At the beginning of the book | The warmth of a longing letter

Part 1 | Prelude to Poetry and Revolution

I was overcome with emotion, one after another - A letter from poet Kim Gwang-gyun
I wanted to try modernism - A letter from poet Kim Gyu-dong
Irreversible, most precious, and beautiful - A letter from Mrs. Kim Ja-ya
Those materials are part of my body - Letter from critic Im Jong-guk
Never Lower the Flag of Sanjeong - A Letter from Poet Park Yong-rae
Don't be blind and give it your all - A letter from poet Kim Chun-su
Poetry is not written by talent alone - A letter from poet Min-yeong
I was swept to the ends of the earth and lost in the waves - A letter from poet Kim Ji-ha

Part 2 | Resistance of Confined Language

I want to go to that country house too - A letter from author Hwang Seok-young
A Noisy Fight to Preserve Silence - Letter from Critic Baek Nak-cheong
Even if the core of our lives is submerged - A letter from critic Yeom Mu-ung
If I Had One Promise - A Letter from Poet Lee Si-young
What is language and writing, after all? - A letter from author Kim Seong-dong.
For the time being, good poetry instead of alcohol - A letter from author Song Ki-won
Let's meet often with people we miss in the new year - A letter from critic Choi Won-sik
I have a habit of smiling awkwardly at times like this - A letter from author Jeong Chae-bong
Just because the sky is a little cloudy doesn't mean you have to worry about rain - A letter from poet Kim Myeong-in
No Hatred, No Hate - A Letter from Poet Jeong Ho-seung
A Letter from Sculptor Lee Tae-ho, Asking for Forgiveness for My Sloppy Handwriting

Part 3 | Lyricism of Everyday Life

I truly believe this as hope - A letter from poet Lee Ga-rim
Let's take our time and savor it - A Letter from Poet Lee Seon-gwan
I Picked Up a Lazy Pen - A Letter from Poet Seunghee Kim
Pain and suffering are vivid in my eyes - A letter from author Song Woo-hye
I love everything about summer - A letter from author Lee Kyung-ja
If you write to me often, I will feel less lonely - A letter from Father Lee Jeong-woo
Is there any other path for conscience than to transcend humiliation? - A letter from Monk Won Gwang
There's a more moving reality here - A letter from poet Lee Jin-heung
I'm sending you a fan to keep the hot wind away - A letter from poet Ahn Do-hyun.
If the vines are too thick, the fruit won't be firm - A letter from poet Do Jong-hwan
Just sending you news by postcard - A letter from poet Kim Sa-in

Part 4 | Memory, Tribute, and Response

That frog hasn't contacted me yet this year - A letter from Father Jeong Ho-gyeong
Grace and peace be with you - A letter from Bishop Dubong
Is there such a thing as poetry? - A letter from Pastor Lee Hyun-joo
It's a wonderful feeling, as if we're on friendly terms - A letter from Pastor Choi Wan-taek
Where the Heart Runs - A Letter from Social Critic Bae Young-sun
I'll take a look at this letter too - A letter from author Seo Mi-ju
Everything in life seems new - A letter from poet Kim Tae-jeong
I will strive not to live in shame - A letter from poet Baek Chang-il

Letters from 38 People Vividly Capture the Landscape of Modern and Contemporary Korean Literature
Enduring harsh times to reach today

This book, which contains 64 letters from 38 poets, writers, and critics, is divided into four parts.
Part 1, “Prelude to Poetry and Revolution,” contains letters from those who vividly remember the landscape of modern Korean literary circles.
The author says that it was a special joy and a thrill to receive a handwritten letter from the veteran poet Kim Gwang-gyun, whose work he had been reading in a textbook.
Kim Gwang-gyun, a representative modernist poet, used special stationery printed with his pen name, ‘Woodu (雨杜)’.
It has a strong sense of the scholarly tastes of the old literati.

