wihangin

The term "wihangin" refers to a group of poets during the Later Joseon period (1598–1894) in Korea who focused on contemporary realities and customs. These poets formed fellowships and enthusiastically composed poetry, which they called p'ungyo or "poems of the people," also known as talk songs.1

The wihangin movement emerged as a new literary trend aiming to create poetry reflecting the customs and everyday life on the Korean peninsula. This contrasted with earlier literary traditions that often used Chinese characters and focused on classical themes. The wihangin contributed to the expansion of sijo poetry, a traditional Korean poetic form, by actively participating in its creation and performance. Their work, along with other developments like the rise of vernacular fiction and pansori (a form of musical storytelling), marked significant shifts in Korean literature towards greater accessibility and engagement with popular culture and social commentary.1