November 04, 2024

Like ceaseless waves, the lives of women ebb and flow. Just as waves cycle between calm and tumultuous periods, women navigate life's ups and downs. Like waves that shape the coastline, women, through empathy, solidarity, and intergenerational support, expand the boundaries of society. Sometimes, they become like larger waves, pushing against societal norms to fulfill their desires and find greater fulfillment in life. Hwang Jungeun's Years and Years invites readers to question the world that shapes us within our families and society. Lee Geum-yi's The Picture Bride depicts the solidarity and love of earlier generations of women. Choi Eunyoung's Bright Night spans a hundred years through the lives of four generations of women, while Cheon Myeong-kwan's Whale chronicles the rise and fall of Geumbok. Han Kang's We Do Not Part provides an intricate portrayal of the memories of a tragic history. The five works featured here feature diverse women who expand their horizons despite facing the tumultuous tides of life. Years and Years [English] Author Hwang JungeunTranslator Janet HongKorean Publisher Changbi(2020)Overseas Publisher Open Letter(2024) Hwang Jungeun shares in the afterword to this book that she began writing after frequently encountering women named "Sunja" in her life, which led her to question why there were so many Sunjas. The four novellas in this book center on the stories of Yi Sunil, who was a "Sunja born in 1946," and her two daughters Han Yeongjin and Han Sejin. Through the past and present lives of the mother and her daughters, these interconnected stories offer a reflective look at contemporary Korean society. With a unique sensitivity and profound contemplation that no one else can replicate, this book prompts readers to introspect. The Picture Bride [English] Author Lee Geum-yiTranslator An Seon JaeKorean Publisher Changbi(2020)Overseas publisher Scribe UK(2022) This work portrays the lives of eighteen-year-old Willow and two other women who staked their destinies on a single photograph and set off for Hawaii. Set against the backdrop of Hawaii during the Japanese colonial period a hundred years ago, this novel explores the unique experiences of Korean women who married first-generation Korean immigrants to the United States and built their lives there. Supporting one another with respect, the three women-Willow, Hongju, and Songhwa-become friends and mothers to one another, showcasing a women's community and a new family structure that was ahead of its time. Bright Night [Japanese] Author Choi EunyoungTranslator Furukawa AyakoKorean Publisher Munhakdongne(2021)Overseas Publisher Akishobo Inc.(2023) Spanning a century, Bright Night interweaves the lives of four generations of women: great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and the narrator. As the narrative moves back and forth between generations, from great-grandmother to the narrator and from the narrator back to the great-grandmother, it gradually bridges the gap between them. This intergenerational tale illustrates that sharing stories through the spoken word is a process of mutual salvation and continuous survival. Whale [German] Author Cheon Myeong-kwan Translators Matthias Augustin, Kyunghee ParkKorean Publisher Munhakdongne(2004)Overseas Publisher Weissbooks(2024) This novel chronicles the life of Geumbok, a rural girl who becomes a successful entrepreneur in a small town, along with the myriad characters surrounding her. Divided into three parts, the book continues with the story of Chunhui, Geumbok's mentally disabled daughter who returns to a brick factory in ruins after her release from prison. As the author describes it, all of the stories are part of one revenge drama, where an ugly old woman who died with a deep grudge leads the protagonist to ruin from the beginning to the end of this novel. We Do Not Part [Chinese] Author Han KangTranslator Lu Hung ChinKorean Publisher Munhakdongne(2021)Overseas Publisher Jiuzhou Press(2023) Han Kang has expressed her desire for this novel to be seen as a love story. This love is embodied in the unwavering belief in humanity and life held by Inseon's mother, Jeongsim. We learn that while her light never dimmed even in utter darkness, it wasn't always bright and warm. This story, drawn from memories of recent tragic history, teaches us that such intense and desperate love can also be the most terrifying pain.

