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German
Die Legende vom Tränenvogel
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Polish
Kuchnia książek
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Japanese
ホテル物語
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Spanish
Mañana será otro día
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Russian
Прачечная души Мэриголд
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French
MOI MOI
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French
Dix petits meurtres
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Catalan
L'espera
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Spanish
Bienvenidos a la librería Hyunam-Dong
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Japanese
カクテル、ラブ、ゾンビ
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English
At Night, Listening to the Night of Destruction
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English
Syncopation
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German
Ein menschlicher Fehler
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French
L'arbre nu
WRITERS & MEDIA
VIDEO
+ moreFEATURED COLLECTION
This project was launched in 2017 with the aim of expanding the foundation for the exchange of Korean literature and globalizing Korean literature by identifying and supporting Korean diaspora literature. LTI Korea has been striving to establish diaspora literature as a valuable asset of world literature through the support for multilingual translation of outstanding works of diaspora literature, production of sourcebooks on the history and current status of diaspora literature, hosting of exchange events between Korean and overseas writers, hosting of essay contests on works of overseas Korean writers, and production of digital contents related to works of diaspora literature.
E-NEWS
+ moreA bleak and absurd atmosphere pervades the novels of Bora Chung. Her readers will feel a shiver run down their spines when reading her works, among which is Cursed Bunny, a short story collection shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. These ten stories are seemingly unrelated to each other, yet all are filled with revenge, curses, slaughter and betrayal. In the title story, “Cursed Bunny,” the narrator walks into the darkness after bidding farewell to his grandfather’s spirit who is standing still in the river of time with complete amnesia. “In this twisted world, this darkness is my only solace,” the narrator sighs. The short story “Snare” amplifies human greed and cruelty spreading beyond the main character’s yard in the form of a legend. With a shamanic ending, the writer tells us that the bloodline of greed still continues insidiously within human society. In “Goodbye, My Love,” the common motif of robots attacking humans is renovated with the tricks of love and betrayal between the master and the robot. “The Frozen Finger” tells a story of an eerie car accident in a swamp, where an insidious curse becomes bizarrely tied up with the driver’s memories of her dying, post-death, and living moments, creating a terrifying but intriguing experience. All ten short stories are briefly detached from the real world, and can thus be labelled as surrealism, magical realism, fantasy, science fiction, horror, or fable. However, this detachment is transient, because through these magical, frightening and absurd stories, we can feel the suffocating oppression and conflicts that occur as often as not in society, and witness the vile reality of greed and wealth. The talent to construct these fables stems from the writer’s free and unrestrained creative imagination. Chung, who studied in Europe and received her PhD in the US, teaches Russian literature and science fiction. Her academic and life experiences have given her the ability to “break” literary inertia and spiritual shackles, enabling her works to cross boundaries with ease—boundaries between life and death, human and spirits, humans and other species, and even humans and objects. In some traditions, human life is akin to a long river where life and death are the two banks. The journey of life may be likened to “crossing the river,” that is, the process of going from one bank to the other. However, in Chung’s stories, this process is often broken and the clear boundary between life and death is constantly “crossed.” In “Cursed Bunny,” life is frozen, or recurs as a fixed memory. When the grandfather, who symbolizes death, disappears in the river of time, the two banks disappear altogether, leading to an overwhelming question: “Will the river be in its original state of life without its banks?” In “Reunion,” an old man’s walks through a plaza in Poland unfold into a hauntingly beautiful story between the narrator and her tormented lover. She concludes: “Whether alive or dead, [we are] ghosts of the past.” In “The Head,” the garbage thrown into the toilet forms a blurred human head that often talks to its owner. As time passes, the head develops into a full human form, comes out of the toilet, and replaces its owner after stuffing her into the toilet. In these stories, the familiar boundaries between life and death, human and ghost, human and things blur or disappear, conjuring up the dark and uncanny. Reading this collection is like walking into a pitch dark alley alone, but when you gaze into the darkness amidst this tense silence, you may somehow feel a bit of solace. For only a lonely person can become so profound and deep, and only a lonely gaze so limpid and pure.
A bleak and absurd atmosphere pervades the novels of Bora Chung. Her readers will feel a shiver run down their spines when reading her works, among which is Cursed Bunny, a short story collection shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize. These ten stories are seemingly unrelated to each other, yet all are filled with revenge, curses, slaughter and betrayal. In the title story, “Cursed Bunny,” the narrator walks into the darkness after bidding farewell to his grandfather’s spirit who is standing still in the river of time with complete amnesia. “In this twisted world, this darkness is my only solace,” the narrator sighs. The short story “Snare” amplifies human greed and cruelty spreading beyond the main character’s yard in the form of a legend. With a shamanic ending, the writer tells us that the bloodline of greed still continues insidiously within human society. In “Goodbye, My Love,” the common motif of robots attacking humans is renovated with the tricks of love and betrayal between the master and the robot. “The Frozen Finger” tells a story of an eerie car accident in a swamp, where an insidious curse becomes bizarrely tied up with the driver’s memories of her dying, post-death, and living moments, creating a terrifying but intriguing experience. All ten short stories are briefly detached from the real world, and can thus be labelled as surrealism, magical realism, fantasy, science fiction, horror, or fable. However, this detachment is transient, because through these magical, frightening and absurd stories, we can feel the suffocating oppression and conflicts that occur as often as not in society, and witness the vile reality of greed and wealth. The talent to construct these fables stems from the writer’s free and unrestrained creative imagination. Chung, who studied in Europe and received her PhD in the US, teaches Russian literature and science fiction. Her academic and life experiences have given her the ability to “break” literary inertia and spiritual shackles, enabling her works to cross boundaries with ease—boundaries between life and death, human and spirits, humans and other species, and even humans and objects. In some traditions, human life is akin to a long river where life and death are the two banks. The journey of life may be likened to “crossing the river,” that is, the process of going from one bank to the other. However, in Chung’s stories, this process is often broken and the clear boundary between life and death is constantly “crossed.” In “Cursed Bunny,” life is frozen, or recurs as a fixed memory. When the grandfather, who symbolizes death, disappears in the river of time, the two banks disappear altogether, leading to an overwhelming question: “Will the river be in its original state of life without its banks?” In “Reunion,” an old man’s walks through a plaza in Poland unfold into a hauntingly beautiful story between the narrator and her tormented lover. She concludes: “Whether alive or dead, [we are] ghosts of the past.” In “The Head,” the garbage thrown into the toilet forms a blurred human head that often talks to its owner. As time passes, the head develops into a full human form, comes out of the toilet, and replaces its owner after stuffing her into the toilet. In these stories, the familiar boundaries between life and death, human and ghost, human and things blur or disappear, conjuring up the dark and uncanny. Reading this collection is like walking into a pitch dark alley alone, but when you gaze into the darkness amidst this tense silence, you may somehow feel a bit of solace. For only a lonely person can become so profound and deep, and only a lonely gaze so limpid and pure.
