Ko Hyeong-ryeol (born 1954) is a modern Korean poet.
1. Life
Ko Hyeong-ryeol was born in the town of Haenam at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula and grew up in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. After high school, Ko passed an exam to become a government employee and worked as a clerk in his township. He made his literary debut in 1979 publishing the poem "Jangja" (장자 Zhuangzi) in Hyundae Munhak. Since then he has published 11 collections of poetry, most recently Oraedoen geotdeureul saenggakal ttaeeneun (오래된 것들을 생각할 때에는 Thinking of Old Things) in 2020. He is the recipient of the Baek Seok Prize for Literature (2006), among others.
2. Writing
Ko Hyeong-ryeol is a poet of “peculiar” voice. Calm even as it discusses the history of Korean national division or the author's wish for Korean reunification, his poetic language carries the halting tone of a soliloquy muttered or a conversation initiated with difficulty. Though never exertive, Ko's poetry exudes the strength of compassion and warmth grounded in the poet's own perspective toward the world, which is not that of a distant observer but rather that of a close neighbor who meditates on things as though they are an immediate part of his life. As Ko has aged his work has become even more humble and pure in tone. Ko often describes the world as full of sorrow and suffering, but his poetry also expresses life with compassion and understanding.
