Foreword

An argument can be made that the most important season is winter. This seems contradictory on the surface, as when most people are asked what their favorite time of the year is, fall comes first, followed closely by summer and spring. Only about 10% of the population enjoys winter, and it’s easy to see why.

Yes, first snow is beautiful, and a white Christmas is magical. Here in Korea, students take to the fields outside of schools and have snowball fights, their shrieks of laughter echoing through the neighborhood. Along Han River, parents build 4ft tall snowmen with their kids. And of course, there is skiing, popular to those with access to mountains and who are able to afford the price for equipment.

Beyond the entertainment snow offers, however, there is not much more that is appealing about winter. Cold temperatures bring out heavy jackets and layering of clothes. Riding public transportation in a country where puffy coats are the norm makes for a stuffed, awkward commute. There’s also the danger of melting snow freezing on the roads creating slick surfaces that end in accidents and fatalities every year.

Personal heaters can cause apartment fires which destroy millions in property and can end lives due to smoke inhalation and first-degree burns. Days are short, with the sun rising after 7am and setting before 6pm. Trees have lost their green leaves. Flowers, with their myriad of colors, are slumbering, leaving the world brown and gray. Chapped lips, cold toes and fingers, and a high heating bill. This and more are the domain of winter. 

Winter is the season of death and hardships, which sets it apart from its three siblings: spring, summer, and fall. Yet it is this very quality of winter that makes it so vital, for all that live need to remember that there is a cold finality on the mortal horizon. There are hardships which cannot be avoided. Winter is a reminder that life is short.

Yet in addition to this bleak truth, there is also the promise of revitalization, for winter isn’t the final chapter of any story, but a part of a continuous narrative. A loop on this rollercoaster we call life.

If all days were spring and summer, we may forget to keep pushing ourselves. The challenges of winter are a source of strength, as difficulties ultimately make a person stronger. The world being pared down to only a handful of colors makes the vibrancy of spring so much more beautiful, for it is only because the flowers take their brief departure that we appreciate them so much when they return.

We strive for this sense of artistic renewal at Samjoko, which appears every four months to give readers new prose, poetry, and photography to enjoy. We keep pushing forward despite the obstacles of keeping a digital magazine alive, and are proud that we have reached our third year in this endeavor. Having existed in the world of publishing for as long as we have, we are aware that many small publications don’t last nearly as long. But we are devoted to introducing writers to new readers, and we ask that you help us on our journey by becoming a patron on Patreon, or donating funds on Buy Us a Coffee.

We attempt to keep the cost of Samjoko manageable, but it is still a venture which yields no profits. We have steadfastly dealt with this long winter of financial support, but it is heartwarming to occasionally see a bloom or two in the shape of patrons or contributions. As little as three dollars from a hundred people in this world of 7.8 billion humans would cover almost half of our costs to produce an issue.  

As always, we would like to thank our two patrons, Lowkey Worlde and B&B Trade Winds of Taiwan for your continued support.  We truly appreciate it.

And with that, we give you the Winter Issue III 2023 of Samjoko Magazine. Our Theme remains open, as well as the new categories.

Please enjoy, spread the word, submit, and support!

Photography