October 02, 2024

Korean lit is being read by the world today. This significant milestone demonstrates that it has overcome fundamental barriers within the global literary landscape. Written in a less familiar language, Korean lit faces the intricate challenge of translation. Moreover, the domestic Korean reading market is relatively small, posing challenges for diverse and experimental literature to thrive. Despite these obstacles, it has garnered a following among contemporary global citizens. This remarkable phenomenon can be attributed first to the influence of Korean culture, also known as “Hallyu (Korean wave)” or “K-content.” It is fueled by a creative force capable of crafting stories and sensitivities that resonate with global audiences, complemented by the inherent creative energy of Korean culture. It is also a culmination of the efforts of writers and translators who have innovated a literary language that resonates with global readers, as well as the active support of the government. Most importantly, it is because there are readers who love Korean lit. Here, we present a selection of Korean lit that has recently been translated into various languages and captivated readers around the world. These works are proof that Korean lit is transcending borders and expanding the boundaries of literature. Presently, the charm of Korean lit flourishes within the keen senses of global readers. (by Lee Kwang-Ho, Literary Critic, tr. Kim Soyoung) * This book selection is based on our exhibition "Springing to Life: A Celebration of Korean Literature that's Captivating the World," held at COEX Starfield Library from April 18 to May 12, 2024. The exhibition featured Korean literary works that won international awards between 2019 and 2024. Grass [English] Author Keum Suk Gendry-KimTranslator Janet HongPublisher Drawn & QuarterlyYear Published 2019Originally Published in Korea by Bori in 2017 Grass is a tale about a survivor as resilient as grass based on the actual testimonies of Lee Ok-sun, a former “comfort woman” who was forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. The story unfolds in the form of a conversation between the narrator “I,” a persona of the author, and Ok-sun. While other comics featuring Japanese military comfort women tend to focus on visualizing the abuse and pain they suffered to help readers sympathize with them, Grass takes a more challenging approach that breaks away from the pattern of sensationalizing abuse. Abuse is displayed in an abstract way, leaving it up to the readers to picture the pain. In a scene where Ok-sun confesses the sexual abuse she’d suffered one night, the actions are described in text and paired with a drawing of what the mountain looked like that night. Another scene closes up on the wrinkles on Ok-sun’s face and hands. And some pages show nothing but black boxes to convey the horror she felt. Through its delicate approach to abuse, Grass delves deeper into the comfort woman’s story. I, the narrator, actively take part in the interview by asking questions or harboring doubts as I listen to Ok-sun’s accounts. When she was fifteen, Ok-sun’s parents gave her up for adoption to a couple running an udon shop, but she eventually ended up in a comfort station. Now an old woman, Ok-sun says, “My mother was tricked too.” Yet, I can’t help but wonder whether her mother was really tricked. These thoughts running through the narrator’s mind are presented in black bubbles, allowing a chance for readers to sincerely consider the comfort woman’s testimonies. Grass thereby contemplates such testimonies from various angles instead of objectifying or romanticizing the life of a girl forced into sexual slavery under Japanese colonial rule. The freedom each character is given to express their own thoughts suggests how, as a form of storytelling, graphic novels can contribute to forming a community open to diverse voices that interact and clash regardless of age or gender. Polyphony can help turn survivor testimonies into cultural memory and this is how Grass seeks to the remember the life of a Japanese military comfort woman. (by Heo Yoon, Literary Critic, tr. Youngjae Josephine Bae) [see more]  一文字の辞典 [Japanese] Author Kim So Yeon Translator 姜信子 Publisher クオンYear Published 2021Originally published in Korea by Maeumsanchaek in 2018 Writing poetry is like compiling a dictionary of the poet’s own. Reading these singular dictionaries, we experience familiar situations or emotions becoming unfamiliar, and words we thought we knew being completely transformed. Poetry can only be a dictionary insofar as its strangeness and novelty are ultimately connected by accuracy. One-Letter Dictionary—which contains the poet’s own definitions of single-character words such as 겉 (exterior), 깡 (guts), 뜰 (yard), 맛 (flavor), 생 (life), 손 (hand), 시 (poem), 집 (house), 폼 (form), and more—can thus be considered yet another collection of poetry by Kim. Yet this hybrid ‘dictionary-poetry collection’ is also a dictionary and poetry collection created by the readers themselves. This book, in which white space takes up more room on the page than letters, invites readers to fill in those gaps with their own thoughts and words. By writing less, Kim—who defines “less” as “the best state of being” and similarly defines “empty” as “the best state of being so long as one is not hollow”—gifts readers with a poetry collection in its best possible state of being. While reading and using this One-Letter Dictionary, readers will come to experience firsthand the definition of “poetry” as provided by Kim, meaning “to keep what was already beautiful from becoming a thing of even greater beauty, and to make what cannot be a thing of beauty into a thing of beauty at long last,” or “to stow away in sentences the truths that cannot be salvaged with rough words and the secrets that would crumble if spoken aloud.” (Yeonjung Cho, Literary Critic, tr. Paige Morris) [see more]  Aufzeichnungen eines Serienmörders [German] Author Kim Young-haTranslator Inwon ParkPublisher Cass VerlagYear Published 2020Originally Published in Korea by Munhakdongne in 2013 The keywords “murder” and “memory” alone may seem like enough to picture what this story is all about: a serial killer’s account of the murders he committed, or a dramatic tale of violence and horror. Yet, once you start reading Diary of a Murderer, you realize that those keywords are more of a medium to pose complex, layered questions about sin and redemption, life and philosophy, and truth and humor. The protagonist who calls himself a “gifted murderer” has never paid the price for his killings over the past three decades and is now preparing for his final murder. He relies solely on his own memorization method to tell his account, but the fact that he is losing his memory to Alzheimer’s soon turns the account into a story dictated not by his memory but its disappearance. His method thus causes him to forget his killings and his own records of his memory (or lack of memory) keep him from remembering his killings.What can life be? A person would likely have a self, a world, a purpose, a process, a perception, an object . . . Most writers would agree that a life in the presence of such things merely constitutes of words to prove that presence and a well-crafted story that makes sense. Still, few will be able to express their agreement through a story like Diary of a Murderer, an extraordinary tale that involves getting rid of people (murder), eliminating lives (memory loss), confusion that denies a person’s life, and the paradox of ignorance. (by Ji Eun Baik, Literary Critic, tr. Youngjae Josephine Bae) [see more]  Hysteria [English] Author Kim Yideum Translators Jake Levine, Soeun Seo, Hedgie Choi Publisher Action BooksYear Published 2019Originally published in Korea by Moonji in 2014 Through her fifth poetry collection Hysteria, the poet sends glances of temptation in wanting to disrupt and violate the quotidian order, demonstrating that the voices of her poetic subjects are alluring as ever. The active use of allegorical interpretations since her first poetry collection continues in Hysteria where she brings in allegorical imagination to build and demolish a world made up of disparate others. The poem “No Apology” presents a situation that everyone is likely to have encountered at least once in their lives: you get noodles with seafood black bean sauce instead of the plain black bean sauce you’d ordered. The narrator wonders, “Should I get the owner?” but hesitates out of concern that the waiter might be “bitched at.” I’m prepared to just eat what I’ve been served if the waiter apologizes but no apology comes. I’m still not ready to ask for the owner though, fearing worse things that could happen to the waiter. I remain stuck in the dilemma of neither being able to eat the noodles or send it back. The narrator’s obsession over an apology almost seems unreasonable until she confesses her own experience of having been “expelled” and “deleted” for taking the blame and apologizing instead of “putting forth the effort to argue.” The frequent blame games in reality where no one admits their fault or apologizes gives the poem an allegorical effect. The poem “Hysteria” portrays a narrator suffering in a packed subway. I want the woman preaching “the truth” to shut up and I desperately “need a new route, need to get out,” but instead, I’m surrounded by gropers and men falling asleep against me. The narrator’s hysterical rant as she feels like she’s about to be torn apart is a great example of the poet’s signature tone that can only be heard in her work. (by Lee Kyungsoo, Literary Critic, tr. Youngjae Josephine Bae) [see more] 如果我们无法以光速前行 [Chinese] Author Kim ChoyeopTranslator 春喜Publisher 四川科学技术出版社Year Published 2022Originally Published in Korea by Heobeul in 2018 The Chinese translation of Kim Choyeop’s If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light, titled 如果我们无法以光速前行 (2022) won the Chinese Nebula Award for Best Translated Work in 2023, as well as the Galaxy Award for Most Popular Foreign Writer in the same year. Receiving recognitions bestowed upon authors and works from outside the Chinese-speaking world, Kim Choyeop made history as the first recipient to sweep both of China’s major science fiction literature awards in the same year. The Galaxy Awards committee lauded If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light for its profound scientific and humanistic inquiries, as well as the author’s endeavor to resurrect forgotten women from history.The titular story If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light unfolds the narrative of Anna, a woman who willingly chooses to remain aboard a decommissioned space station, while “About My Space Hero” delves into the enigmatic choices made by Choi Jae-kyeong, who joined the first modified astronaut project but faced derision and disdain as a woman, Asian, and a single mother in a predominantly white male-centric milieu of astronauts. Kim Choyeop’s exploration of technology and humanity does not focus on the realm of future technology but instead on narratives concerning minorities and marginalized individuals, probing the chasm between technology and humanity, and the facets of human existence overshadowed by technological advancements. Her keen interest in women, minorities, and marginalized groups always intersects with an emphasis on coexistence and symbiosis. In “Symbiosis Theory,” the narrative navigates coexistence and symbiosis with beings outside our realm by revealing that what we have long perceived as quintessentially human was, in fact, alien. The underlying concern about co-evolution found throughout the seven short stories in If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light continues to reverberate in her subsequent works, such as The World We Just Left Behind (2021), Planet Language Bookstore (2021), The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth (2021), and Ground Explorers (2023), expanding into issues pertaining to climate, disabilities, and ecology, thereby paving the way for the burgeoning potential of eco-science fiction. (by So Young-Hyun, Literary Critic, tr. Stella Kim) [see more] Autobiography of Death [English] Author Kim Hyesoon Translator Don Mee Choi Publisher New DirectionsYear Published 2018Originally Published in Korea by Munhaksilheomsil in 2016 Kim Hyesoon’s twelfth collection Autobiography of Death, published in 2016, is comprised of forty-nine poems about death. The poems, subtitled from “Day One” to “Day Forty-Nine,” resemble the forty-nine days of heartfelt prayer offered in the hope that the departed soul can find peace. In her author’s note, Kim says, “When one writes poetry in a country of so many deaths, it’s inevitable that the voice that emerges is the voice of someone who is preoccupied with death.” It would be correct to say that while writing this collection, she did not ruminate on death as a concept but experienced it as an embodied reality. This collection, written mostly in the second person, offers condolences to the deceased “you” while at the same time consoling all of us who, without exception, will one day confront our own deaths.Kim’s death sequence, which aims to actualize death as a reality and not an idea, reads as poetry that foreshadows the fact that “I,” like “you,” will someday have an encounter with death more so than poetry meant to reassure “me,” who, unlike “you,” lives on. In “a country of so many deaths,” in the helpless situation of having the hardest time choosing the words to explain death, Kim’s poems persist in doing the intense work of alleviating the unspeakable pain of the dead by drawing a direct connection between “your death” and “my death” without the meddling of abstraction. Autobiography of Death is the effort to actualize “your death” as “my death,” the refusal to cease in the attempt despite its near-impossibility, and the commitment to not allowing us to forget that this is the bare minimum we must do for those who cannot speak. (by Yeonjung Cho, Literary Critic, tr. Paige Morris) [see more]  Phantom Pain Wings [English] Author Kim HyesoonTranslator Don Mee ChoiPublisher New DirectionsYear Published 2023Originally Published in Korea by Moonji in 2019 Kim Hyesoon’s thirteenth collection, Phantom Pain Wings, was published in 2019 to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of her literary debut. For forty years, Kim has been writing poetry tirelessly, consistently, and always at the vanguard of the Korean literary world, to which this book can also attest. Phantom Pain Wings is a collection about a father’s death. However, rather than mourning her father’s death as a completed event, the speaker of these poems is creating death herself. If we believe that death is a completely Other phenomenon that living human beings can never experience for ourselves, then this speaker transcends that impossibility with “I-do-bird.” “This book is not really a book / It’s an I-do-bird