Hong was born in 1925 in Chongju, Heianhoku-dō (North Pyongan Province), Korea, Empire of Japan.

Hong Yun-Sook first published a poem “Fall” in Literary Times (Mun Ye ShinBo) in 1947.

In the same time frame, her play was selected in the prestigious “New Spring Literary Debut” by ChoSun IlBo.

Her contemporary poets include Ku Sang, Ko Un, and Kim Nam-Jo Archived 2012-06-29 at the Wayback Machine.

Perhaps the fact that she is unable to visit her native region in the North helps to explain the many images of life as an unending journey found in her work.