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Claudia Lee Hae-in

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In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Mother

Claudia Lee Hae-in

O.S.B
BornLee Myung-sook[1]
(baptismal name: Velladetta)
(1945-06-07) 7 June 1945 (age 79)
Yanggu County, Gangwon, South Korea
LanguageKorean
Alma mater
GenrePoetry, essays
Notable awards
  • Donga Women's Prize (1985)
  • Busan Women's Literature Award (1985)
  • Cheong Sang-beong Literary Award (2006)
  • Gumin Award (2016)
Korean name
Hangul
이해인
Hanja
李海仁
Revised RomanizationLee Haein
McCune–ReischauerLee Haein
Website
Olivetan Benedictine Sisters

Claudia Lee Hae-in (Korean: 이해인, born 7 June 1945) is a South Korean Catholic nun, poet, and essayist.[2][3] She has sold almost two million copies of her books of poetry and been regarded as "Korea's next contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature."[4]

Biography

Lee Hae-in was born on 7 June 1945, in Yanggu County, Gangwon to Catholic parents, Lee Dae-young and Kim Sun-ok. Three days after she was born, she was baptized Catholic with the name Velladetta.[5] At a very young age, she displayed immense literary talent. At the outbreak of the Korean War on 25 June 1950, her father was detained and taken to North Korea and the remaining family were forced to flee to Busan, South Korea.[6][7]

After completing her secondary education, she entered religious life in 1964 as an Olivetan Benedictine Sister in Busan. She pronounced her first vows in 1968 and perpetual vows in 1976.[6][7] She graduated with a degree in English from the Saint Louis University in Baguio, Philippines.[7]

From 1992 to 1997, she was appointed as the General-Secretary of her order in Korea. She was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2008, and after receiving medical treatments, has returned to good health.[8] In 2015, fake news spread on the internet claiming the nun had died, which she jokingly ignored by saying, "I could forgive the fake news, but I can't go easy on the fake poem."[7][8]

She had solid friendship with the poet Park Wan-suh and the Venerable Buddhist monk Beopjeong, whom she both noted as having greatly influenced her in life and works.[2][3][7]

Writing

Poetry

Lee made her debut as a poet with the poem "Flower Shovel" in the Catholic Journal Soyeon in 1970. The poem was a conversation with a natural occurrence based on her daily experiences.[2] Her reputation as a poet grew following the publication in 1976 of her first collection of poems titled, The Land of Dandelions. She became known for her works because of its clarity and simplicity, and its usage of plain Korean language with deep-seated messages and meanings which makes the readers reflect.[2]

Other inspiring collections of Lee's poetry and essays include; Light a Fire in My Soul (1979), The Face of Time (1989), A Little Prayer (2011), Happiness of Waiting (2018) and As If Leaves Are Seen After Flowers Fall (2011). Her poem "The Love Song of a Dandelion" which is a reflection on both consolation and hope appeared in Korean middle school text books.[2][3]

From 1998 to 2002, she carried out her missionary works through a literary forum called "Hae-in's Writing Room" and delivered a series of lectures in various parts of the country on the theme "Poetry and Spirituality in Life."[7]

Awards and recognitions

She has received six awards for her outstanding contributions to literature:

  • 1981: New Sprouts Literary Award
  • 1985: Donga Women's Prize
  • 1985: Busan Women's Literature Award
  • 2004: Woollim Arts Award
  • 2006: Cheong Sang-beong Literary Award
  • 2016: Gumin Award

In recent years, Lee has been regarded as Korea's likely candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, alongside with the authors Ko Un, Kim Hyesoon and Hwang Sok-yong.[4][9]

Publications

From an early age, Lee Hae-in was passionate about writing and as a Catholic nun explored the significant connections between poetry and spirituality. She has published 18 collections of poetry and 12 books on essays, which are included in high school textbooks.[7]

