U.S. embassy holds Sijo contest

“Sijo” has been the most popular poetic form in Korea for centuries. Like haiku and tanka, its roots are in ancient Chinese verse.

To explore this ancient poetic form, the U.S. Embassy organized an English Sijo Writing Contest with 22 Korean high school students who are fluent in English and have a strong understanding of the traditional form.

The contest was arranged similarly to that of the state civil service exams given during the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. 

High school students brainstorm ideas for the U.S. Embassy’s English Sijo Writing Contest related to the main theme of “hope.” Courtesy of U.S. Embassy