Teenager wins literature award

A high school student from Daegu has made a name for herself by winning a literature award, outperforming adult competitors.

Lee Bong-hwa, 18, was selected as the winner of this year’s new novelist award by Writer’s Perspective, a quarterly literature journal.

Her story, “Views Down from the Sky,” is about a girl desiring to become an artist, consistently failing to capture the scenery of her dreams, yet eventually succeeding.

Lee’s intention was to give cheer to teenagers reaching for their dreams who are also suffering in reality.

It took two years to craft the plot, which revolves around sophisticated psychology.

“The main character of the story resembles me, as though I succeeded in writing a story of my own,” Lee said. “I am happy to give hope to my friends that you can actually do something when you really go for it.”

By Kang Yoon-seung (koreacolin@gmail.com)