ji-young, and Hong Seong-gu—were shortlisted for in-depth discussion. Bae Eun-jeong, with “Swing” and four other stories, and Hong Seong-gu, with “Poly Sound” and five other stories, were the two finalists who underwent intensive review.

The judges described Hong Seong-gu’s work as an “outboxer style that reflects on and examines reality based on the senses.” By featuring characters who create sound, scent, and taste—such as sound designers, perfumers, and chefs—and by depicting a character in “Stress Ball” who cannot feel pain due to a lack of tactile sensation, the judges noted that “his approach to reality, mediated through personal memories, pain, and human history surrounding the senses, is refreshing.” Furthermore, the works received high praise for “standing out in terms of well-structured composition and completeness—virtues essential to short films—with all six works maintaining a high level of polish without significant variation.”

The judges deliberated extensively between the works of author Bae Eun-jeong—whose pieces stood out for their serious thematic depth and the courage to confront reality head-on—and those of author Hong Seong-gu. They announced that, in line with the Shim Hun Literary Award’s focus on the publication of a first collection, they gave significant weight to the author’s potential for growth and ultimately selected Hong Seong-gu’s work as the winner.

Author Hong Seong-gu began his literary career in 2025 when his novel “Poly Sound” was selected in the Seoul Shinmun New Year’s Literary Contest.

This year’s Shim Hun Literary Award judging panel consisted of Kim Chan-gi (critic and professor at Hankyong University), Bang Hyun-seok (novelist and professor at Chung-Ang University), Ha Sang-il (critic and professor at Dong-Eui University), and Hong Ki-don (critic and professor at The Catholic University of Korea). The winner will receive a cash prize of 5 million won. The winning work of the Shim Hun Literary Award, hosted by the Shim Hun Memorial Foundation, will be published as a book by Asia Publishing. The award ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 10, at 6:00 p.m. at the Dangjin City Hall Outdoor Performance Hall, in conjunction with the 90th Anniversary Shim Hun Memorial Cultural Festival.

The Shim Hun Memorial Cultural Festival will begin with a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. on the same day at the Shim Hun Memorial Hall (Pilgyeongsa), followed by the “Shim Hun’s Love for the Nation” essay and drawing contests, as well as the Shim Hun Academic Conference.