Ko Un

About the Author

Ko Un is a prolific South Korean poet whose work spans more than six decades and reflects the turbulence of modern Korean history. Born in 1933, he endured war, imprisonment, and political upheaval, experiences that infuse his poetry with raw emotion, moral urgency, and a deep compassion for ordinary lives. His writing often moves between the intimate and the historical, capturing fleeting moments of beauty amid suffering and resilience. A former Buddhist monk and political activist, Ko Un has produced an immense body of work that includes epic sequences and concise, luminous lyrics. His international recognition has grown through translations that highlight his distinctive voice and unflinching engagement with memory, identity, and human endurance.