Creative writers' group Standby celebrates 1st anniversary

Copies of the "Our Pages" zine / Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Standby, a creative writing collective that meets monthly at Eulji Space in downtown Seoul, celebrated its first anniversary with a public open mic event on March 29. As part of the celebration, the group released a free zine showcasing members' creative writing. The event also featured screenings of prerecorded narrations from members currently based in Canada, Germany and the U.S., highlighting the group's global connection.

Standby is more than a name — it’s a metaphor for the contemporary, deeply connected creative energy that pulses through this collective of writers, artists and dreamers. Founded by a group of mostly international residents in Korea, it organizes monthly "You and Your Page" open mic events, creating a space for writers — seasoned or new — to share, listen and belong.

Alex-Andrei Ungurenasu, a Romanian Canadian writer and educator, speaks during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

One of the key figures in this community is Alex-Andrei Ungurenasu, a Romanian Canadian writer and educator based in Dunnae, a township in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province. A former youth poet laureate of Windsor, Canada, Ungurenasu brings a thoughtful and inclusive approach as one of the group’s coordinators. Ungurenasu is also the editor for the group’s zine, called Our Pages.

Ungurenasu explained that Standby was born from the idea that many of its members are just passing through Korea, but in that brief time, they are still able to connect, create and support one another — always on standby for the next person who walks in.

Amy Jones, right, reads aloud during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

“You and Your Page” began in March 2024 and is held on the last Saturday of each month at Eulji Space. It has evolved into a vibrant, low-pressure environment where participants are encouraged to read their work. The group shifted the original format to remove the expectation that everyone must share, recognizing that even just being in the room is powerful.

“We just wanted to make it safe and comfortable for people, low stakes,” Ungurenasu said. “Now, newcomers can attend without any pressure to share. The focus is on presence, on listening and on allowing everyone to feel part of the circle — whether or not they bring their page to the mic. You can always share how you felt about what someone read, but we’re not here to critique unless it’s asked for."

That gentle approach has helped nurture not just writing but confidence and community. It’s this philosophy that turns Standby from an event into a place where creative expression isn’t just welcomed but quietly celebrated.

People read copies of Standby's zine "Our Pages" during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

The collective has held themed showcases like "The Wall" and "Lost and Found" in collaboration with the Hechyeomoyeo exhibitions and a writing workshop titled "Bound" in 2024 that explored creativity through constraints. Their collaborative first zine, "Our Pages," offers a tangible reflection of the community’s journey and voices.

Writers from countries including the U.S., Canada, Ukraine, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland and Korea have all contributed to Standby’s ongoing story. Through Instagram, Meetup.com and word of mouth, the group has grown into a space where literature and creative writing is a shared act of vulnerability, celebration and discovery.

“What we’ve built is a community. We keep up with each other, cheer each other on and nurture curiosity — for writing, for connection, for each other,” Ungurenasu said.

Alex-Andrei Ungurenasu, left, and Han Ok-bi pose together during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Han Ok-bi is a Korean poet, painter and video editor. Despite being very busy with her day job, she still identifies as an artist, even if she can’t engage in creative work as much as she’d like. She works with Ungurenasu to coordinate sessions and contributed to the group zine project by designing the layout and creating the illustrated graphics, including those used on social media.

Han Ok-bi recites from the "Our Pages" zine during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

While writing is not her primary profession, she began with Korean writing and gradually transitioned into English. She felt that her work was not fully embraced by the Korean publishing industry, so she started translating her poems into English. Interestingly, the same poems, when translated, found success with American and Canadian journals. This unexpected encouragement motivated her to join an English writing group, and as she describes it, “it was just great timing.”

Her connection to the group isn’t just about socializing — it’s also fueled by her genuine passion. Initially, her work read like translations, but it evolved through reading others' poetry and engaging with the group. She began exploring a more modern, fluid style that felt less like translation and more like original expression. The group also collaborates on translations together.

Creative writers gather for an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

South African Marsha Peshke, currently living in Daegu, identifies as a movement artist, writer and director with a passion for collaboration across different art fields. Her work centers around community, empowerment and healing, particularly focusing on women and survivors of gender-based violence. She often combines movement and poetry in her art and aims to lead inclusive movement workshops, regardless of participants’ dance backgrounds, to help people connect with their bodies and histories.

Marsha Peshke speaks during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

She values safe spaces and believes in self-advocacy through creative expression. Drawn to Standby because of its welcoming and community-oriented environment, Peshke feels inspired to travel from Daegu to Seoul to share her poetry.

“I find that Seoul is a place where there are many communities that are set up and very open and welcoming to people and I feel like that's what Standby is about, encouraging community, and I just felt very invited to share my work," she said. "Traveling to be able to perform is not a problem for me, because it excites me so much and because community is important to me. I go to where I'm embraced, and I go where my curiosity for things is encouraged.”

Amy Jones, from Perth, Australia, has been working as an English teacher in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, for just over a year and a half. She learned about Standby from Ungurenasu, a fellow teacher, who knew she enjoyed writing. Despite the long journey from Taebaek, she continues attending Standby because she loves sharing her creative writing, hearing others’ stories and observing how tone and meaning shift when read aloud by different people. For Jones, it's a great way to connect with both foreign nationals and locals in Korea.

Participants pose together during an event celebrating Standby's first anniversary at Eulji Space in central Seoul, March 29. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Follow @standby.kr on Instagram for more information.

Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also a freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency and the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative.