Please, click http://tojicf.thiswebiz.net/ to find out more about Toji Cultural Foundation and Writers Residency programme.

 A Look at Residency for Writers of Each Year  

Pak Kyongni established Residency program for writers for the first time in Korea. The Residency program started in 2001 and the year of 2019 marks its 19th year of the residency program by Toji Cultural Foundation. In 2005, the Residency expanded to writers and artists from around the world.

Looking at the following two organized table will give a clear glimpse into the Residency program.

(Table 1: Number of Writers in Residency per Year)

Year	Writers for Residency in Toji Cultural Centre		Total per year
	Korean Writers	Writers from around the world
2001	17	0	17
2002	15	0	15
2003	18	0	18
2004	30	0	30
2005	35	1	36
2006	45	1	46
2007	52	11	63
2008	53	11	64
2009	57	10	67
2010	65	4	69
2011	73	8	81
2012	80	8	88
2013	78	8	86
2014	77	10	87
2015	78	13	91
2016	67	9	76
2017	69	10	79
2018	66	10	76
2019	61	11	72
Grand Total	1,036	125	1,161
Ratio	89.20%	10.80%	100%

Table 2 shows how many writers from around the world have stayed in Toji Cultural Centre for Residency program from 2005 to 2018. When writers for 2019 are included, the number makes it to 125.

(Table 2: Number of Writers from around the world per Continent and per Country)

※ 114 writers from 31 countries(not including Korean writers) from 2005 to 2018.

Asia		ratio	Europe		ratio	Americas		ratio
Singapore	19	-	France	15	-	the U.S.	18	-
India	12		the U.K.	5		Canada	1
China	3		Spain	5		Mexico	1
Mongolia	2		Germany	2		Argentina	1
Nepal	1		Switzerland	2		Columbia	1
Japan	1		New Zealand	1		Brazil	1
Indonesia	1		Croatia	1		-	-
the Philippines	1		Denmark	1		-	-
Malaysia	1		Sweden	1		-	-
Subtotal	41	36%	Subtotal	34	30%	Subtotal	22	19%
Russian Federation		ratio	Middle East		ratio	Africa		ratio
Russia	8	-	Palestine	3	-	Republic of South Africa	1	-
Kyrgyzstan	1		Egypt	2		-	-
-	-		Tunisia	1		-	-
-	-		Iran	1		-	-
Subtotal	9	8%	Subtotal	7	6%	Subtotal	1	1%

 Support Plan for Residency Program  

Wonju city gives annual budget support for the residency program run by Toji Cultural Foundation. Further to this support, Wonju city will expand budget support for Residency program for writers from member cities of literature of UNESCO Creative Cities Network in close coordination with Toji Cultural Foundation.

Creative City Team of Culture & Art Department of Wonju City Hall will propose the budget for Writers’ Residency for member cities of literature of UCCN for the fiscal year of 2020. The proposed budget will be evaluated by Wonju City Council in the coming months.

Being an official member city of literature of UCCN, Wonju City will expand the budget of the residency program for cities of literature in the supplementary budget proposals of 2020.

 Introduction  

A cultural space situated in a region boasting beautiful natural vistas, the Toji Cultural Center has a variety of supportive facilities for literary and artistic activities, and a variety of cultural event spaces.

 Mission  

Writing Spaces

We provide writing spaces for writers and artists so that they can devote themselves exclusively to their craft. Every year, an average of 55 Korean writers, 25 Korean artists, and 10 international writers and artists benefit from this project.

Cultural Experience and Education

We run various writing education programs and diverse cultural experience programs targeted towards adolescents, including literature lectures, teenager writing camps, literary reading performances, and literature concerts, creating a literary picture the whole family can enjoy.

Wonju Pak Kyongni Literarture Festival

In October, there will be academic forums, Toji character biographies, literature lectures, the National Youth Writing Competition, the Pak Kyongni’s Prose Narration Competition, the Pak Kyongni Poetry and Music Creation Presentation, the Walking Writers in Hoecheon Forest event, theater productions and performances from theater troupe Hakchon and director Kim Mingi, the Celebratation Concert, the Pak Kyongni Prize Award, Pak Kyongni Prize Winner’s Lecture, and a variety of cultural events held at Toji Cultural Center in Wonju, in the Pak Kyongni Literature Park, at Baekwoon Art Hall, and at Yonsei University in Seoul, among other venues.