sequence / a record of the sequence,” Phantom Pain Wings declares. This collection is at once a “Bird-cries-out-from-me-day record,” an “I-do-bird-day record,” and a “Translation-of-a-certain-bird’s-chirping record” by an “I-do-bird-woman” (from “Bird’s Poetry Book”).Death as the absolute Other is always a future occurrence. Thus, whether someone else’s or our own, death can never be a completed event for the living. In other words, human beings can only experience death on the condition that we are “in training” for it. Kim reveals the process of moving forward, taking “a step toward where I don’t exist,” in the phrase “I-do-bird.” Phantom Pain Wings is a record of this training in the art of “I-do-bird” as well as a record of the translation of a bird’s chirping. The book also suggests that neither the training nor the translation can ever be completed. The fact that death is an incompletable act implies that it is not a forward movement from here to some other place but rather an experience of time that goes on forever. If that is true, Phantom Pain Wings can be described as a collection that tells us living human beings how to face the deaths of others and our own imminent ends in the most tender way possible. (by Yeonjung Cho, Literary Critic, tr. Paige Morris) [see more]  Moms [English] Author Yeong-shin MaTranslator Janet Hong Publisher Drawn QuarterlyYear Published 2020Originally Published in Korea by Humanist in 2015 Moms (Humanist Books, 2015), revolves around a middle-aged single mother named Lee Soyeon, who works as a janitor while raising her son. The narrative captures the lives of various women, including Lee Sunshim, who, succumbing to parental pressure, hastily marries a man promising to not go any further than “hold her hand in bed” after just three days of dating, offering a window into what the life of a girl raised in an impoverished household is like. Driven by her ambitions, Lee Soyeon starts asserting her made-up name as her true identity following the birth of her youngest child, and after divorcing her husband over his gambling debts, takes on the role of breadwinner for her family by working as a janitor. Moms aims to defy conventional notions about Korean women, who are often thought of as devoted wives and mothers, by portraying them as women with varied desires. The comic features mothers as they truly are, depicting them engaging in romantic relationships, getting into street fights with their partners’ girlfriends, and going dancing at discotheques for seniors. Jongseok, Soyeon’s boyfriend of ten years who works as a waiter at a nightclub, often asks her to come to his workplace to help boost sales while comparing her unfavorably to his other girlfriends by telling her how much they spend on him. Their relationship, though far from being all sunshine and rainbows, is drearily realistic. The constant breaking up and getting back together resembles something out of a soap opera, complete with fights and love triangles, although their tumultuous lives feel more realistic than any scripted drama. Soyeon’s friends also date, cheat, and grapple with their pasts as they navigate through life. Being wealthy or maintaining a stable marriage is no guarantee of peace and quiet as each of them is faced with their own struggles. Soyeon and her friends ultimately get fired after a failed attempt to stand up against the verbal abuse and sexual harassment of company executives by forming a labor union, but nevertheless quickly find new jobs. In Moms, the realms of romance and work seamlessly overlap. Whether it’s a mother pursuing a romantic relationship or one toiling away at work, this comic serves to remind us that all mothers are simply human. Each one of them carries on with their life despite all its ups and downs, and that’s ultimately what makes them “moms.” (by Heo Yoon , Literary Critic, tr. Leo-Thomas Brylowski) [see more]  アーモンド [Japanese] Author Sohn Won-pyungTranslator 矢島暁子Publisher 祥伝社Year Published 2019Originally Published in Korea by Changbi in 2017 Winner of the Changbi Young Adult Literature Award in 2016, this novel has sold over one million copies in Korea to become a bestseller, and it has also been published in translation in more than thirty countries around the globe. It received the 2020 Japanese Booksellers’ Award in the translated fiction category and was also selected as an Amazon Best Book of the Month in May of the same year. The Japanese Booksellers’ Award is determined through voting by Japanese bookstore employees themselves, who choose the book they most want to sell, making this accolade all the more special given that Japanese bookstore employees are particularly attuned to the preferences of readers. Most notably, Almond was the first Asian book to win the award since its inception.The protagonist, Yunjae, was born with an exceptionally small amygdala, which prevents him from feeling emotions. Unable to experience joy, sadness, fear, or anxiety, he is labeled as a “monster.” Almond tells the story of this young boy, who, unable to feel emotions, finds himself having to grow up alone after losing his mother and grandmother in an accident. In a journey of growth, Yunjae learns to love and empathize with others, and develops the courage to confront his fears. The novel’s premise prompts a profound reflection on the nature of love, courage, and understanding, challenging readers to reconsider these fundamental aspects of human experience. In a captivating story that illustrates the difficulties of understanding others and summoning the courage to love, the author reveals the inherent human beauty found in such pursuits. This is what has allowed Almond to strike a chord with so many readers all around the world. The book conveys the message that we can still love each other even if we are unable to feel emotions, and also demonstrates through its many translations that language barriers can be overcome to bring us closer. (by Seo Youngin, Literary Critic, tr. Leo-Thomas Brylowski) [see more]  三十の反撃 [Japanese] Author Sohn Won-pyungTranslator 矢島暁子 Publisher 祥伝社Year Published 2021Originally Published in Korea by Eunhaengnamu in 2017 This novel by Sohn Won-pyung was originally titled ‘Ordinary Human’ when it was awarded the Jeju 4.3 Peace Literary Prize in 2017, but was later retitled as Counterattack at Thirty at the time of its publication. It made the headlines in 2022 after winning the Japanese Booksellers’ Award in the translated fiction category only two years after Almond received the same honor, making it “the book Japanese bookstore employees most want to sell.” The original title, ‘Ordinary Human,’ directly reflects the work’s overarching theme. Kim Ji-hye, a thirty-year-old woman born in 1988, leads an unremarkable and “ordinary” life as an intern at a cultural center run by a large Korean conglomerate. Kim Ji-hye’s life, characterized by an insufficient salary, a lack of purpose and fulfillment at work, and a hopeless future, mirrors the common reality of many young adults in Korea today. Despite giving their best and living diligently, such “ordinary” people constantly get the short end of the stick and are forced to cope with a perpetual sense of defeat. Counterattack at Thirty convincingly portrays the bitter reality of our world which fails to uphold what is ordinarily seen as common sense. Ji-hye, along with her colleague Gyu-ok, decide to shake things up one day by performing a small “counterattack” which ultimately appears to end in failure. However, through this act of resistance, Ji-hye undergoes personal growth and manages to find her own path and an escape out of her bleak reality. As a result, she begins to envision a world where everyone has a voice, built on a culture of solidarity and empathy rather than one dominated by the capital and superficial culture imposed by large corporations, which is enough to transform her life. The author extends a compassionate message to young readers in their thirties, encouraging them to seek solace and empathy within the pages of this compelling narrative. (by Seo Youngin, Literary Critic, tr. Leo-Thomas Brylowski) [see more]  The Disaster Tourist [English] Author Yun Ko-eunTranslator Lizzie BuehlerPublisher CounterpointYear Published 2020Originally Published in Korea by Minumsa in 2013 The Disaster Tourist (2013) was translated and published in English with a grant from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea in 2020, and became the first work of Korean fiction to win the CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger 2021. The Daggers, established by the UK Crime Writers’ Association in 1955, are one of the major accolades in English-language crime fiction. Formerly known as the CWA International Dagger until 2019, the Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger is given to the best translated crime novel of the year. Yun Ko-eun stands as the first Asian recipient of the award since the inception of this category. Yun Ko-eun’s remarkably uninhibited imagination unfolds within The Disaster Tourist, which delves into the realm of dark tourism. Beneath the surface of dark tourism, which seeks lessons from disasters and historical events, we see the pervasive influence of capitalism that virtually commodifies everything. While the commercialization of disasters is not a recent phenomenon, the power of global capitalism portrayed in The Disaster Tourist proves to be immense and ruthless beyond imagination. Capitalism commodifies even climate crises and even instigates the planning of artificial disasters to revive local economies. Through the people who have come to the island of Mui for various reasons, the disasters that are to become tourism products are performed and showcased like conspiracies or projects. However, it become immediately evident that climate disasters are anything but easy prey for capitalism. Disasters are not theatrical products that can be meticulously scripted and flawlessly planned and executed. Instead, as if laughing at such an idea, disasters become uncontrollable, sweeping away and engulfing the shortsighted and selfish desires of the people hiding behind capitalism. The Disaster Tourist unfolds with an unpredictable narrative that defies expectations, showing how a tourism merchandising project in the era of climate crisis can turn into a horrifying thriller in the blink of an eye. Through literary imagination, this novel sends a sharp warning about the true crisis in the era of climate crisis. (by So Young-Hyun (Literary Critic, tr. Stella Kim) [see more]  Cold Candies [English] Author Lee Young-juTranslator Jae Kim Publisher Black OceanYear Published 2021Originally Published in Korea by Moonji in 2014 When life is defined as a journey toward death regardless of individual will, the themes of death and life become central topics of exploration in Lee Young-ju’s poetry. From her debut collection to her latest works, the notions of death, pain, the emptiness of existence and its inherent sorrow have remained consistent points of fascination for Lee Young-ju. Her poetic persona is intricately woven into “the heart/of the night” where “no matter how much you scrub, this place doesn’t brighten.” However, Lee remarks, “For the one left behind, there is meaning in being left behind” (“Stalactite”). This ongoing investigation into mortality ultimately leads to a deeper appreciation or affirmation of life. As is aptly phrased on the back cover of her poetry collection, “Life is / an unfathomable / deep and warm pit,” and the poet recognizes that “To climb out, you much crawl until / your hands and feet shatter.” In this poetry collection by Lee Young-ju, “doors” and “windows” frequently make appearances. Whether finding a door ajar, leaving open a window, or chipping away at walls, the narrator of Lee’s poems seeks to traverse or seep into alternative realms, and “finally succeeds in entering indoors like music” (“Into the Dream”), as music has the fluidity to seamlessly transition between realms. This is why the term “singer-songwriter” often finds its way into her poetry. She is a “Singer-Songwriter” who “begins in a puddle” while “singing”. In the proximity of death, which is the “furthest point from her birthplace, where the scent of decay gathers” (“Picnic”), Lee Young-ju’s verses strain to play the “music that feels like it would tear apart when flesh touches metal.” (by Lee Kyungsoo, Literary Critic, tr. Stella Kim) [see more]  Impossibles adieux [French] Author Han KangTranslator Pierre BisiouPublisher Éditions GrassetYear Published 2023Originally Published in Korea by Munhakdongne in 2021 Han Kang’s novel Impossible Goodbyes (2021) portrays the agonizing journey of confronting the traumatic memories of the April 3 Jeju Uprising and the Bodo League Massacre that unfolded between 1948 and 1950. The narrator, referred to as “I,” is a character modeled after Han Kang herself, the actual author of Human Acts (2014). In this work, Han Kang questions the significance of “writing about suffering” as she tells the stories of individuals haunted by memories of death and torture. Impossible Goodbyes follows “I” (or Gyeong-ha) and the psychological and physical turmoil she has to go through after she completes writing her novel Human Acts. The protagonist’s life is shattered by the time she is done depicting “the massacre in that city,” and she begins to suffer from such terrible headaches and stomach cramps that her existence turns into a living nightmare that ultimately compels to draft her own will. The novel depicts the journey of “I” as she grapples with the historical trauma stemming from the April 3 Jeju Uprising and the Bodo League Massacre, which are intertwined with the anguish of her friend In-seon, a documentary filmmaker, and the tragedies haunting her own family.This novel is a narrative about suffering that aims to put an end to all the pain depicted within its pages, from the physical and psychological torment “I” experiences both before and after writing her novel about the May 18 Gwangju Uprising, to the agony endured by her friend In-seon who must be pricked by a needle every three minutes to revive the nerves in her severed finger, as well as the suffering inflicted upon the victims and survivors of the April 3 Jeju Uprising as a result of the massacres and torture they were subjected to. At its core, the novel explores the convergence and sharing of suffering between “I” and the other characters, which is depicted through the lens of historical trauma and the act of “rewriting” this collective trauma. Doing so, it offers a theatricalization of the suffering experienced by “I,” linking it to the pain of In-seon and the agony of both the deceased and the survivors, who all converge at the boundary between life and death. This work delves into the themes of painful memories, redemption, and the challenges of writing about these things. (by Kim Youngchan, Literary Critic, tr. Leo-Thomas Brylowski) [see more]

