Short song of love

Korean poet Hwang Dong-kyu wrote many famous pieces of work. One of them is the poem titled 'Delightful Letter.' The poem is not so delightful almost until the end when you might be able to smile just about faintly. Many of Hwang's poems have ironical, thought-provoking, and polysemous titles, just like the 'Delightful Letter.' One might guess that the piece is about some young sweet love story, which is far from it. On the contrary, the poem feels bitter and even lonely. The work is not about love that is enriching and fulfilling. It is full of loneliness after having to let the beloved one go. The story's background is a cold winter night with fine powdery snow falling. Feeling empty-hearted, a freezing, snowy winter night may be a heartbreaking condition where the loss can be felt ever more intensely.

The poem is loved not only by those who had been heartbroken by love. Besides the emotional empathy it offers, the piece with not so many words feels like watching a movie. While reading, one can imagine oneself as the poem's protagonist, walking down the street on a cold winter night, looking up into the sky, and eyeing the floating snowflakes. The poem offers to become an inspiring movie with mere 13 lines. It has been over 40 years since it was first published, and still great art always lasts forever and for a reason.