How did wihangin poets broaden participation in Korean poetry during the 18th century?

During the 18th century, the wihangin—a group comprising government functionaries, petty clerks, and village residents—significantly broadened participation in Korean poetry by forming active fellowships and composing works with great enthusiasm.1

Their contribution to the sijo form was particularly transformative. By actively participating in the creation and performance of sijo, the wihangin expanded the social class of people responsible for its production. Professional singers within this group established singing circles, developed formal principles for composing sijo, and curated important anthologies, such as Kim Su-Jang’s Haedong kayo (“Songs of Korea”) and Kim Ch’ŏng-T’aek’s Ch’ŏnggu yŏngŏn (“Songs of Green Hills”).1

These collections were instrumental in elevating the sijo form, as they preserved poems that had previously been transmitted only orally and introduced new works by contemporary authors. Furthermore, the wihangin movement focused on producing poetry that reflected contemporary realities and customs on the Korean peninsula, which they referred to as p’ungyo (“poems of the people”).1