Literature is evidence of liberation, says Booker-winning novelist Jokha Alharthi

The very existence of literature is evidence of liberation and freedom, according to Booker-winning Omani novelist Jokha Alharthi. "Literature transcends nations and cultures. By reading literature, humans can broaden their horizons and expand their experiential knowledge. They can experience another world," said Alharthi, who won the Man Booker International Prize in 2019 for her novel "Sayyidat al-Qamar," published in English as "Celestial Bodies." Alharthi is the

July 1, 2024

Michelle Zauner to chronicle her journey of learning Korean in next book

Bestselling author and Grammy-nominated singer Michelle Zauner fondly recalled her mother’s words that if she lived in Korea for a year she could be fluent in the language. The author of the 2021 memoir “Crying in H Mart” Zauner is now following her late mother’s advice, living the “life of a humble Korean student”: She is documenting her yearlong immersion in learning Korean for her upcoming book. Six months into the process, she’s currently studying at

July 1, 2024

'My Friend Kim Jong-un' 'carries message of peace,' Keum Suk Gendry-Kim says

Acclaimed graphic novelist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim urged readers not to stop at the title, as she introduced her latest book, "My Friend Kim Jong-un." Gendry-Kim attended a Korea-France dialogue at the 2024 Seoul International Book Fair, which kicked off Wednesday at Coex, Seoul, with French graphic novelist Lea Murawiec. "I know some people may stop reading because of the title, but this book actually carries a message of peace," Gendry-Kim said. The graphic novel, which will be

June 27, 2024

Son Woong-jung at book signing event amid child abuse allegations

Son Woong-jung, director of the SON Soccer Academy and father of South Korea national soccer team captain Son Heung-min, attended the Seoul International Book Fair on Wednesday for a book signing event. Earlier in the day, news broke that Son and two coaches at his soccer academy had been accused of verbally and physically abusing a youth athlete, according to the police. Son appeared as scheduled at the Munhakdonge Publishing's booth in Coex around 3 p.m. As Son arrived at the signing even

June 26, 2024

Lyricist pays tribute to Korean War fallen with new song cycle of elegies

Ahead of the 74th anniversary of the Korean War, a new song cycle has been published to commemorate the fallen spirits and lingering pain of the war. Hahn Myung-hee, the lyricist behind the beloved Korean art song "Bimok" (Wooden Epitaph), has compiled a series of poems inspired by the Korean War and the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas into a poignant collection titled “Thus the DMZ Speaks: A Song Cycle in Memory of the Korean War Dead.” “Bimok” (19

June 23, 2024

Beloved poet and nun Lee Hae-in reflects on 60 years in convent

In celebration of her 60th anniversary of entering the convent, beloved poet and nun Lee Hae-in has released a collection of short essays titled "Precious Treasures" (a direct translation of the Korean title). "Having lived in the convent for 60 years, I thought it might be forgiven now to reveal the notebooks I kept. I wanted to share my personal stories with readers,” said Lee during a press conference at the Franciscan Education Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. Havin

June 21, 2024

Seoul International Book Fair hopes to set off new voyage into better future

Early this year, novelist Kim Yeon-su received a proposal from Joo Iroo, CEO of the Seoul International Book Fair, to rewrite Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" (1726). The CEO's intention was to shed new light on Swift's message, particularly the Land of the Houyhnhnms, which Gulliver visits on his fourth journey, describing it as an orderly and peaceful society. Inspired by the Land of the Houyhnhnms, the book fair has set this year's theme as "Houyhn

June 20, 2024

[Latest Read] Revolutionary poems from Korea's darkest days published in English decades later

A monumental work of Korean labor literature, Park No-hae’s poetry collection “Dawn of Labor” has recently been published in English. In 1984, Park Ki-pyung, better known by his penname Park No-hae, meaning liberation of laborers in Korean, published a book of poems, “Dawn of Labor,” as a 27-year-old laborer. The book was promptly banned by the authoritarian regime. Despite the ban, about a million copies were published. Its raw, powerful depictions of laborers&rsqu

June 19, 2024

Literary giants from France, India, Ireland nominated for Pak Kyongni Prize

Three writers -- Sylvie Germain from France, Amitav Ghosh from India and John Banville from Ireland -- have been nominated for the 13th Pak Kyongni Prize, according to the award’s organizer, Toji Cultural Foundation, on Wednesday. The judging committee conducted a review of writers from around the world over eight months starting in October last year and narrowed down this year's candidates to three. Germain debuted with "The Book of Nights" (1985) to great acclaim, winning

June 13, 2024

[New Book] Sequel to ‘I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki’ hits UK shelves

The sequel to the bestselling therapy memoir "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki" hit the shelves in the UK last week, on June 6, with a US release slated for August. Titled "I Want to Die but I Still Want to Eat Tteokbokki," the new volume continues the raw and honest conversations between essayist Baek Se-hee and her psychiatrist. International Booker Prize- shortlisted Anton Hur translated the text. Building on the first book, which captured readers with its candid