September 06, 2024

Actors and writers share common ground—they engage with the public through their works and delve into the lives of others through text. Both professions require the sensitive use of imagination to interpret social and interpersonal contexts. Beyond this, there are numerous reasons why many actors maintain a close connection to books. As performers who breathe life into carefully crafted scripts, actors offer unique perspectives on the literary world. While the specific books recommended by actors on social media and in interviews vary widely in genre and authors according to personal tastes, they all share a common theme: exploring the unfamiliar lives of others. Actress Kim You-jung recommends Choi Jin-young’s To the Warm Horizon, a tale of two women's unwavering romance amidst catastrophe. Actor and singer Rowoon suggests Gray Man by Kim Tongsik, a genre-crossing collection of stories with unpredictable storylines that has garnered reader support. Actress Kim Hye-yoon endorses The Only Hana on Earth by Chung Serang, a rare love story between an alien named Kyeongmin and a human named Hana. Actress Han So-hee recommends Kim Ae-ran’s The Luck of Flight, which poignantly explores the depths of unfortunate characters. Lastly, actor Hong Kyung recommends We Do Not Part by Han Kang, a novel about enduring love in the face of life-consuming pain. Here's a look at five Korean books recommended by popular Millennial and Gen Z actors: To the Warm Horizon [English] Author Choi Jin-youngTranslators SojeKorean Publisher Publisher Minumsa(2017) Overseas Publisher Honford Star(2021) To the Warm Horizon is the first apocalyptic novel by Choi Jin-young. During a chaotic period when an unknown virus sweeps across the globe, those infected die quickly, and the survivors embark on an endless journey in search of safety. Dori, who has walked through Russia with nothing but her own strength, meets Jina, and romance blooms between them amidst the disaster. Their undying love touches the hearts of the readers. Gray Man [Chinese] Author Kim Tongsik Translator Lin WenmeiKorean Publisher Yoda Books(2017) Overseas Publisher Xiao Yi Publisher(2022) The author spent ten years working in a factory, mentally crafting numerous stories and posting them almost daily on the Korean internet forum Todayhumor.com. This collection contains sixty-six specially selected short stories. Presenting bizarre situations and people’s responses to them, these stories unfold in unexpected ways, drawing the readers into their unpredictable narratives. Though they may read lightly like jokes, they possess a lingering charm that leaves a lasting impression. The Only Hana on Earth [Chinese] Author Chung Serang Translators Na SookyungKorean Publisher Neofiction(2012) Overseas Publisher China Times Publishing Company(2022) Hana, an upcycled clothing designer, runs a shop where she “reincarnates” garments that contain other people’s memories. Her long-time boyfriend Kyeongmin has left for Canada to watch a meteor shower, and shortly after, news break of a meteorite causing a commotion there. After many twists and turns, Kyeongmin returns home safely but behaves like a different person. This eco-friendly and tender love story sweetly captivates readers’ hearts. The Luck of Flight [Chinese] Author Kim Ae-ran Translator Song ShizhenKorean Publisher Moonji Publishing Company(2012)Overseas Publisher People’s Literature Publishing House Co. Ltd.(2016) The Luck of Flight tells the story of “us,” who long for a new life but are held back by a chain of misfortunes that prevent us from escaping reality. The book features characters such as a college graduate who can’t land a decent job, a cab driver in his late thirties who has never felt welcomed by anyone, a janitor treated as equivalent to a toilet, and an old woman who collects scrap paper in life and in death, appearing in the protagonist’s dreams. These narratives help us discover what lies beyond our own lives and our generations. We Do Not Part [French] Author Han Kang Translators Pierre BisiouKorean Publisher Munhakdongne(2021)Overseas Publisher Éditions Grasset(2023) The author expressed a wish for this book to be a novel about profound love. This love is first embodied in the heart of Inseon’s mother Jeongsim, who never lost faith in people and life until the end. Despite never losing its light even in utter darkness, we come to understand that this love isn’t merely bright and warm. The story is drawn from the memories of a not-too-distant tragic history. As intense and earnest as the love is, we come to learn that it is also an incredibly painful experience.

