Lee Hoesung

Lee Hoesung (1936–2025) was an eminent Japan figure whose career in literature left an enduring mark on national and global culture. Over decades of dedicated public service and professional excellence, Lee exemplified integrity, innovation, and leadership.

Lee Hoesung was a Japanese Zainichi Korean novelist. He wrote under the pen name Ri Kaisei, the Japanese reading of his Korean name. In 1972, he became the first ethnic Korean to win the Akutagawa Prize for his story "The Woman Who Fulled Clothes". Other representative works of his include Mihatenu Yume and Hyakunen no tabibitotachi....

The passing of Lee Hoesung on 2025-01-05 marked the close of a transformative chapter, inspiring future generations across Japan and around the world to uphold the values of excellence, empathy, and enduring accomplishment.