Pak Kyongni Prize

The Pak Kyongni Prize was established in 2011 by the Toji Cultural Foundation to commemorate the late author Pak Kyongni (1926 - 2008) and to contribute to the development of world literature. The prize is awarded for life-long literary achievements evident in the entire body of works by one author, not just a single title of excellence. Each year a novelist who has made a lasting impact in the global literary scene is chosen as the winner, and the award ceremony takes place at the Toji Cultural Center on the fourth Saturday of October.

 Contact Information  

Tel: 82-33-766-5544/82-33-762-1382
Fax: 82-33-766-5545
Email: tojicul@gmail.com, tojicul@chol.com

 Website  

http://www.tojicf.org/

 Size  

Total Lot Area - 9,920 square meters. Gross Floor Area - Main
Building 2,599 square meters.
Residential Facilities - Gwirae House - 426 square meters; Maejisa House 215 square meters.

 Location  

Toji Cultural Center, 79 Maejihoechon-gil, Heungeop-myeon, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do

 Facilities  

• Main Building- 1 meeting room(132 square meters, accommodates 100), 3 seminar rooms(1 room is 41 square meters and accommodates 16), 1 exhibition room(77 square meters, contains articles and photos of Pak Kyongni, and manuscripts in her own handwriting), lodgings(1 room is 52 square meters; 13 rooms total), an office, a cafeteria, a library, a studio, a common room, a laundry room, and an outdoor theater

• Residential Spaces: Residential studios, separate so that writers may focus exclusively on their ideas and writing, with 11 rooms in Gwirae House(1 room is 33 square meters) and 6 rooms in Maejisa House(1 room is 36 square meters).

 Eligibility  

• Foreign writers or artists who are active in a literary or artistic field(including overseas Koreans)

• Writers or artists selected by cooperative organizations – Arts Council Korea, National Arts Council(Singapore), British Council, etc.

• Foreign writers or artists that come recommended or have been invited by domestic arts organizations

 Application Period  

Applications accepted year-round

 Application Documents  

Applications accepted year-round

 How to Apply  

Download and fill out the application form found in the materials section of the Toji Cultural Foundation website and submit to

 Residency Period  

Less than three months

 Operational Period of the Writing Rooms  

March–December

 Cost of Residence  

Free

 Conditions for Writing Room Usage  

• Compliance with general rules for use of writing rooms (20 days or more per month of the residency period must be spent in the writing room)

• Donation of a copy of a book you have written

• In the case of the publication, presentation, performance, exhibition, or staging of pieces cre·ated in the center spaces, residents must clearly state the following and inform the Toji Cultural Foundation. The piece was written at the Toji Cultural Center with support from the Wonju Metropolitan Government of the Republic of Korea

• In the case that the products of clause number 3(presentation papers, books, catalogues, and other products) are published, exhibited or presented, residents must inform the Toji Cultural Foundation and submit a copy of their published work.

• Residency writers must fill out a form verifying both their entry to and exit from the writing room, and also submit a record of their cre·ative work during the residency
* Writers in residence must submit a copy(photograph) of a part of the cre·ated piece, or a summary of the piece

• Adherence to the daily rules and duties of the Toji Cultural Center writers and artists in residence

 Details of Offer  

• Writing Room

One-person residential studio equipped with a desk, chair, bed and bedding, refrigerator, wired Internet,

and bathroom with a shower

• Library

Access to literary and art periodicals and books

• Studio

Provided for artists that need a separate space for their art, music, etc.

• Common Room

Equipped with a TV, microwave, washing machine, and other amenities

• Meals

Provided, excluding Saturday suppers, Sundays and holidays (cooking forbidden within the writing rooms)

At the beginning of their residency, writers will be given a welcome box(containing instant foods, etc.)

• Library card for the Yonsei University Wonju Campus Library

Artists and writers in residence can borrow books and view videos

• Additional Funding

None. Other than accommodations we do not provide additional financial support

• Expenses Not Covered

Airfare, living expenses, Saturday dinners, and meals on Sundays and holidays

• Experience Wonju’s Culture

Interpretation/guide service

 Arts and Culture Events in the Region  

Information Website for Regional Culture Tourism and Festivals :

Wonju Cultural Tourism

tourism.wonju.go.kr/hb/tour

Information Website for Cultural Events: Wonju Culture Foundation website, arts and culture information section

www.wcf.or.kr/common/schedule.php

 Information on the Toji Cultural Foundation International Writers' and Artists' Residency Program  

Congratulations! You have been selected to for the Toji Cultural Foundation International Writers’ and Artists’ Residency Program. The Toji Cultural Foundation was established in 1996 as a nonprofit corporation by Korea’s most famous novelist, Pak Kyongni, the author of saga novel Land(Toji), with the aim of enhancing the quality of life based on human centric values and contributing to the advancement of arts and culture. The Toji Cultural Center opened its doors in 1999.