August 09, 2024

RM, a K-pop star active on the global stage, has been writing autobiographical and expressive lyrics that have struck a chord with his fans worldwide. Often seen reading books in waiting rooms, RM loves reading and even dreamed of majoring in creative writing in college. Themes of identity, personal growth, and reflections on social contradictions are recurring motifs in RM’s music. In the song Reflection from BTS’s second album, Wings, he delves into existential concerns: “Ttukseom, which has swallowed the night, hands me an entirely different world, I want to be free.” In Silver Spoon (Baepsae) ,” he questions social justice by comparing the generation oppressed by the privileged class to a small bird. RM’s musical world transcends generations, genders, and borders, and it is closely linked with his reading habits. If literature was “the axe for the frozen seas within” for Franz Kafka, it may be a magnifying glass for RM to explore his inner self. The five Korean Books that have expanded RM’s world are: Almond by Sohn Won-pyung, which tells the story of a boy named Yunjae who cannot feel emotions; Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, a heart-wrenching epic of a Korean-Japanese family; Human Acts by Han Kang, which meticulously documents the stories of the survivors of the Gwangju Uprising; I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee, a book that provides a candid account of the author’s battle with depression; and Familiar Things by Hwang Sok-yong, which narrates the coming-of-age story of a fourteen-your-old boy living in a vast landfill site called Flower Island. Through reading, RM continues to expand his musical universe. Almond [Spanish] Author Sohn Won-pyungTranslator Sunme YoonKorean Publisher Changbi (2017)Overseas Publisher Ediciones Temas de Hoy (2024) Winner of the 10th Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction, Almond portrays the journey of a boy who cannot feel emotions as he forms relationships, learns to understand others, and ultimately undergoes a profound transformation. Through the friendship of two boys who have lost their families and are alone in the world, the story conveys a powerful message about the courage and determination necessary to support each other, grow, and move toward a better world. Pachinko [English] Author Min Jin LeeKorean Publisher Literature & Thought (Munhak Sasang) (2018)Overseas Publisher Grand Central Publishing (2017) Pachinko spans about 100 years, beginning in Yeongdo, Busan, during the Japanese colonial period and reaching Japan in 1989 at the peak of the bubble economy. As we follow the tumultuous history of a family, we encounter major events in modern Korean history, such as liberation, the Korean War, and the division of the Korean Peninsula. The novel poignantly captures the struggles of the zainichi (Koreans residing in Japan), whose lives we previously knew little about. Human Acts [English] Author Han KangTranslator Deborah SmithKorean Publisher Changbi (2014)Overseas Publisher Hogarth (2016) This book narrates the events of the ten days during the Gwangju Uprising from May 18, 1980, and the stories of those left behind. The author vividly depicts the ruthlessness of the state, raising questions about the “inherent cruelty that seems etched into our genes” that has caused similar events in the past and continues to affect the world today, not only in Korea but across the globe. I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki [English] Author Baek SeheeTranslator Anton HurKorean Publisher Heun (2019)Overseas Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing (2024) This book is an honest account of the author’s struggle with depression, driven by a groundless sense of thirst and emptiness. Depression is based on hope; without hope, you cannot even feel sadness. This book provides hope that your day, though not perfect, can still be a good one, and that even if you feel depressed all day, life’s small moments of joy can still make you smile. Familiar Things [English] Author Hwang Sok-yongTranslator Sora Kim-RussellKorean Publisher Munhakdongne (2011)Overseas Publisher Scribe Publications (2017) Familiar Things is set on Flower Island, not a metaphor for a world overflowing with trash but the actual story of people living in a real landfill. The author leaves us questioning the long-standing source of resistance against the final destination of objects and humans discarded by civilization.

November 28, 2023

Everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. But that's when literature can offer us great comfort.  Jang Eun-Jin’s No One Writes Back features a man traveling aimlessly with his blind dog for three years. He writes letters to people he meets along the way, but no one replies. On the surface, it might seem like a simple story about a traveler’s loneliness, but we soon discover ourselves being drawn to the messages of hope within in his letters. In Kim Choyeop’s If We Can't Go at the Speed of Light, a scientist longingly remembers her family while grappling with unique struggles. Her story reminds us to persist in hope despite hardship. When despair looms, Bae Suah’s Untold Night and Day gives comforting escape. As we accompany the characters through the nights, we cross the boundary between dream and reality, and bask in a literary time that will heal our wounds. In Lee Seo Su’s Your 4’33, we are confronted with the pressures of a competitive society and the struggles it can bring. Yet, amidst the chaos, the story reminds us to cherish the present moment, where the seeds of hope reside. The very people who inflict deep wounds upon us can, in a twist of irony, become the source of our healing. Choi Eunyoung's Someone Harmless guides us through this essential journey of mending those wounds. Literature gives us the strength and comfort to rise from our pain. Literature is hope. ㅣNovel If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light [Spanish]  Author Kim ChoyeopTranslator Joo HasunPublisher Temas de HoyYear Published 2022Originally published in Korea by Hubble in 2019 This is a collection of seven sci-fi stories. The titular story follows an elderly scientist who is away from her family to develop future technologies and the struggles she overcomes while waiting for the day she can meet her family again in a distant universe. If technological development is the “wrapping paper,” then the stories of these very human characters are the lyrical gift contained within. ㅣNovel Untold Night and Day [English]   Author Bae SuahTranslators Deborah SmithPublisher  Jonathan CapeYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by Jaum&Moeum in 2013   Twenty-eight-year-old Kim Ayami works at Seoul’s only audio theater for the blind. On her last shift before the theater is shut down, Ayami wanders the streets at night and meets different kinds of people: a German language female teacher who has cancer, a theater director who has become unemployed with the theater’s closure, a German who has come to Korea to write a novel. With each encounter, the characters delve deep into their memories, dreams, and secrets. In a world where the boundary between reality and dreams is faint, we become the main characters. ㅣNovel No One Writes Back [English] Author Jang Eun-jinTranslators Yewon JungPublisher Dalkey ArchiveYear Published 2013Originally published in Korea by MunhakDongne in 2009 This book is the story of a man who travels around without a specific destination together with his blind dog. During his journey, the protagonist encounters a man who reads poetry to a friend in a coma, a person who rides trains endlessly to escape from a broken heart, amongst many others. In order to console them and tell them about his own experience, the main character writes them letters but never receives a reply. At first glance, this story might make us feel lonely and somber, but through the letters he sends we are able to discover messages of hope. ㅣNovel Your 4’33 [Chinese]  Author Lee Seo SuTranslators 謝麗玲Publisher 一人出版社 Year Published 2021Originally published in Korea by EunHaengNaMu in 2020 This book is inspired by 4’33, the composition created by American experimental composer John Cage during which performers do not play their instruments. Switching between the life of celebrated avant-garde artist John Cage, and that of Lee Gidong, who is frustrated and discouraged by a fiercely competitive society, the reader is asked what our moral guidelines are. During these four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence, we ponder about the meaning of life and discover the value of our existence.  ㅣNovel A Someone Harmless to Me [Chinese] Author Choi EunyoungTranslator  陳曉菁Publisher 商務印書館Year Published 2019Originally published in Korea by MunhakDongne in 2018 As the title suggests, this collection of seven short stories is “harmless to life,” as it encourages readers to understand and embrace the lives of people who have been deeply hurt. “That Summer” depicts the emotions of people who have fallen in love, “A House Made of Sand” narrates the love and friendship between three people in their twenties: through these characters who heal their wounds thanks to those around them, we discover new aspects of our own lives. PI OK-HEE Pi Ok-hee is an insightful writer who offers a unique perspective on the world. With a diverse range of interests, she contributes to newspapers and magazines, delving into topics such as people, spaces, books, and travel. Beyond her journalistic endeavors, Pi Ok-hee excels as a ghostwriter, crafting captivating stories and providing content for corporate newsletters, speeches, and casebooks for both companies and public institutions.

