Kim Jung-mi

Kim Jung-mi was born in Incheon. In 1987 during her 20s, she established herself in a poor neighbourhood of Manseok-dong, Dong District, Incheon with the opening of Gichatgilyeop gongbubang (기찻길옆 공부방 The Study Room by the Railroads). In 2000, she wrote Gwaengiburimal a-ideul (괭이부리말 아이들 The Children of Gwaengiburimal), which tells the stories of poor children and neighbors in Manseok-dong. The novel won the grand prize in the Changbi Good Children's Book Contest, and she became renowned as a writer. After moving to the countryside in Ganghwa in 2001, she also made a study room in Ganghwa. Now she goes between Ganghwa and Manseok-dong, meeting and helping children. As the study room's programs became expanded to include cultural arts activities, the study room's name changed to Gichatgilyeop Jageun Hakgyo (기찻길옆작은학교 The Small School by the Railroads).

Kim Jung-mi (Korean: 김중미 ; born 1963) is a South Korean writer. She graduated in education from Korea National Open University. She began writing when in 2000 her story Gwaengiburimal a-ideul (괭이부리말 아이들 The Children of Gwaengiburimal) won the grand prize in the Changbi Good Children's Book Contest. She has written children's books Jongibap (종이밥 Paper Meal), Nae dongsaeng ayeongi (내 동생 아영이 My Little Sister Ayeong), Ttongbada-e gega sanda (똥바다에 게가 산다 A Crab Lives in a Sea of Poop), and young adult novels Modu kkameon (모두 깜언 Everyone Come On), Jokeowa na (조커와 나 The Joker and I), as well as picture books Yukbeongileul jikyeora ttukttak (6번길을 지켜라 뚝딱 Let's Protect Road Number 6), and Moyeora! Uranginhyeonggeukdan! (모여라! 유랑인형극단! Gather Around! The Travelling Puppet Show!). She has also written Dasi gileul tteonada (다시 길을 떠나다 Once Again On the Road), which portrays the life of Mun Jeong-hyeon.