With the themes of “life, culture and environment,” the Foundation has planned and carried out academic and cultural events, and, since 2001, has been involved in a writing room support project for both Korean and non-Korean writers and artists. The foundation also runs the Wonju Pak Kyongni Literary Festival and the Pak Kyongni Prize, which honor the literary achievements of novelist Pak Kyongni.

 Requirements of Writing Room Writers in Residence  

Writers in residence are requested to live in the writing room.

— In case of long-term outings or long-term absences from the cafeteria, writers are requested to inform the office in advance.
— Writers are requested to inform the office about any changes in personal circumstances, including premature departures, at least one week before leaving the writing room.

For any work written at the Toji Cultural Center, writers are requested to submit either a copy or photograph of a section of the piece, a document file, or a summary of the piece at the end of the residency.

— The pieces writers provide will be used only as part of a report that’s submitted to the Wonju Municipal Government and the Gangwon-do Provincial Government, the organizations that fund our project, and will not be made public.

In the case of the presentation or publication of pieces written during the residency, writers are requested to state clearly, “This piece was written at the Toji Cultural Center with the support of the Wonju Metropolitan Government,” and submit one copy of the published work, as well as two copies of any catalogues or 12Toji Cultural Center performance(presentation) materials to the Toji Cultural Center.

Residency writers are required to submit a residency contract and form verifying both arrival at and departure from the writing room. Writers will receive a departure verification form before the residency ends. Writers are requested to fill it out in advance and submit it to the office. Writers who would like to receive the form at an earlier time can inquire directly at the office.

Non-residents are not allowed to lodge in the writing rooms.

— In the case of a visiting family member or friend who needs accommodation, please reserve a Toji Cultural Center room in advance.(One 4-person room, KRW 80,000 / 1-2-person room, KRW 50,000)

 Basic Rules for Writers in Residence  

Please refrain from any activity that obstructs the working process of other writers.

— The Toji Cultural Center has a very quiet environment, where sounds are easily transmitted, particularly at night. Excessive drinking and noise in the common room of Gwirae House or in one’s room can be obstructive to the work of other writers.

All writing rooms have wired internet, while the library and common rooms have wireless internet.

— The internet is accessed through a home network, and can potentially slow down if data usage exceeds a certain amount. In the case that writers need more data, or wish for increased privacy, writers are requested to use a private internet service.(Only Korean telecommunication companies are enabled).

Writers are asked not to move the items in the writing rooms to other places, and to use them where they are. In the case an item breaks or malfunctions, writers are asked to please inform the office, and we will either fix or exchange the item.

— The vacuum cleaner is for shared use. Writers are asked to return it to its original place(the common room) after use.

— Writers are responsible for cleaning their own writing room and doing their own laundry.

Writers are requested to refrain from bringing cooking and electric heating appliances into the writing rooms and the common rooms, as they pose a fire hazard. Smoking indoors is not allowed, in accordance with the national anti-smoking law that forbids smoking in public places.

— Writers are requested to smoke only on designated locations.

— Writers are allowed to prepare their meals only using the microwave in the common room.(Use of other electronic cooking devices within the facilities is prohibited.)

— Writers are requested to refrain from boiling liquids other than water in the electric kettle—it can lead to a breakdown of the machine.

 General Guidelines for Life in the Writing Rooms  

Meals are served at the Toji Cultural Center cafeteria, excluding Saturday dinners, Sundays and holidays.

Breakfast 7:00~10:00	Writers are able to fix their own bread, coffee, eggs, and drinks in the cafeteria.
Lunch 12:00~12:30	Please abide by lunch and dinner times to ensure that your meal is served hot. In November and December, lunch will be served at 11:30–12:00p.m. and dinner at 17:30–18:00p.m.
Dinner 18:00~18:30

— Meals will only be prepared for writers who mark the verification sheet in the cafeteria board at least one day in advance. Writers who cannot mark the sheet in advance are requested to inform the office.

• How to Use Library

• The office will provide writers with a timetable for local public transportation(city buses).

• The vending machine is on the first floor of the main building.

• In Maejisa House, writers who need hot water should use the boiler bath button, and return it to the indoors setting after use.

