Dong-A Literary Contest heats up

The 2001 Dong-A Literary Contest, whose entry deadline was Dec. 7, proved that the zeal of young literature lovers has not waned.

More than 3,000 works were entered in 12 categories, slightly more than usual. A total of 1,400 works were entered in the poetry category, followed by short and medium-length novels with about 1,000.

Applicants ranged from a 15-year-old middle school student hoping to become a movie critic to a 79-year-old man who wrote poems about his difficult life during the Korean War.

More than 100 manuscripts were entered via international mail by Korean residents living in the United States, Japan and China, as well as Canada, Britain, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Thailand.