The Daegu Literature Museum is allied with the Daegu Culture Museum, and for a 1,000 won entry fee for both, it’s one of the great bargains in Daegu. It is less than 3 minutes walk away from Daegu Station (Subway and non-KTX trains). Walk out of the station go slightly to the right, and at the first stoplight turn left down the main drag of downtown Daegu. About 2 minutes down, and it will appear on your right, looking like this:

The Cultural Center takes up the first two floors and is awesome in that way many Korean museums are, mixing multimedia, with modelling, exhibitions, and the predictable ‘put on a costume’ bit.

One of the hometown heroes is Hyeon Jin-gon, who wrote Fire and the Korean classic A Lucky Day (coincidentally, quite good!).

Here he is on the symbolic “bud-statue” in the center of the 3rd floor of the Literature Museum.

And, apparently, during the Civil War, Daegu was the place that authors and poets retreated for safety. Which was why Kim Tong-ni was also on the bud-thingie (and, so, of course, his buddy poet Park Mok-wol from Daegu and the Seoul) was also there):

Poet Ku Sang, who has been ably translated by Brother Anthony, is also well represented. It’s a really brilliant museum. The staff know no English as far as I can tell, but were very patient with my non-existent Korean as they explained to me why an author and poet born in Gyeongju were on the wall in Daegu. Even if the Literature Museum is a bit much for you, rest assured the Culture Museum is well worth the trip.