[New in Korean] If there are no sad memories, can we find happiness in the future?

“Marigold Mind Laundry” By Yun Jung-eun Book Romance Essayist Yun Jung-eun has returned with a full-length novel for the first time in 11 years. Since its release on March 6, the fantasy novel has consistently ranked among the top 5 on the nation's bestseller lists. The story unfolds in a peculiar laundromat that mysteriously appeared on a hill in the middle of the night. Ji-eun, an enigmatic woman with a pale complexion and long, curly, black hair, serves hot tea to visitors at

May 26, 2023

[New in Korean] Embark on epic adventure as nationwide audition for first robotic pilot begins

“Project V” By Park Seo-ryeon Safehouse Inc. Award-winning novelist Park Seo-ryeon of “Kang Ju-ryong, the Woman in the Air” presents a fresh take on a narrative set in a futuristic Korea of 2037, where a giant robot is the new hot trend. As countries are embroiled in a race to develop these colossal machines, Korea also develops a giant robot named V and a nationwide audition is held to select the inaugural pilot. An exhilarating story unfurls, revolving around Woo-ram, a

May 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] Bestselling author Lee Jung-myung on art of historical storytelling

For bestselling author Lee Jung-myung, also known as J. M. Lee, writing is part of his everyday routine. Like an office worker, Lee commutes to his small studio in Seoul and works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. adhering to a typical work schedule. The journalist-turned-author has described himself as “an office worker who writes” rather than a novelist. He conducts research, writes his stories and edits drafts during these working hours. “I have grown accustomed to working in this manne

May 21, 2023

LTI Korea to host symposium on current, future landscape of AI literature translation

Amid the increasing use of AI translation and arising legal and ethical concerns, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea is set to host a symposium on AI translation that will explore the present and future state of this technology. The symposium, titled “The Current State of AI Translation and the Future of Literature Translation,” will take place at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul on May 26. “The most important aspect to consider was to be inclusive and involve

May 16, 2023

[Weekender] An escape from city bustle, Seoul’s book shelters offer more than page-turning experience

Odong Neighborhood Park, located in Wolgok-dong and Jangwi-dong in Seongbuk-gu, northern Seoul, is a popular destination for local residents. Situated at the top of a 119-meter-high mountain called Wolgoksan, the park offers a gentle walking trail surrounded by a densely forested area. At the starting point of the trail, a unique building captures the eyes of visitors. Odong Book Shelter, which opened May 2, is one of seven "book shelters" that the Seoul Metropolitan Government operate

May 13, 2023

Korean writers take stage at 2023 Brisbane Writers Festival

Seven Korean writers, including Bora Chung of “Cursed Bunny” and Bae Suah of “Untold Night and Day,” will participate in the Brisbane Writers Festival in Australia, which kicks off on Wednesday. The festival will run for five days until Sunday, with a total of 10 sessions scheduled for Korean writers, according to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. South Korea is the Country of Focus for this year. Chung, who was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker P

May 9, 2023

[Herald Interview] Bestselling author once again brings magic of solidarity among children

The author of the 2000's national bestseller “The Children of Gwaengiburimal” has returned with yet another heartwarming novel about the lives of people neglected and marginalized in our society. South Korean children’s writer Kim Jung-mi’s “The Guardians of the Zelkova Tree” (tentative English title) hit the shelves on March 31, published by Dolbegae. Set in the fictional rural town of Daepo-eup, where more than half of the children living there are from

May 6, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'This is Your Country' shares stories inside immigration detention centers

In 2021, a Moroccan detainee in his 30s was subjected to inhumane treatment at the Hwaseong Immigration Detention Center in Gyeonggi Province, where people facing deportation are held. Surveillance footage showed him on the floor with his feet and hands tied together behind his back, with his head covered. In her latest novel, “This is Your Country,” published by Munhak Dongne, novelist Lee U takes us inside these detention centers. The novel follows a first-person narrator, who rece

May 6, 2023

Ancient yet modern, 'sijo' brings universal message in 'All the Daughters of the Earth'

Many Koreans may think of “sijo” as a thing of the past. Some may recall learning the sijo of “yangban,” or aristocrats of Joseon, in textbooks or know by heart Hwang Jin-yi’s famous sijo poems. Occasionally, sijo is recited in historical dramas. But the traditional Korean poetic form that emerged in the Goryeo period and flourished during the Joseon period is still being written today. A new collection of sijo poems has been published in Korean and English by Seoul

May 3, 2023

7 novelists explore creativity with ChatGPT in 'Manifesto'

Since ChatGPT was first released in November 2022, many have expressed concerns, though some believe that creativity remains a uniquely human domain. Amid the flood of writing now out related to ChatGPT, a collection of short stories co-authored by the chatbot and seven sci-fi writers -- Kim Dal-young, Nappelganger, Shin Jo-ha, Oh So-young, Yoon Y. K., Jeon Yun-ho and Chae Kang D. -- hit the shelves last month. “Manifesto” published by Neofiction, an SF/mystery literature imprint of