November 22, 2023

It’s no exaggeration to say that students in Korea study intensively for years just to take the college entrance exam (called CSAT).  Study guidebooks are crucial resources for test-takers who need to stay focused on their goals without feeling torn between reality and hope. While there are countless guidebooks offering life wisdom, what becomes a vital guide for Korean students is their literary sensibility, which is a result of South Korea's emphasis on education that integrates literature into exam preparation–building not only academic skills, but also literary appreciation. The so-called “must-read” list of books for CSAT prep allow students to glimpse into the lives and emotions of people from different historical periods.  For example, Kim Yu-Jeong’s Downpour delves into the contradictions and moral struggles in rural communities through the lives of an itinerant farming couple. Pak Taewon’s A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist showcases the role of modern Korean literature by depicting the idling life of lumpen intellectuals. Yi Kwang-su’s Mujŏng marks the beginning of Korean contemporary literature by exploring free love and enlightenment through its four central young characters.  Cho Se-Hŭi’s The Dwarf exposes problems in Korean society while portraying a dwarf family’s dreams and their desire for freedom.  Hyun Jin-geon’s One Lucky Day describes the hardships in the life of an old rickshaw driver. All these stories encourage test-takers to seriously contemplate how they want to live their own lives ㅣNovel Downpour [English]  Author Kim Yu-JeongTranslator Yoonna ChoPublisher Literature Translation Institute of KoreaYear Published 2014Originally published in Korea by The Chosun Ilbo in 1935 Kim Yu-Jeong’s short story was selected for the 1935 The Chosun Ilbo’s New Spring Literary Contest. It portrays the poverty and harsh reality of itinerant farmers at that time through the trials faced by a couple who were forced to leave their home during a year of famine. The authoritarian Chunho, who pesters his wife for money to squander on gambling, his wife’s dramatic decision to sacrifice her dignity and resort to prostitution to avoid his abuse, as well as the absurd relationships between landlords and tenant farmers, are depicted paradoxically and humorously in Downpour. This work invites readers to sink into contemplation. ㅣNovel A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist [English]   *Part of ‘The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories’ series.Author Pak TaewonTranslators Sunyoung Park, Jefferson J. A. Gatrall, Kevin O’RourkePublisher  Penguin BooksYear Published 2023Originally published in Korea by -   This mid-twentieth-century novella was first published in 1934 in the Chosun Jungang Ilbo. At the age of twenty-six, novelist Kubo still lives with his widowed mother, without a job or a wife. This story is regarded as one of the most representative works of Korean modernist literature, masterfully employing a chronological detailing of the main character’s wandering around the city. As he roams the streets of Seoul, he captivates readers’ attention by skillfully moving between past and present, reality and fantasy, and through his encounters with the city’s landscape and its peoples, he delves into the ever-shifting realms of loneliness, desires, money, and love within the human psyche. ㅣNovel Mujŏng [English] Author Yi Kwang-suTranslators  Ann Sung-hi LeePublisher East Asia ProgramYear Published 2005Originally serialized in Korea by the Maeil Sinbo in 1917, and published by Shinmunkwan and DongYang Seowon in 1918. Mujŏng, serialized in 1917 in the Maeil Sinbo, is Korea’s first modern novel, marking the beginning of modern Korean literature. Infused with the contemporary consciousness of that era, this work explores themes of free love and enlightenment. The story revolves around Yi Hyŏng-sik, an intellectual who works as an English teacher at Kyŏngsŏng School after studying in Japan; Pak Yŏng-ch’ae, a traditionally educated young woman who, after losing her virginity to the Kyŏngsŏng School inspector, contemplates suicide; Kim Sŏnhyŏng, a modern woman preparing for her studies in the United States; and Kim Pyŏng-uk, an anti-feudal and progressive international student. This novel vividly portrays the societal upheaval and moral ambiguity of Joseon’s period of transformation through characters that readers can readily empathize with. ㅣNovel The Dwarf  [English]  Author Cho Se-HŭiTranslators Bruce and Ju-Chan FultonPublisher University of Hawaii Press Year Published 2006Originally published in Korea by Literature and Intelligence in 1978 This short story was originally published in the 1976 Winter issue of the literary journal Literature and Intelligence. It continues to be cherished by readers to this day, as it offers a realistic depiction of the rapid industrialization of the 1970s through the struggles and sorrows of a dwarf’s family, shedding light on the disenfranchised and their loss of the foundations of life as their unauthorized village is razed to the ground. The story is divided into three parts, each focusing on one of the protagonist’s children: the first one focuses on the first-born son, Kim Yong-su, the second revolves around the second-born son, Kim Yong-ho, and the third one follows the youngest daughter, Kim Yong-hui.  ㅣNovel A Lucky Day [Russian] Author Hyun Jin-geonTranslator  Ким Сонмён,Илья БеляковPublisher АСТ ЛингваYear Published 2019Originally published in Korea by Gaebyeok, Issue 48, in 1924 First published in the June 1924 issue of the magazine Gaebyeok, this short story showcases the essence of realism by portraying the squalid lives of Joseon’s lower-class people through old rickshaw-porter Kim. After a ten-day streak of bad luck, Mr. Kim heads out to work, ignoring his sick wife’s pleadings to remain home with her. His wife’s pained expression bothers him throughout the day, but he continues to push through, as he cannot shake off opportunities to earn good money. This story, which focuses solely on the protagonist and vividly narrates the way he endures any hardship, deserves to remain in the CSAT curriculum as a witness of Korea’s past. Chayeon Since 1994, she has crafted pieces across diverse genres and various media, as though she was shaping different kinds of pottery. Beginning in 2009, she has been introducing readers of webzines to cultural information, from books to movies and travel destinations, almost as if she was sharing secrets deep into the night.

November 13, 2023

Everyone is familiar with Bong Joon-ho’s film Parasite, which swept the awards globally. During that time, however, someone else was also enjoying the spotlight just as much as the movie and the director himself. It was Bong Joon-ho’s interpreter at the Academy Award ceremony, who was hailed as the perfect interpreter. The interpreter was lauded both domestically and internationally because she not only understood and embraced the source language, but also its cultural implications, hence successfully delivering a complete interpretation to its audience. Translation is no different. By faithfully playing its role as a cultural messenger between countries through understanding and inclusion, K-literature has now earned worldwide adoration. In 2021, Yun Ko-eun’s The Disaster Tourist won the Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger Award with Lizzie Buehler’s translation, marking the first win for an Asian novel. Kim Hyesoon’s poetry collection A Drink in Red Mirror, translated by Yee Choon-woo, was nominated for the Best Translated Book Award by Three Percent, a website specializing in translation and managed by the University of Rochester in the U.S. Whale, Cheon Myeong-kwan’s first full-length novel, was shortlisted for this year’s prestigious International Booker Prize, one of the top three awards in the Anglophone world. Through the troubled lives of its female characters, conveyed through the skillful translation by Chi-Young Kim, this novel showcases the depth and potential of Korean literature to a global readership. Previously, another Korean novel was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022: Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny, translated by Anton Hur who captured the familiar yet unfamiliar everyday life of the characters in a sharp and vivid way. Another standout in the realm of suspenseful and dark fantasy novels is Hye-young Pyun’s The Hole, translated by Sora Kim-Russell, which earned the Shirley Jackson Award in 2017. Besides the translators mentioned here, there are many more who are diligently working as cultural messengers, going beyond simply introducing Korean literature, and delving into deeper facets of these works. It is thanks to their efforts that Korean literature today is marching toward a global stage.  ㅣNovel The Disaster Tourist [English] Author  Yun Ko-eunTranslator Lizzie BuehlerPublisher ProfileYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by Minumsa in 2013 This book narrates the adventures of Ko Yona, a programming coordinator at the travel agency, Jungle, which sells vacation packages to disaster-hit destinations. After a visit to Mui, an island wrecked by a sinkhole in the desert, Yona is heading to the airport to return home when she is forced to return to the Belle Époque, the resort where she was put up with her group. At the request of the resort manager, Yona finds herself involved in a project to revive Mui’s tourism. After being dragged into this ploy to concoct an artificial disaster scenario, will Yona be able to help Mui? ㅣPoetry A Drink of Red Mirror (Un verre de miroir rouge) [French]  Author  Kim HyesoonTranslator Yee Choon-wooPublisher Decrescenzo éditeursYear Published 2016Originally published in Korea by Moonji in 2004   Since her debut in 1979 in the quarterly magazine “Literature and Society,” Kim Hyesoon presents her eighth collection. The fifty-seven poems, including the titular “A Drink of Red Mirror,” harness the powerful poetic allure of the color red to exalt the author’s profound sensibility. With the poet’s distinct prose that tantalizes the senses, these poems usher readers into a mesmerizing and stark poetic realm. ㅣNovel Whale [English]  Author Cheon Myeong-kwanTranslators  Chi-Young KimPublisher Archipelago BooksYear Published 2023 Originally published in Korea by Munhakdongne in 2004 Cheon Myeong-kwan’s first full-length novel has received incredible praises for its groundbreaking plot. This novel defies readers’ expectations at every turn, portraying the turbulent lives of its unforgettable female protagonists: an old woman, Geumbok, and Chunhui. Cheon’s narrative engulfs readers and throws them toward strong currents by skillfully weaving in elements from various genres such as mythology, folktales, ghost and chivalrous stories, allowing each reader to find resonance within its pages. ㅣNovel Cursed Bunny [English] Author Bora ChungTranslators Anton HurPublisher Algonquin Books Year Published 2022Originally published in Korea by Arzak in 2017 Cursed Bunny is a collection of ten short stories that defy genre boundaries. Unified by the central theme of revenge, these stories range from horror to science fiction and fantasy. In “Cursed Bunny,” the owner of a brewing company spreads malicious rumors to outdo his competitors. “Home Sweet Home” tells the story of a woman who finds a ghost-child in the building that she and her irresponsible husband have bought, while “Snare” delves into the tragic consequences of one man’s greed which destroys his whole family. This collection showcases characters in familiar, yet strange settings—often driven by desire, betrayal, or misguided choices—and offers readers a peculiar sense of pleasure and comfort.  ㅣNovel The Hole [English] Author Hye-young PyunTranslator  Sora Kim-RussellPublisher Arcade PublishingYear Published 2017Originally published in Korea by Moonji in 2016 The Hole is Hye-young Pyun’s fourth novel. Ogi, a college professor in his forty, faces a tragic event: he loses his wife in a car accident that leaves him paralyzed, incapable of doing anything except blinking. The narration moves back and forth between Ogi’s present and past to shed light on the time leading up to the tragedy, depicting the conflicts in his relationship with his wife as he insists on his innocence in a gripping story. Chayeon Since 1994, she has crafted pieces across diverse genres and various media, as though she was shaping different kinds of pottery. Beginning in 2009, she has been introducing readers of webzines to cultural information, from books to movies and travel destinations, almost as if she was sharing secrets deep into the night.