Poetry collections

Year Original title English title Publisher
1976 민들레의 영토 The Land of Dandelions Catholic Books Publishing
1979 내 혼에 불을 놓아 Light A Fire in my Soul Bundo Books
1983 오늘은 내가 반달로 떠도 If I Rise as a Half-Moon Today
1989 시간의 얼굴 The Face of Time
1992 엄마와 분꽃 Mommy and the Sunflower
1999 외딴 마을의 빈집이 되고 싶다 To Be an Empty House in a Secluded Village Yolimwon Publishing
다른 옷은 입을 수가 없네 I Can't Wear Other Clothes
2002 작은 위로 Small Comfort
2007 작은 기쁨 Small Joy
2008 엄마 Mom Samtoh Publishing
2010 희망은 깨어있네 Hope Is Awake Mind Walk Books
2011 작은기도 A Little Prayer Yolimwon Publishing
2013 이해인 시전집 Hae-in Lee Poems Literary Thought
2014 필 때도 질 때도 동백꽃처럼 Like a Camelia When It Blooms and Withers Mind Walk Books
2015 서로 사랑하면 언제라도 봄 Whenever We Love Each Other, It's Always Spring Yellimul Publishing
2019 친구에게 To a Friend Samtoh Publishing
2022 꽃잎 한 장처럼 Like a Single Petal
2023 인생의 열 가지 생각 Ten Thoughts on Life Mind Walk Books

Essays

Year Original title English title Publisher
1986 두레박 Durebak Bundo Books
1994 꽃삽 Flower Shovel Samtoh Publishing
1997 사랑할 땐 별이 되고 When You Love, You Become a Star
2002 향기로 말을 거는 꽃처럼 Like a Flower That Speaks With Its Scents Spring Co.
2004 기쁨이 열리는 창 The Window Where Happiness Rests Mind Walk Books
2006 풀꽃 단상 Flower Pots Bundo Books
사랑은 외로운 투쟁 Love Is A Lonely Struggle Mind Walk Books
2011 꽃이 지고 나면 잎이 보이듯이 As If Leaves Are Seen After Flowers Fall Samtoh Publishing
2018 고운 마음 꽃이 되고 고운 말은 빛이 되고 A Kind Heart Becomes a Flower,
A Kind Word Becomes a Light		 Spring Co.
기다리는 행복 Happiness of Waiting Samtoh Publishing
2019 그 사랑 놓치지 마라 Don't Miss That Love
2020 이해인의 말 Lee Hae-in's Words Mind Walk Books

Anthologies

Year Original title English title Publisher
1993 사계절의 기도 Prayer of the Four Seasons Bundo Books
2000 고운새는 어디 숨었을까 Where Did the Beautiful Bird Hide? Samtoh Publishing
2001 여행 중 On a Journey Pagusa Publishing
2005 눈꽃 아가 Snowflake Baby Yolimwon Publishing
2006 꽃은 흩어지고 그리움은 모이고 Flowers Scatter and Longing Gathers Bundo Books
2013 나를 키우는 말 Words That Lifted Me Poet's Though Books

See also

References

  1. ^ "'뉴스룸' 이해인 수녀 "부모님으로부터 받은 이름은 밝을 '명' 맑을 '숙'"". Sports Seoul (in Korean). 28 April 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Choe Chong-dae (22 February 2021). "A beloved poet". The Korea Times. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Chung Ah-young (1 April 2011). "Leaves chants gratitude for life, hope". The Korea Times. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b Nawaid Anjum (6 October 2022). "Who will win the 2022 Nobel Prize for Literature?". thefederal.com. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  5. ^ "이해인 수녀님 홈페이지-계단 오르기". haein.isamtoh.com (in Korean). Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b "About Poetry and Life, with Sister Claudia Hae-in Lee". Asian Women's Christian Association. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Rock Ronald Rozario (4 February 2021). "Korean nun spreads Gospel with prayer and poetry". UCA News. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b Park Jin-hai (22 December 2017). "'After fighting cancer, I speak about happiness more'". The Korea Times. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  9. ^ Manas Joshi (3 October 2023). "Nobel Prize in Literature 2023: Who is in the race? Here are some possible names". WION. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
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