Writer's Room : From Global Script to Korean Stage
CATEGORY: Festival/Competition Submissions
Unbound
New York, NY
US
Job Details
DESCRIPTION
About the Project : Writer's Room
Every story begins in a room - a private, silent space where a writer's imagination takes its first breath. But for a story to truly live, it must eventually leave the room, cross borders, and find a new home in the hearts of others.
The "Writer's Room" is a collaborative sanctuary built by Yesigong Project, known for its experimental theatre group, and Unbound, a creative space and lab that transcends artistic boundaries in South Korea. It is a bridge between languages and a laboratory for cultural metamorphosis. We believe that a great story is not a fixed entity, but a living organism that evolves when it encounters a new culture, a new language, and a new audience.
Our mission through this project is to discover raw, compelling narratives written in English and meticulously transplant them into the fertile soil of the Korean creative landscape. This is not merely a process of translation; it is an act of 'Trans-creation.' Through professional editing, cultural polishing, and online publication, we ensure that the essence of the author's vision remains intact while finding a rhythm that resonates with the Korean sensibility.
Program Overview
This is a bi-annual project designed to discover and elevate international talent through a structured 6-month journey.
- Selection: One outstanding English written work (Novel, Play, or Script) will be selected per session.
- Localization: The selected work will undergo professional Korean translation, followed by a meticulous editing and polishing process to capture its cultural and emotional nuances.
- Online Publication in Korea: The refined Korean version will be published online, introducing your story to the Korean audience.
- The Showcase (annual project): Out of the two works selected throughout the year, one will be chosen for a Reading Showcase - a live staged reading in Korea.
- Post Production/Future Vision: Showcases with high artistic potential will be eligible for application to prestigious grants (e.g., Arts Council Korea) for full-scale stage production in the following year.
Submission Guidelines
- Eligibility: Open to writers worldwide *script, novel written in English only.
- Genre: Plays, Short Novels or Performance Text (suitable for potential stage/performance adaptation).
- Submission Limit: Submissions must be compiled as one PDF.
- Plays/Scripts-standard script format
- Novels-a full manuscript
- Originality & Rights: Works must be original and the applicant must hold full ownership of the intellectual property.
- Re-submissions are welcome: You may submit works that have been previously entered into other competitions or calls, provided that you still retain the full and exclusive copyright to the work.
*We accept both unpublished and previously published works, privided that the author holds the exclusive rights for the South Korean market. (The work must not be bound by any existing contract that restricts Korean translation, publication, or performance rights.)
- Participation Fee: $25 (via PayPal link on the application form) https://forms.gle/dxwRRNSwz8G4UFos6
- Benefits for Selected Artists:
- Professional translation and editorial support.
- Online publicaiton in Korea.
- Opportunity for a Reading Showcase and full production support in Korea.
Copyright & Privacy Statement
- Privacy & Data Protection: All submitted manuscripts and personal information will be used strictly for the evaluation process. Upon the conclusion of the selection process, all materials from non-selected applicants will be permanently deleted to protect the authors' intellectual property.
- Copyright & Ownership:
- Original Work: The copyright of the original work remains exclusively with the Author.
- Localized Content: Unbound shall hold the rights to the Korean translation and the edited Korean version. This includes the exclusive rights to the Reading Showcase and secondary rights for stage production within South Korea.
- Commercial Online Publication: A formal agreement regarding royalties and credits will be established between the author and the organizers for the publication. This ensures the author's economic rights are protected and appropriately compensated.
- Full-scale Stage production: In the event of a full-scale stage production in Korea, a separate agreement regarding royalties, performance fees, and credits will be established between the author and the organizers, ensuring the author's moral and economic rights are fully respected.
Application: Please apply via google form [https://forms.gle/dxwRRNSwz8G4UFos6]
Yesigong Project www.yesigongproject.com @yesigong
Unbound www.unboundart.xyz @unbd_art
DURATION
Feb 16, 2026 - May 31, 2026