 Other Considerations  

• The Toji Cultural Center has an administrative engineer on call 24 hours a day. In the case of any inconveniences, writers are able to call the engineer. Our emergency contact number is 82-33-7665544

• Every in October: the Pak Kyongni Literary Festival, the Walking Writers in Hoechon Forest event, literary forums, a concert, the awards ceremony for the Pak Kyongni Prize, and more. We ask that writers show active interest and participate in these events.(Refer to the Toji Cultural Foundation website and Facebook Page for details).

• In the case that a writer in residence would like to hold a small group meeting, seminar, exhibition, or presentation for the purpose of introducing his/her work, we can provide a seminar room or exhibition room.

 My Experiences with the Toji Cultural Center Residency Program  

By Minakshi Thakur, 2 September 2014 - 27 September

On August 31, 2014 I arrived in Seoul and stayed at the Yeonhui Writer’s Residence for two nights. The residence, which plays the role of a quiet resting area in bustling Seoul, was a miniature universe in itself. On the first day of my arrival, I went on a cultural tour of Seoul. Someone from Arts Council Korea responsible for literature-related work kindly showed me around various corners of Seoul, including Bukchon Hanok Village and the National Palace Museum of Korea. I sat upon a toetmaru(a traditional Korean veranda) and tasted Korea’s traditional food, and also met professors from Dongguk University, who were members of a literary group called Korean Artists for India, as well as leaders who consistently pushed for literary exchange with India.

On September 2, I visited the Toji Cultural Foundation and stayed until the 27th, spending each day in an environment that soothed my mind. At that place, I mostly found time at night to work on my second novel(under the tentative title Beautiful Errors) and spent my time writing. The piece is about a photographer, and deals with his life and love, and the death that suddenly comes upon him. The story unfolds through acts of “seeing,” which varies from person to person, as each person views incidents differently, and because the protagonist is a photographer, his obsession with light takes up the entire piece. Through this story I attempt to show the moment where simply “telling” loses its way.

Two narrators, the photographer’s wife and secret mistress, are the narrators. Each of the narrators tells her story about the man that they loved through the ways in which they knew the man and saw him, and weave a story of his life. Using a photography concept and technique called leitmotif, I aim to paint the story of how the women—for whom a single man, before his death, was the center of their lives—receive his death, and attempt to overcome it, and eventually find peace.

Throughout the piece observations about various atmospheres flow freely, as well as love. As the story deals with a very difficult topic that demands consideration of subtleties and silence, and because it deals with the inner thoughts of humans, it must be tranquil but also clear. Delhi, the city that provokes memories, is the setting.

If I were to immediately escape the environment I am in, I believe that I would be able to organize my thoughts and open the door to new thoughts and ideas. The novel I am currently working on concerns a person who pursues an absolute image and deals with death, love and loss—a story of considerably dark colors. The novelist Pak Kyongni, the Toji Cultural Foundation, and the beautiful mountains and waters and Wonju gave me, in a such a state, the very environment I had been looking for all that time.

To bring up a topic distinct from my gloomy novel, I was very happy to meet other Korean writers and artists, and the Toji Cultural Foundation staff and fellow writers who gave me so much help. Everyone helped me both physically and emotionally so that my stay would be comfortable, whether it was joining me on a walk or helping me shop for groceries. Towards the end of the residency period I toured the city, looking up the house where novelist Pak Kyongni lived, as well as the surrounding park. I can say without hesitation that the place was a museum filled with loneliness and cre ativity, and that I will never forget it. I also took part in the Hanji Festival, which was bursting with energy, and it proved to be a good time to catch a glimpse of the history of hanji and its production methods. Museum SAN, located in Oak Valley Resort with its dense woods and handsome vistas, also left a strong impression. I was able to enjoy both the drawings of Korean writers and the light installations of James Turrell.

On September 27, I was back at the Yeonhui Writer’s Residence in Seoul and went to see an excellent traditional Korean performance called “MISO: Baebijang-jeon.” It was an experience that satisfied all five senses, and will surely remain in my memories forever. On September 29, at the invitation of Dongguk University’s Korean Language and Literature Department, I also gave a lecture in the Dongguk University library. In my conversations with the students we discussed my life as a writer, my love of poetry, my two novels, and the novels I worked on as a translation editor at multilingual publishing company HarperCollins Publishers. Going further, with the structure and work process at a publishing company as a topic, we also talked about the journey of an unpolished manuscript becoming a book, hot off the presses, and the possibility of a literature exchanging through translation. It was a trip that was filled with beautiful and meaningful times, and I would like to extend my gratitude to my hosts and everyone who helped me.