Each year, the Writing University conducts interviews with writers while they are in Iowa City participating in the International Writing Program's fall residency. We sit down with authors to ask about their work, their process and their descriptions of home. Today we are talking with Hyukin Michaela KWON 권혁인, a playwright, screenwriter, theatre and film director from South Korea.

 

Hyukin Michaela KWON 권혁인 (playwright, screenwriter, theatre and film director; South Korea) has written and directed a competition-winning multimedia musical and several short films in multiple languages. She won the 2023 BBC International Playwriting Competition, and her winning play Steady Eyes was produced by BBC Studios Audio and broadcast on the BBC World Service in 2024. She was the scriptwriter/director representing Korea for the ASEAN-ROK Independent Cinema Project. She recently completed a stage play exploring Korea’s social rigidity and is currently developing a new play on the realities of a super-ageing society and a novel centred on self-acceptance. Her participation is made possible by a grant from Arts Council Korea (ARKO).

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1. Do you have a plan or project in mind for your time at the residency?

I have a deadline at the end of October to complete a script for either TV or radio and am considering writing the first couple of episodes of a TV drama set in a dystopian world, exploring the interrelation of the vestiges of colonialism and contemporary mental health issues.

2. What does your daily practice look like for your writing? Do you have a certain time when you write? Any specific routine?

I always aim to write first thing in the morning for at least 2 hours, but I find I don't stick to it as often as I'd like. Now that I've settled into this lovely city, I've got to resume my writing routine.

3. What are you currently reading right now? Are you reading for research or pleasure?

During the tour of the university library, I expressed my interest in Dadaism, and Dr Timothy Shipe kindly gave me a copy of the university's journal on Dadaism/Surrealism. I also borrowed the Korean translation of the Taiwanese participant Essay Liu's novel. I'm so excited to get started on both. I plan to check out books from the university library as well, for both research and pleasure.

4. What is one thing the readers and writers of Iowa City should know about you and your work?

I love experimenting with and blending different forms of art and genres. So you'll find theatrical elements in my audiovisual works and multimedia elements in my stage works. Coming from a filmmaking background, my works tend to be 'visual' even in the form of audio-only formats, as demonstrated by my radio play, Steady Eyes, which was described as 'cinematic' by the judges of the BBC International Playwriting Competition.

5. Tell us a bit about where you are from - share some favorite details about your home.

I was born and bred in Seoul but am currently based in a city called Chuncheon. It's a popular tourist destination for Seoulites as it is close to Seoul and yet has beautiful nature, serene walking tracks and much-beloved signature dishes. Fun fact: Chuncheon has a lot of corn fields and is pretty similar to Iowa City in terms of climate, so sometimes it feels like I never left home!

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Thank you so much Michaela!