November 13, 2023

True stories hold a mysterious power. A power that writes narratives more vivid than fiction and gives rise to significant literary works, making it impossible to escape their clutches even for a second. At times, literary works based on true stories unfold in such unimaginable, dramatic ways it begs the question, “Is this truly life?” At the core of these stories, buried beneath conflicts and confrontations, lies the question of what it means to be human. Moreover, the tale of one individual can be intertwined with the lives of many others, ultimately weaving into a powerful message that writes an entire history. Han Kang’s We Do Not Part (Impossibles Adieux) depicts the story of Jeongshim, a woman who lost her family in the tumult of the Jeju April 3rd Uprising and Massacre and spends decades waiting for her beloved brother’s return. Jeonshim’s life and suffering transcends her own lifetime as she has a daughter who cannot simply ignore her mother’s pain, and her friend who supports her.  Now, let’s look at The Accusation. Currently residing in North Korea, the author depicts the lives of ordinary men and women living under the regime from the late 1980s to the early 1990s through seven short stories.  Published in May 1968, The Tunnel of Destiny tells the amazing story of a Hamgyeong province family living under Japanese occupation who has a passion for learning, and recounts how they overcame their hardships.  Beginning from the early 1900s and leading up to the present, Kim Young-ha’s Black Flower follows the migration of Koreans across continents and oceans to Mexico, detailing the immigrants’ struggle for survival and maintaining their dignity with both pointedness and wit. Based on real events that occurred at a school for deaf students, Ji-Young Gong’s 2009 novel, Togani, sheds light on the issue of violence against socially vulnerable individuals and minorities. Novels based on true stories prompt us to reflect on the essence of humanity and life while underscoring the intrinsic value of human existence amid despair and suffering as we continue to love, yearn, and hope. ㅣNovel We Do Not Part (Impossibles Adieux) [French] Author  Han KangTranslator Pierre BisiouPublisher Éditions Grasset Year Published 2023Originally published in Korea by Munhakdongne in 2021 At its heart, this book explores the oppression Jeju suffered from 1947 to 1954 when authorities attempted to stamp out partisan activities, hence leading to the Jeju Uprising and resulting in the loss of countless lives. With this tragic historical backdrop, this book narrates a profound and humanistic story of familial love. One winter day, Gyeongha is made known to the silent struggle of her friend Inseon’s family tracing back to a series of civilian massacres that took place seventy years prior. For several decades, Inseon’s mother, Jeongshim, has relentlessly searched for her surviving older brother. Jeongshim’s heart-wrenching story of missing an absent family member is passed on to Inseon, and subsequently, from Inseon to Gyeongha, and from Gyeongha to the readers. ㅣNovel The Accusation [German]  Author BandiTranslators Lee Ki-hyangPublisher  PiperYear Published 2017Originally published in Korea by Dasan Books in 2017   Bandi, a pseudonym from the word “firefly” in Korean, is a North Korean writer who bases his stories on life under the totalitarian regime during the 1980s and 1990s. This collection, smuggled into South Korea through a network of defectors and brokers, comprises seven short stories. Written with concision in the North Korean dialect, they shed light on the daily oppression faced by ordinary citizens under dictatorship. One story recounts a son’s desperate attempts to obtain a travel card so that he can visit his critically ill mother. After his request gets rejected, he is caught smuggling to his hometown and hence subjected to forced labor. Another story depicts the difficulties of a mother whose three-year-old child convulses whenever he sees a portrait of Karl Marx. ㅣNovel The Tunnel of Destiny [English] Author Kim Hyung-chaTranslators  Allen D. ClarkPublisher Seoul Selection U.S.AYear Published 2018Originally published in Korea by Family Research Center Maum in 2018 Published in May 1968, this evocative novel recounts the author’s and his family’s experiences throughout the Japanese occupation, the liberation, and the Korean War. Through sharp prose, the novel viscerally depicts the author’s study abroad in Japan, his forced conscription as a student soldier, the harsh military training he endured, and his life as a soldier of the Japanese army both before and after liberation. The narrative captures the author’s stint as part of the first generation of Korean soldiers seconded to the US Army during the Korean War, their advance to the Yalu River and the evacuation of Hamhung, as well as the tragic story of young soldiers who were sent in Hiroshima to serve right before the deployment of the atomic bomb. ㅣNovel Black Flower [English]  Author Kim Young-haTranslators La Shure CharlesPublisher Mariner Books Year Published 2013Originally published in Korea by Munhakdongne in 2003 In 1905, when the Korean Empire was on the brink of collapse, many Koreans left for Mexico with dreams of attaining better jobs and brighter futures. Black Flower chronicles the poignant story of this migration. Just like the indomitable spirit of these migrants carried them across continents and oceans, the author’s bold prose transports readers to a new world. Through stark juxtapositions like the conflict between feudalism and modernity, indigenous and imported religions, the disintegration of status and class, and the collapse of the relationship between the state and the individual, readers are prompted to think about the fundamental condition of human destiny. ㅣNovel Togani [English] Author  Ji-Young GongTranslator  Bruce and Ju-Chan FultonPublisher University of Hawaii Press Year Published 2023 Originally published in Korea by Creation and Criticism in 2009 Ji-Young Gong’s Togani is a novel based on the unimaginable and harrowing events that happened at a school for the disabled located near Gwangju. Such was its societal impact that this book was even adapted into a movie of the same name in 2011. After his business fails, the protagonist is appointed as a temporary teacher at a school for the hearing impaired in the city of Mujin. There, he uncovers a series of terrible crimes, from sexual assaults to physical abuse, that are concealed by people in various positions of power, from the Office of Education to City Hall, police officers to members of the church. Through the conflicting positions of these stakeholders, the narrative explores not only the nature of evil but also the psyche of those who turn a blind eye to injustice. Chayeon Since 1994, she has crafted pieces across diverse genres and various media, as though she was shaping different kinds of pottery. Beginning in 2009, she has been introducing readers of webzines to cultural information, from books to movies and travel destinations, almost as if she was sharing secrets deep into the night.

