At the “Gwanghwamun Signboard 35th Anniversary Book Concert” held at the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 11th, attendees pose for a commemorative photo. (From left) Yozoh, phrase selection committee member, Kim Yeon-su, committee member, poet Do Jong-hwan, poet Na Tae-joo, Chairman Shin Chang-jae, poet Moon Jeong-hee, poet Jang Seok-ju, Jang Jae-seon, committee member, Yoo Hee-kyung, committee member.

‘A jujube does not turn red on its own/ How many typhoons inside/ How many thunders, how many lightning bolts’

Kyobo Life announced on the 12th that, in an online vote participated in by 22,500 citizens, poet Jang Seok-ju’s ‘A Jujube’ was selected as the ‘Best Gwanghwamun Signboard’.

The Gwanghwamun Signboard, installed on the front of the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, marks its 35th anniversary this year. Kyobo Life said, “As we went through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘message of endurance, ripening, and recovery’ was evaluated as having come as a gentle comfort to citizens’ daily lives.”

Do Jong-hwan’s ‘Flowers Bloom While Swaying’, Na Tae-joo’s ‘Wildflower’, Moon Jeong-hee’s ‘Winter Love’, and Jeong Hyeon-jong’s ‘Visitor’ ranked near the top, followed by Kim Gyu-dong’s ‘The Sun Tilts’, Yoo Hee-kyung’s ‘Conversation’, and Heo Hyeong-man’s ‘Strolling Across the Winter Field’, among others.

Kyobo Life also held a book concert on the 11th at the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Gwanghwamun Signboard.

In his welcome address, Shin Chang-jae, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Kyobo Life, said, “For 35 years, the Gwanghwamun Signboard has grown into a companion to citizens, comforting the pains of the times and conveying hope,” adding, “We will continue striving to ensure it remains a cultural window that offers brief respite and hope for the future in citizens’ daily lives.”