Week 13 - Wikipedia Edits (Chaebin Park 박채빈)


1. Summary

This week, I edited the Wikipedia page for Korean author Gu Byeong-mo. Her real name is Jeong Yu-gyeong, and she writes under the pen name Gu Byeong-mo. Some of her notable works include Wizard Bakery, A Merman, The Pygmalion Children, and The Old Woman with the Knife. I chose her as my editing subject because I have long enjoyed her literary works. Recently, one of her novels, The Old Woman with the Knife, was adapted into a film. While analyzing the differences between the original novel and its film adaptation, I became even more intrigued by her worldview and literary perspective. With this background, I aimed to enhance the Wikipedia article to better introduce her to international readers.


2. Interesting Points

In the process of editing, I organized her works chronologically, which led me to discover several titles I hadn't known before. I also learned that Gu Byeong-mo writes for a wide age range, from young adult readers to adults. One particularly interesting discovery during editing was the concept of the ISBN (International Standard Book Number). An ISBN is a unique 13-digit identifier assigned to books, containing information such as the country of publication, publisher, and title. It is essential for cataloging, distribution, and library systems. Including ISBNs in the article not only made the information more accurate and verifiable but also allowed readers to locate her books more easily. I believe this will be a useful tool in my future editing as well.


3. Discussion

This editing experience reminded me that Wikipedia is not just about adding information—it’s about ensuring that the information is reliable, well-structured, and accessible. By including publication years, publishers, and ISBNs for each of Gu Byeong-mo's works, I was able to present her bibliography in a more organized and reader-friendly way. I also came to appreciate how important it is to maintain neutrality and cite reliable sources, given Wikipedia’s global reach. Interestingly, I noticed that there is relatively little detailed public information about Gu Byeong-mo. This inspired me to consider expanding the article in the future by including interviews, literary reviews, and award histories to enrich the content. Overall, this experience taught me that editing Wikipedia is not just a technical task—it’s also a thoughtful exercise in responsible, informative writing.

Question:
During this editing process, did you learn about any new tools or concepts, like ISBN, that helped improve the quality of your edits? If so, how did it contribute to your work?



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