[New in Korean] Time travel to retrieve lost items, relationships

"Lost Property Returns" By Kim Hye-jung Originals Books YA writer Kim Hye-jung returns with her first work for adult readers, "Lost Property Returns." The novel, which has been serialized on Millie's Library, one of South Korea's largest e-book subscription platforms, since November, received favorable reviews and was released as an e-book in January. It rose to the top of the platform's bestseller list just a month after its release. In response to readers

April 20, 2024

[New in Korean] In colonial Gyeongseong, young artists gather at Western-style cafe Kakadu

"Kakadu" By Park Seo-lyeon Anonbooks A Western-style cafe called Kakadu opens in the bustling heart of Gyeongseong, as present-day Seoul was called during the Japanese colonial era. The city is evolving with the echoes of the March 1st Movement still lingering in the air. The cafe is owned by filmmaker Lee Kyung-son, who experiences fleeting triumphs and frequent failures alongside his enigmatic cousin, Alice Hyun. Kakadu becomes a gathering place for young artists who discuss literatu

April 20, 2024

[New in Korean] Lee Seo-su's experience opening cafe reflected in her latest novel

"Ma-eun's Store" By Lee Seo-su Moonji Publishing Ma-eun is working hard, but is she happy? No, she cannot sleep soundly, afraid the store will go out of business. She smiles brightly at the customers, but is she happy? No, she is counting losses and skipping dinner. “Am I happy? Possibly not,” thinks Ma-eum, a 37-year-old woman who has just opened her cafe. When Ma-eum's mom asks why she chose to run a business among many options, Ma-eum answers she does not hav

April 20, 2024

Discover awarding-winning Korean literature at 'Springing to Life' exhibition

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea is currently hosting a book exhibition titled "Springing to Life," focusing on internationally acclaimed works of Korean literature, from Thursday to May 12 at the Starfield Library at Coex in southern Seoul. Featuring the works of 11 authors who have won international literary awards since 2019, the exhibition showcases 13 original Korean books and their 82 translated works into various languages. For example, Kim Young-ha's crime thr

April 19, 2024

Seoul Outdoor Library reopens with expansion to Cheonggyecheon

The Seoul Outdoor Library, an annual open-air event launched by the city library, has reopened on Thursdays after a winter break. This year, Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul has been added, joining Seoul Plaza and Gwanghwamun Plaza in offering outdoor reading experiences. The "Read at Seoul Plaza" event in front of City Hall will operate four times a week from Thursday to Sunday, while the "Gwanghwamun Book Yard" at Gwanghwamun Plaza will open three times a week from Friday to

April 19, 2024

Hong Se-hwa, author of 'I'm a Taxi Driver in Paris,' dies at 77

Hong Se-hwa, a journalist, a social activist, and the author of "I'm a Taxi Driver in Paris," died Thursday at the age of 77. He died at Wonjin Green Hospital in Jungnang-gu, Seoul, surrounded by family members. Hong had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in February of last year. Hong graduated from Seoul National University, majoring in political science and international relations. While working at a trading company's overseas office, Hong became associated with the South

April 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] International Booker-shortlisted Hwang Sok-yong says literary journey continues

One of the finalists for this year’s International Booker Prize, Hwang Sok-yong has vowed to continue until the end, asserting his commitment to the art of writing. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, a week after named to the International Booker shortlist with his novel “Mater 2-10” on April 10, the 81-year-old writer revealed his plan to write three to four more novels by the time he turns 90, in addition to completing his book project of completing a 50-vo

April 17, 2024

[Herald Interview] Andersen award-winning Lee Suzy chronicles her picture book journey in debut essay

For quite some time, celebrated picture book artist Lee Suzy has been writing on her blog as if it were a personal diary. However, when the blog platform shut down last year, all of her writing was at risk of disappearing into thin air. "We often believe records in the digital realm will be there forever, but that was not the case. I realized then that what I've been doing with my books was gathering those fleeting thoughts and words into tangible forms," said Lee. Her latest book

April 15, 2024

Hwang Sok-yong shortlisted for International Booker with intergenerational epic 'Mater 2-10'

South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong's "Mater 2-10" has been shortlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize, the organizers of the British literary awards announced Tuesday. "Mater 2-10," co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae, and published by Scribe Publications, is among the six books on the shortlist for one of the world's most prestigious literary awards. The five other titles shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024 are: &ldqu

April 10, 2024

Hwang Sok-yong’s 'Mater 2-10' shortlisted for 2024 International Booker Prize

South Korean novelist Hwang Sok-yong's "Mater 2-10" has been shortlisted for the 2024 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, selected from entries published in the UK or Ireland. The novel, co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and

April 9, 2024

'A privilege beyond measure' author Lee Geum-yi's love for young readers endures for 40 years

