MIT Global Humanities Initiative: Master Class presents, “The Future of Modern Korean Poetry in the Digital Age and the Meaning of Poetry-Songs”

Dear colleagues, students, and friends,

Join us for the 2026 GHI 3rd Master Class!

This special lecture will feature Choi Dongho, a distinguished Korean poet and literary critic and a member of the National Academy of Arts of Korea.  The session will offer an overview of the historical trajectory of Korean poetry from ancient poetic songs to modern poetry and explore the future of Korean poetry in the digital age.

3rd GHI Master Class

【Lecture Outline】

Korean poetic song began with ancient songs such as Gongmudohaga (“Song of Crossing the River”) and Gujiga (“Song of the Turtle”), and has developed through hyangga, Goryeo songs, sijo, and modern poetry, forming a tradition of approximately 1,800 years. The separation of song and lyrics occurred in the early twentieth century, and the lecturer anticipates that poetry will return to song in the twenty-first century. In this era of a major transition from print culture to digital culture, he argues that poetry must return to song in order to secure vitality for the future. Recognizing the broad popular reach of song, the lecturer has pursued a “song-poem” movement in which poems are set to music. The lecture emphasizes the importance of the poetic spirit that runs through Korean poetry from ancient times to the present.

In line with this perspective, participants will listen to poetry-songs such as A Love That Suddenly Comes to Mind, Monarch Butterfly, and Himalayan Vulture. Through these works, the session aims to deepen understanding of what poetry is and why poetry constitutes the soul of song.

As a form of experiential learning, participants who have written a poem in Korean will be invited to share their work. The lecturer will offer an impromptu critique, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, and the group will reflect together on the significance of poetry in the age of artificial intelligence.

Looking forward to seeing you at our events!
The GHI Team