THEMES
+ moreIn the past, Korea has been criticized for its lack of well-written mystery novels given the high interest shown by its audience. However, the emergence of recent works which boast unique characteristics and atmospheres have rendered this comment obsolete. Korean mystery novels are now at the center of popular interest, to the extent that they have secured a place as one of the core elements of K-culture. Lies exposes yet another tragedy that was swept under the rug amid the Sewol ferry disaster. Seven Years of Darkness unravels its mysterious plot through a frame narrative structure. The Only Child shows the genesis of evil and its chronicles, while Lemon explores the excruciating time spent by those left behind after the death of someone dear. Lastly, The Disaster Tourist is a fun read in which a travel agency sells disasters as a consumeristic product. These books are full of pleasure that only thrillers can provide. I highly recommend these to readers looking for some thrill and suspense. ㅣNovel Lies [French] Author Kim Tak-hwanTranslator François Blocquaux, Lee Ki JungPublisher L’AsiathèqueYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by Booksfear in 2016 There the sunken ferry sat. The story begins when diver Na Kyungsoo receives a call from a fellow diver and heads to Maenggol Channel. Kim Tak-hwan, famous for his works Apnok River, Dokdo Peace Exhibition and I, Hwang Jini, sheds light on the pain left behind by the Sewol ferry disaster. After scouring the deep sea to recover the bodies of children, these divers are only met with an irresponsible nation and accusations of financial greed. Written like a reportage, this daunting but unforgettable novel tells the story of diver Kim Kwanhong. ㅣNovel Seven Years of Darkness [English] Author You-jeong JeongTranslators Chi-Young KimPublisher Penguin BooksYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by EunHaeng NaMu Publishing in 2011 The man I had executed was my father.” Thus begins You-jeong Jeong’s gripping novel, Seven Years of Darkness. The book was also made into a movie thanks to its extraordinary subject and narrative. The story follows murderer Choi Hyonsu, who has killed an entire village by opening the floodgate of Seryong Village Dam, and Oh Yongje, the father Oh Seryong, one of Choi’s victims. With the spotlight on Choi Sowon, Choi Hyonsu’s son, and his suffering as the son of a murderer, readers discover the hidden stories behind each character. The novel draws inspiration from real events that took place in 2009. ㅣNovel The Only Child [English] Author SEO Mi-ae Translators Yewon JungPublisher Oneworld PublicationsYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by Elixir in 2018  Two strangers make their suddenly appearance in the life of criminal psychologist Seonkyeong. Yi Byeongdo is a serial killer who has maintained his silence and refused all interviews, while Hayeong is Seonkyeong’s step-daughter from her husband's previous marriage. The novel switches between the perspective of ten-year-old Hayeong and serial killer Yi Byeongdo as it chronicles the birth of evil. Hayeong’s simple good night to her mom contains an eerie menace that ishardly concealed beneath the words. With this work, writer Mi-ae So marks the beginning of Hayeong’s trilogy. ㅣNovel Lemon [English] Author Kwon Yeo-sunTranslators Janet HongPublisher Other PressYear Published 2021 Originally published in Korea by Changbi in 2019  Author Kwon Yeo-sun presents us with a thriller that, like its unusual title, will take us by surprise. The main character is Da-on, younger sister of Hae-on, who died young at nineteen years old. Even after seventeen years, Da-on is still unable to let go of the past and wants to meet one of the suspects in her sister’s murder case, Han Manu, for herself. This mysterious yet composed narrative casts a sharp gaze on the characters whose lives have been intertwined with one another for seventeen long years. This captivating story has also been adapted into a play with the same title.  ㅣNovel The Disaster Tourist [English] Author Yun Ko-eunTranslator Lizzie BuehlerPublisher ProfileYear Published 2020Originally published in Korea by Minumsa in 2013 Yun Ko-eun’s The Disaster Tourist takes off from a fun and ingenious premise. While the plot may at first seem unreal, it reflects the bitter taste of our present reality. The main character Ko Yona is a travel planner for an agency that sells tour packages in areas affected by natural disasters. On the verge of being fired, she visits Mui, a travel destination that is about to be pulled out from the list of tour destinations. There, Yona discovers how some people are trying to manufacture an artificial disaster in order to maintain Mui as a tourist destination, but plans start spiraling out of control.  Hong Kwang-soo After studying the sublime aesthetics of Kant and Lyotard, he  has worked as a film columnist across periodicals and magazines. He currently writes about movies, painting, dance, and theater, and also works as a freelance writer and lecturer.
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