Every grown-up has been through childhood and adolescence on their journey to adulthood. And the emotions experienced during these formative years are fundamentally universal, with only slight variations depending on where and when, believes writer Lee Geum-yi. As a towering figure in the country’s children’s literature scene, Lee’s narratives prove to extend far beyond times and places. In January, Lee made the shortlist in the writing category for the 2024 Hans Christian Ande

April 4, 2024

[Latest Read] Park So-young takes readers to ‘Snowglobe’ where privacy is new currency

Set in a dystopian world where fame and popularity have become the most crucial means of survival, the first installment of the gripping young adult duology “Snowglobe” by Park So-young recently hit bookshelves worldwide. The English edition translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort, and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, made the New York Times Young Adult bestseller list in the third week of March. The novel is slated for release in over 10 la

April 1, 2024

Korean-French collaboration brings modern Korean poetry to France

A collection of 100 representative works of modern Korean poetry has been translated and published in France through a collaboration between the Society of Korean Poets and the Society of French Poets (La Societe des Poetes Francais, SPF). Titled "Anthology of Contemporary Korean Poets" ("Anthologie des Poetes Coreens Contemporains" in French) the book includes works by 100 modern Korean poets such as Han Yong-un, Jeong Ji-yong, Baek Seok and Yun Dong-ju with translations by

March 30, 2024

[Off the Pages] New character shapes entirely different storyline in ‘My Name is Loh Ki-wan’

Recently released Netflix film “My Name is Loh Ki-wan,” starring Song Joong-ki, draws from Cho Hae-jin’s 2011 novel, “I Met Loh Ki-wan,” if only very loosely. The film diverges significantly from the novel in characterization and narrative to the extent that one could argue it tells a wholly distinct story. In the cinematic adaptation, Song plays the titular role of a North Korean refugee on a journey to find a new home in a foreign land where he does not speak the

March 27, 2024

[Latest Read] Hwang Bo-reum welcomes readers to 'Hyunam-dong Bookshop' with healing dose of books

At some point in their lives, many people pause and ask, “Is this the life I wanted?” We find ourselves overwhelmed by work, experiencing burnout as professional obligations overshadow personal lives. This critical juncture prompts introspection -- a moment to reassess one's life and ask if this path is truly what I wanted. Hwang Bo-reum's bestselling novel, "Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop" begins with Yeong-ju, who is burnt out. She leaves behind her old lif

March 25, 2024

Poet Kim Hye-soon wins at National Book Critics Circle Awards

The English translation of acclaimed poet Kim Hye-soon's collection, “Phantom Pain Wings,” translated by Don Mee Choi, has clinched the poetry prize at the National Book Critics Circle Awards in the US, making Kim the first Korean awardee. The NBCC announced her as the winner in the poetry category during this year's awards ceremony Thursday held at the New School Auditorium in New York. The NBCC, a nonprofit set up by book critics in New York in 1974, annually selects the

March 22, 2024

Poet Kim Hye-soon's 'Phantom Pain Wings' wins National Book Critics Circle Award

South Korean poet Kim Hye-soon won the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Award for her work "Phantom Pain Wings" on Thursday. The National Book Critics Circle, an American nonprofit association, announced her as the winner in the poetry category of this year's awards during a ceremony in New York City. She became the first Korean ever to win at NBCC Awards. The annual awards recognize outstanding books published in English across six categories: fiction, nonfiction, biograp

March 22, 2024

Goncourt laureate Philippe Claudel says others present opportunities, not threats

A writer is not someone who lives outside the world but someone who lives within it, said French writer and filmmaker Philippe Claudel. "I go to the markets, take the subway, read newspapers, and engage in conversations with friends. I listen to the stories around me. Consequently, all these encounters become woven into my creative process. A novel serves as a mirror, reflecting what the author has encountered, felt, and lived through," Claudel said. The winner of the 2003 Prix Goncour

March 20, 2024

Late poet Park Mok-wol’s 166 unpublished verses unveiled

A collection of 166 previously unreleased poems penned by Park Mok-wol, one of South Korea's preeminent poets, has been uncovered. Park (1915-1978) reveals a broader spectrum of his literary prowess through these newly unveiled works, which delve into social realities and embrace prose poetry, according to the Park Mok-wol Literary Works Publication Committee during a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday. Led by Professor Woo Jeong-gwon of Dankook University, the committee, comprising profe

March 17, 2024

A decade on, survivors, bereaved siblings share untold stories of Sewol ferry disaster

It has been almost a decade, but for the families of the victims, the Sewol ferry disaster is still ongoing. On April 16, 2014, the sinking of the Sewol ferry took the lives of 304, many of them high school students on a field trip to Jeju Island. The failure to rescue hundreds of people trapped in the slowly sinking ship, the live television broadcasts and the frantic chaos that ensued have left an indelible scar on the nation. Reflecting on the past decade, two official records -- “520 F

March 13, 2024