May 2, 2023

[New in Korean] Painful memories reconciled in taking care of runaway kid

“A World Without Gyeong-wu” (working title) By Baek Ohn-yu Changbi Publishers In-soo sees ghosts floating like shadows in the corner of his room and every time he sees them, a bone-chilling cold seems to cling to his skin, even though it’s midsummer. He is still suffering from hallucinations and nightmares caused by “the accident” that happened with his gang when he ran away from home 12 years ago. One day, In-soo meets a boy named Yi-ho who extorts money from drive

April 29, 2023

[New in Korean] 'Aoi Garden' still thrills readers 18 years later

“Aoi Garden” By Pyun Hye-young Moonji Publishing Pyun Hye-young, who went on to win the 2017 Shirley Jackson Award for her psychological thriller “The Hole,” has returned to her very first novel, “Aoi Garden.” She has revised her debut collection of nine short stories, which she published 18 years ago in 2005, and invites readers on a literary journey back to where she began. The title piece, “Aoi Garden,” evokes a more intense sense of horror as i

April 28, 2023

[New in Korean] Novel on measurement offers insights into life

“You Can't Measure a Meter” By Yang Jee-ye Munhakdongne Publishing The Munhakdongne New Writer Award, a prestigious platform for outstanding new writers’ first full-length novels, released its 28th winning novel in late March. Past winners have included the International Booker shortlisted “Whale” by Cheon Myeong-kwan. The judges described the winning title “You Can't Measure a Meter” by Yang Jee-ye as “overwhelmingly interesting and inno

April 28, 2023

Booker-winning Han Kang to meet UK readers with ‘Greek Lesson’

South Korean novelist Han Kang of “The Vegetarian” will meet readers in the UK ahead of the publication of the English edition of the author's novel "Greek Lessons," the Korean Cultural Center in England said. Han is scheduled to attend a book talk event on Sunday at the 295-seat Purcell Room at the Southbank Center, in London. Writer and broadcaster Octavia Bright will moderate the event. The English edition of “Greek Lessons,” translated by Deborah Smith

April 21, 2023

Cheon Myeong-kwan's 'Whale' shortlisted for International Booker Prize

  South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world along with the Nobel Prize in literature and the French Goncourt Prize. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-Young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan. 19, was among six other

April 19, 2023

[Breaking] Cheon Myeong-kwan's 'Whale' shortlisted for International Booker Prize

South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the three most prestigious literary awards in the world. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan 19, was among six other works that made it to the shortlist, announced by the organizer on T

April 18, 2023

[Weekender] Small but strong: Indie bookstores embrace individuality, diversity and community

Although the reading population of Korean adults is less than half the total -- meaning over half of adults do not read a single book in a year -- unique independent bookstores are enjoying growing popularity. There were 815 independent bookstores nationwide in 2022, according to Dongneseojeom (Bookstores in Neighborhood), an independent bookstore recommendation service. It has been keeping track of the number of bookstores since 2015 in its annual trend report. The number has been steadily incr

April 15, 2023

[New in Korean] Teenage survivor recounts Sewol ferry disaster and the aftermath

"Becoming Wind to Survive" (working title) By Yu Ga-young Darun On April 16, 2014, Yu Ga-young, a 17-year-old student at Danwon High School recalls the day that shook the nation nine years ago. Yu is one of the 75 who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. The other 325 students did not return. “Everyone was at the cafeteria that morning, and suddenly we realized that the plates and desks were tilted,” she writes in her essay. One of her friends said, maybe it’s because t

April 15, 2023

[New in Korean] ‘Hello Baby’ on overlooked struggles of infertility

"Hello Baby" By Kim Eui-kyung EunHaengNaMu Publishing Korea had the lowest birth rate among the OECD member states with a total fertility rate of 0.78 births in 2022, marking the lowest rate since 1970 when it was 4.53. The country continues to report more deaths than births due to its aging population in January. The government has allocated a large budget to address the issue but there is little attention given to infertile couples who desperately want children. “Hello Baby,&rd

April 14, 2023

[New in Korean] 'Takoyaki in the Undersea City': Surviving in flooded, dystopian world

"Takoyaki in the Undersea City" By Kim Chung-gyul Rabbit Hole What will happen when all the glaciers melt and lands are submerged? Will we be able to survive on water, or in water? A series of six short stories, titled “Takoyaki in the Undersea City,” depicts mankind who survive on water or underwater in a future dystopian world where all the lands have submerged and disappeared. “Adults were afraid of the sea,” the book says in the second story “A Dance w

April 14, 2023