June 12, 2024

[New in Korean] Time-slip fantasy explores love, friendship and choices

"Shaker" By Lee Hee-young Rabbit Hole Bestselling author Lee Hee-young of "Paint," which sold over 400,000 copies, has released has released "Shaker," a time-slip fantasy. "Shaker" follows 32-year-old Na-woo, who, after a fateful encounter with a stray cat, finds himself reliving the most painful memory of his 19-year-old self. The unexpected plunge 13 years into the past sets the stage for a poignant exploration of love, friendship and consequences. Na-wo

June 9, 2024

[New in Korean] Space opera romance set against looming war

"The Proposal" By Bae Myung-hoon Book House A leading voice in the Korean science fiction scene, author Bae Myung-hoon has revised his 2013 novella “The Proposal” after 11 years. In an extensive revision, the author rewrote almost every sentence, updating descriptions and expressions to align with contemporary sensibilities. The book comprises 12 intimate letters sent by the narrator, "I," who is a space-born operations officer serving in the army near Jupiter, 18

June 8, 2024

[New in Korean] What if AI learns the most primal evils

"Anti Sapiens" By Lee Jung-myung EunHaengNaMu Publishing Eight years ago, during the historic Baduk, also known as Go, match between Lee Se-dol and AlphaGo, developed by DeepMind Technologies, what caught Lee Jung-myung’s attention was Aja Huang, then the lead programmer at DeepMind, who physically placed AlphaGo’s moves on the board. Observing Huang, who faithfully carried out the AI's moves, Lee wondered if humanity might become like that. Set in the near future, &ld

June 8, 2024

Four Korean authors to visit Paris for literary events

Four Korean authors -- novelists Lee Seung-u and Pyun Hye-young, poet Jin Eun-young and graphic novelist Ma Yeong-shin -- will meet with French readers in Paris next week, said the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea). LTI Korea is hosting the "Invitation to Korean Literature" event in conjunction with the Paris Olympics. It will kick off with all four authors discussing Korean literature on June 12 at Librairie Le Divan in Paris. From June 13 to 15, Librairie Le Pheni

June 7, 2024

Thriller 'The Consultant' shortlisted for Dagger award

Im Seong-sun's crime thriller "The Consultant," translated by An Seon-jae (also known as Brother Anthony), has been shortlisted for a prestigious crime fiction award, said the book's Korean publisher, EunHaengNaMu Publishing, on Monday. The novel is among the six finalists in the Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation category at the 2024 Crime Writers' Association Dagger awards. Originally published in Korean in 2010, Im's debut novel, which won the Segye Literary

June 4, 2024

[Off the Pages] SF novel 'A Thousand Blues' comes alive on stage with language of theater

In April and May, the heartwarming story "A Thousand Blues," the bestselling SF novel by Cheon Seon-ran, found new life through different adaptations by two performing arts troupes -- the National Theater Company of Korea and the Seoul Performing Arts Company. First published in 2020, the story envisions a Korea of 2035, where humanoid robots are commercialized. The plot weaves two storylines. One follows Collie, a humanoid jockey, and his partner horse, Today. A researcher's mist

May 23, 2024

Hwang Sok-yong's 'Mater 2-10' misses out on International Booker Prize

South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong's missed out on the 2024 Booker International Prize after making the shortlist with "Mater 2-10." The prestigious literary award ceremony took place at the Tate Modern in London on Tuesday, where the jury announced German author Jenny Erpenbeck's "Kairos," translated by Michael Hofmann, as this year's winner. Erpenbeck's winning title tells the story of a tangled love affair during the final years of East Germany.

May 22, 2024

Renowned poet Shin Kyung-rim of 'Nongmu' dies

Shin Kyung-rim, a prominent figure in Korean poetry and author of the works "Nongmu" (Farmers' Dance) and "A Poor Love Song," died Wednesday, sources in the literary community said. He was 88. He passed away at the National Cancer Center in Goyang, in the northwestern suburbs of Seoul, after a battle with cancer. Considering the high status of the deceased and his works in Korean modern poetry and literary circles, his funeral is planned to be organized by major literary

May 22, 2024

National Museum of Korean Literature set to open doors in 2026

The National Museum of Korean Literature broke ground Monday at Gijachon Neighborhood Park, in Eunpyeong-gu, northern Seoul, five years after the plan for the museum was announced in 2019. The museum, located in Jingwan-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, at the foot of Bukhansan National Park, will have a total floor area of 14,993 square meters and a site area of 13,248 square meters. The building with two underground floors and two above-ground floors is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2026. T

May 21, 2024

Seoul International Book Fair to kick off in June

The 2024 Seoul International Book Fair, the country's largest literary festival, will kick off June 26 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Over 90 overseas publishers and publishing-related organizations from 17 countries and 350 Korean publishers will participate in the five-day event. Visitors can look forward to various activities including markets, book exhibitions, talks and signing events. This year's theme, "Houyhnhnm," is inspired by Jonathan Swift's satirical 1726 nov

May 17, 2024