Shin Saimdang, Korean writer

Hi there. Welcome to Living among Cultures, from the Canary Islands to the world. It is a literary journey without borders. Each episode I explore a work, an author or a literary current from different corners of the planet. Because books are also passports, and each story brings us closer to different cultures, languages and realities.

Today, in the literature section, we travel to South Korea to talk about one of the most important female writers: Shin Saimdang, a true example in her country. She was one of the most important artists of her time. Although she lived in a very rigid society, her unconventional upbringing allowed her to develop as a writer, calligrapher, and poet. As a mother, she was extremely fortunate that, since there were few men in the family, her grandfather gave her an education that was unusual for women of her time.