The Sijo: Poetry Workshop in Korean Traditional Form
$55
The sijo is Korea’s most prominent and enduring traditional poetic form. Characterized by a clarity and accessibility that belies emotional complexity and tonal nuance, it is a form that prioritizes the unsaid and best grapples with the unsayable. Its brevity demands strict economy of language and intentionality of silence. Writing in this discipline exercises several poetic skills that we will focus on and hone throughout this six-week workshop.
Readings will engage with both traditional and contemporary examples of sijo poetry, as well as some poems from jisei, tanka, haiku, and jueju traditions. All readings will be in English or translated into English. No Korean language skills are required.
This workshop invites poets of all levels to write outside their comfort zone. All students will have the opportunity to have at least two poems workshopped by the course with detailed instructor feedback.
Students should bring a notebook and writing utensil, and are expected to bring their annotated copies of the poems being workshopped on a given day, as well as course readings.
Access Program
We want our writing classes and seminars to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and seminar tuitions at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.
Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.
Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts. Apply here for the liaison position.
David Seung
David Seung is a second-generation Korean-American poet, comedian, tour guide, teacher, and line cook from Portland, Oregon. His debut chapbook, God's Love Is Very Busy (Cathexis Northwest Press, 2019), and his first full-length book, Silkworm's Pansori (The Song Cave, 2025), both engage with the Korean sijo form, with the latter devoted fully to it. His poetry has been featured in Harper's Magazine. He has performed comedy at the St. John's Comedy Festival, Rip City Comedy Festival, Asian Comedy Fest NY, and Portland's Funniest Person Semifinals. He is an adjunct at Portland State University, from where he earned an MFA in Poetry. On most days he advocates for downtown Portland through his walking food tour company, Side Dish Mafia Food Tours, and on other days he serves Korean BBQ out of a food cart.