Mrs. Jaya, who was the lover of poet Baek Seok, would send letters to him on sleepless nights, filled with memories of her old lover Baek Seok.
These letters, written in the one-of-a-kind 'Jayache' script, are a valuable resource that provides a glimpse into the life of poet Baek Seok.
Meanwhile, poet Kim Ji-ha, who became acquainted with the author through a special singing competition, said while hospitalized on a summer morning in 1986, “Kim Ji-ha is dead.
He also wrote a letter declaring, “From now on, call me ‘Kim Young-il’” (page 97).
This is a valuable opportunity to encounter poet Kim Ji-ha's handwritten letters, which are difficult to find.

The letters contained in Part 2, “Resistance of Confined Language,” vividly reveal how the Yushin regime and the military dictatorship oppressed the daily lives of writers.
Author Hwang Seok-young, who was imprisoned on charges of violating the National Security Act, sent a short letter from prison that was like a memo.
The stamp 'Censored' next to his handwriting feels like a metaphor for the times.
When the author's poem "Flooded People" was censored by the authorities, critic Yeom Mu-woong sent a letter suggesting that the author give it a "'blind' title" of "Song of Water."
In the short sigh, “Haha, what a strange world” (page 119), one can sense a deep sigh that cannot be fully expressed in words.
The letters of critic Baek Nak-cheong, written when the government was preparing to reopen the quarterly journal 『Creation and Criticism』, which had been forcibly shut down, and the letters of poet Lee Si-yeong, who remained steadfast despite the numerous oppressions under the Yushin regime, are particularly moving, showing the strength of those who endured harsh times.

“Let’s meet often with people we miss.”
The gentle beauty conveyed by a leisurely greeting

Letters that allow you to feel the warmth contained in ordinary greetings are collected in Part 3, “Lyricism of Everyday Life.”
It was a time when we would send congratulatory letters when we heard news of an award, express our thoughts on the book when it was published, and express our gratitude when we exchanged gifts.
Author Lee Dong-soon takes out letters exchanged with writers with familiar names, such as Ahn Do-hyun, Do Jong-hwan, Kim Seung-hee, and Kim Sa-in, and reads in them the beauty of memories and the authenticity of the medium of letters.
Even when there was no special business, he would exchange greetings, and at other times, he would write down serious reflections on what literature is.
In today's world, where we are accustomed to fast and convenient communication such as text messages and emails, a leisurely warmth that is rarely found is fully conveyed.

Part 4, “Memories, Tributes, Responses,” is a compilation of letters from those who poured out their deepest affection for each other, even in fleeting relationships.
Bishop Dubong, a Frenchman who had stood on the side of the oppressed peasants since he first set foot on the unfamiliar land of Korea as a young man, sent a letter of warm encouragement, typed with his fingers on the typewriter keyboard.
Critic Bae Young-sun, who readily gave him his cherished red accordion, confessed in a long letter the secret feelings of friendship he had not been able to express before, and poet Baek Chang-il, who poured out his respect for his teacher like a waterfall over the phone even in the wee hours of the morning, expressed his feelings in his own poems.
The author reminisces about precious memories with those who have already passed away and pays a quiet yet passionate tribute to their old letters.

The philosophy of life discovered in old letters

The senders of the letters included in "It's Been a While" are familiar names to readers of Korean literature, but it is a rare opportunity to see their letters, written in everyday language rather than literary works, gathered together.
Author Lee Dong-soon introduces the human and intimate confessions of writers that are not easily found in their works, and examines the role letters have played in literary history.
It also reminds us of the preciousness of relationships formed in the past, discusses the beauty of life that shines even amidst the transience of time, and seeks out a philosophy of life.

It's an era where people rarely write letters.
Email, text messaging, and messenger applications have made communication simple and easy.
Yet, as you read this book, you realize that the love, tears, longing, and excitement contained in those old letters are still relevant today.
Sometimes, why not stop for a moment and consider the aesthetics of this ancient medium: letters?
Like a heartfelt greeting, a letter written with sincerity, and a heart slowly conveyed, "It's been a while" will slowly seep into the hearts of readers.

Author's Note

If there's something you want to say to someone right now but haven't yet, I hope a passage from this book can be the beginning of that.
If the feelings that were not reached are transformed into words and conveyed to someone's heart like gentle waves, then this book will have sufficient meaning in itself.
Just as a single, unforgettable word can embrace someone's life, I hope this book can remain as a single letter.

November 2025
Lee Dong-soon