November 02, 2023

Loss affects everyone in different ways. Life can often feel like a continuous cycle of hitting rock bottom, feeling on the brink of death, followed by a desperate attempt at finding a way out. At times we perceive life to be the cause of pain, but occasionally an unexpected loss can lead to newfound gains. What do we become in the aftermath of loss?  In Sohn Won-pyung’s Momentum, a man decides to end his own life. But when he sees an advertising phrase claiming that changing one’s posture can transform one’s life, he is finally encouraged to start anew. From loss, we restart and discover new values.  In Han Kang’s Greek Lessons, we find the unique light of life that surges from an encounter between a woman who cannot speak and a man who’s losing his eyesight. After loss, we heal our wounds and learn to hope.  We also battle against forceful loss of life. Kang Hwagil’s Another Person confronts the manifold instances of violence women face in our society, and challenges the world with piercing eyes and sharp voices.  Meanwhile, Kwon Yeo-sun’s memorable novel, Lemon, features a woman who is investigating the murder of her older sister and seeks revenge against one of the suspects. Lastly, in a gray city ravaged by disasters as portrayed in Kang Young-sook’s At Night He Lifts Weights, we navigate various forms of loss and their repercussions. Kang’s story is conveyed with somber tones, and occasionally punctuated by humor. Life revolves around things that have gone by, things we yearned to keep, and things we fought not to lose. Ultimately, it is us who stand in the center, driving the change in our lives. ㅣNovel Momentum [Spanish]  Author  Sohn Won-pyung Translator Joo HasunPublisher Ediciones Temas de hoy Year Published 2002Originally published in Korea by Changbi in 2022 If your business failed and you were facing mounting debt, what kind of life would you choose? This book delves into the life of a middle-aged man who contemplates suicide following a business setback. One day, however, he comes across an advertising message that promises change. He then embarks on a journey to transform his life. “Is there a possibility for me to turn my life around after failure?” Will his endeavor to improve himself succeed in mending his whole life? ㅣNovel Another Person [English]  Author Kang HwagilTranslators Clare RichardsPublisher  Pushkin HouseYear Published 2023Originally published in Korea by Hankyoreh Publishing in 2017  This novel casts a light on the numerous forms of violence to which women are subjected in Korean society. After being abused by her boyfriend, the main character decides to report him to the police. The man gets off scot-free, with only a slap on the wrist, and she decides to expose the injustice online. This story points a finger at those who claim that they are different, yet stand by as victims suffer, hence proving that bystanders are no different from perpetrators of violence. This story urges everyone to not look the other way. ㅣ Novel Lemon [English] Author Kwon Yeo-sunTranslators  Janet Hong Publisher Other PressYear Published 2021Originally published in Korea by Changbi in 2019  “My older sister was murdered.” In the summer of 2002, when Korea is hosting the FIFA World Cup with Japan, a high school girl blessed with unforgettable beauty is murdered. The incident is later remembered as the High School Beauty Murder. On the day of her death the victim was wearing a yellow dress. Her younger sister’s life is completely upended as she searches for the truth. The novel explores the unlamented death of a high school girl and a yellow angel’s personal journey to uncover the truth about her sister’s demise—how will this quest for yellow vengeance end? ㅣNovel Greek Lessons [Spanish]  Author Han KangTranslators Sunme YoonPublisher Random House Year Published 2023Originally published in Korea by Munhak Dongne in 2011 How painful is it to lead an isolated, lonely life? In this story we are introduced to the silence of a woman who loses the will to speak, and the light of a man who’s slowly losing his eyesight—two individuals shaped by the loss and hurt of their past traumas. But when they meet, they engage in their very own conversation. Subsequently, they are transformed into a woman learning an ancient language that is slowly disappearing, and a lecturer whom the woman meets in these classes. Through their encounter, life’s darkness turns into light. ㅣ Novel At Night He Lifts Weights [English] Author  Kang Young-sookTranslator  Janet HongPublisher Transit BooksYear Published 2023 Originally published in Korea by Changbi in 2011 This book features nine short stories set against the backdrop of a city devastated by disasters. A woman battling from depression and her recurring attempts at committing suicide, and her struggles amid a disease that ravages her city are also central aspects of this collection. In the title story, the author humorously cautions against the judgmental stares of strangers by telling the story of an old man who is identified as the culprit of a string of murders in a putrid and polluted industrial complex. PI OK-HEE Pi Ok-hee is an insightful writer who offers a unique perspective on the world. With a diverse range of interests, she contributes to newspapers and magazines, delving into topics such as people, spaces, books, and travel. Beyond her journalistic endeavors, Pi Ok-hee excels as a ghostwriter, crafting captivating stories and providing content for corporate newsletters, speeches, and casebooks for both companies and public institutions.

November 01, 2023

Modern people live busy lives. The busier they are, the more they feel empty inside. On days when you want to fill this emptiness, how about taking a break from your hectic routine and soothing your heart with a performance? Now that the social distancing rules of the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted, there are more high-quality shows to watch. Among them, musicals based on works of Korean literature—be it poetry, novels, or even essays—stand out the most. The messages of the original works are amplified through song and dance, and convey deeper emotions. Even a story from the most familiar, famous writer can feel new and more three-dimensional when it is transposed to a musical. It feels as though the book has come to life, and perhaps that’s why musicals make us want to read the books again. The deep emotions elicited by the following works have all stood out on stage: Han Yung Un’s His Silence, Yun Dong-ju’s Sky, Wind, and Stars, Kim Yujong’s and other sixteen writers’ works gathered in A Ready-Made Life: Early Masters of Modern Korean Fiction, Yi Sang’s Crow’s Eye View and Other Poems, Baek Seok’s Baek Seok: Poems of the North. As we rediscover the literary value of the original works once more, perhaps we’ll encounter new messages and emotions that escaped us on first read. ㅣPoetry His Silence [Spanish] Author  Han Yung UnTranslator Kim Hyun-Chang, Seung-kee KimPublisher VerbumYear Published 2002Originally published in Korea by Hoedongseogwan in 1926 This collection consists of Han Yung Un’s early poems like “His Silence,” “Cannot Know,” “Obedience,” and others. These lyric poems full of sophisticated and elegant language stand out for their colorful metaphors. Of these eighty-eight poems, sixty-four are written for a certain “you,” which can be interpreted as Han’s resistance as he longed for his beloved country’s freedom under the yokes of the Japanese colonization, but it could also point to a lover, Buddha, or a more universal truth.  ∎ Musical: Simwoo Set against the funeral of Kim Dongsam, with whom Han joined the Independence movement in 1937, this musical narrates the fierce life of an independence activist and the hope for freedom. ㅣPoetry Sky, Wind, and Stars [English]  Author Yun Dong-juTranslators Kyung-nyun Kim Richards, Steffen F. RichardsPublisher  Jain Publishing CompanyYear Published 2003Originally published in Korea by Jeongeumsa in 1948 Yun Dong-ju was a poet and an independence activist. He was arrested in 1943 for anti-Japanese activities and died in a prison in Fukuoka at the age of twenty-seven in February 1945, a few months before Korea was finally liberated. Sky, Wind, and Stars is the only collection he left us. It was published posthumously, and delicately reveals the inner thoughts of the poet who was caught up in the whirlwind of those tragic times.   ∎ Musical: Yun Dong-ju, Shoot the Moon Through the life of poet Yun Dong-ju, we encounter the innocent youth who dreamed of freedom and independence, and who resisted the most brutal period of the Japanese empire.  ㅣ  Novel A Ready-Made Life: Early Masters of Modern Korean Fiction [English] Author Chae Man-shik Et al.Translators Kim Chong-un, Bruce and Ju-Chan FultonPublisher University of Hawaii PressYear Published 1998Originally published in Korea by Shindonga in 1934 This book is a collection of sixteen stories written by notable authors of early modern Korean literature, including Kim Yujong, who pioneered a new genre of Korean fiction with his humor. Kim Yujong’s “Wife”, Chae Man-Sik’s “A Ready-Made Life”, Lee Hyoseok’s “When Buckwheat Blooms”, Chu Yo-Sup’s “Mama and the Boarder” are all masterpieces written in the mid-1930s. This collection gives us a taste of the variety of Korean modern novels.   ∎ Musical: Fan Letter Against the backdrop of the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, Kim Yujong, Yi Sang, along with young writers and Gyeongseong authors, who pursued pure literature, create a group called the Circle of the Nine. ㅣPoetry Crow’s Eye View and Other Poems [Spanish]  Author Yi SangTranslators Whangbai Bahk, José Catalán, Pio E. SerranoPublisher VerbumYear Published 2003Originally published in Korea in 1934 This book is a collection of works by the modernist poet Yi Sang, a man ahead of his time. Turning away from conventional literary traditions like following grammar rules, his literary works remain a subject of research. His literary experimentation and alluring style full of brilliant ideas raise questions about human ideals.  ∎ Musical: Smoke This musical is based on Yi Sang’s serialized poem, “Crow’s Eye View n.15.” His most representative works have been turned into a musical that narrates his life, art, and anguish as he lives in his oppressed country.  ㅣ Anthology Baek Seok: Poems of the North [English] Author  Baek SeokTranslator Peter LiptakPublisher Exile PressYear Published 2018 Originally published in Korea by Saemoon in 1990 Poet of all poets Baek Seok is a writer who employs language rich in locality. Baek Seok: Poems of the North is a compilation of his lesser-known works, those that were written while he was active in North Korea after the division of the Korean peninsula. This collection contains poems, essays, fables, stories, and regular prose, including unpublished works written during the Japanese colonial era, and works published in North Korea after his return to the North.   ∎ Musical: Natasha, the White Donkey, and Me Based on Baek Seok’s poem, “Natasha, the White Donkey, and Me,” audiences can enjoy more than twenty of the author’s poems alongside beautiful piano accompaniment. Lee Misuk Lee Misuk is a culture columnist and freelance writer. She is active in a variety of fields, including culture, trends, celebrity interviews, travels, columns, and investment techniques. She has written for more than fifty Korean companies and organizations.