A 17th century manuscript of "Hong Gil-dong jeon" written in Chinese characters has been found in a literary collection left by a civil official of the middle Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), a scholar said Wednesday. "The Story of Hong Gil-dong," the first Chinese-character version that has been ever found, is different from the novel of the same name written in the Korean language, whose authorship...

“At Dusk” by novelist Hwang Sok-yong, a prominent Korean writer, failed to make the final cut of six for this year’s Man Booker International Prize. Though the novel was included in the longlist of 13 books announced last month, it was excluded from the shortlist, the award’s website showed Wednesday. Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect loo...

The aroma of books is sure to excite any bibliophile -- whether emanating from freshly printed titles or tomes that have sat on shelves for many years. A new establishment perfectly suited for such enjoyment has just opened in the capital city: Seoul Book Bogo, a huge warehouse of 132,730 used books, run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Filling 1,465 square meters of space in a once abando...

US than 130,000 times since its release more than three months ago, the book's South Korean publisher said Tuesday. The translated version of the book by Cho Nan-joo hit the Japanese market on Dec. 8 and immediately went into a second printing the next day. On the fourth day of its release, the novel went into its third printing, and it has since surpassed 130,000 copies in three months, its Ko...

Learning from history is important, we say. For Pyo Jae-du, the word “history” here is not limited to major historical events. It includes our forebears’ attitude toward life. Pyo, a former reporter of The Korea Herald, released a book titled “Historical Stories from Forebears” (unofficial translation) in March. “Historical Stories from Forbearers” Writer Pyo Jae-du In the 302-page book, Pyo...

Novelist Hwang Sok-yong, one of the most acclaimed writers in South Korea today, has been long-listed for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize for “At Dusk.” On Wednesday, the Man Booker International Prize released the list of contenders for 2019. This year, a panel of five judges considered 108 novels and selected 12. Novelist Hwang Sok-yong (Yonhap) Originally published in Korean in 2015...

‘A Curated Guide: Seoul’ takes travelers beyond Myeong-dong, Hongdae and Gangnam

“Stretching my neck out the prison window and gazing at the flock of seagulls flying southward, I realized that the preciousness of freedom was seeping into my brain cells.”

Canadian author Margaret Atwood said Wednesday she will publish a sequel to her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" next year, taking readers deeper into her vision of a dystopian America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy. Atwood said the new book, "The Testaments," will pursue unresolved narratives in the original 1985 novel, delving into the "inner workings" of the fictional nation of Gilead. Activis...

Though she’s a fictional character, Kim Ji-young is a symbolic figure in Korea. It seems her status will be even more elevated as novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” recently became a million seller. The novel, written by Cho Nam-joo in 2016, has sold more than 1 million copies, publisher Minumsa announced Tuesday. It is now the first million-selling Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look...

Non-Korean speakers will now have easier access to the Paleolithic-era archaeological findings in Korea with the publication of an English-language book on research related to the field. The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, affiliated with the Cultural Heritage Administration, has published the “Dictionary of Korean Archaeology–The Paleolithic,” an English-language version of th...

Diaspora literature will be an ‘important asset’ as Korea becomes multicultural society

With the novel “Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982” set to be adapted for the big screen, the book’s sales have seen a significant bump in sales. According to Kyobo Bookstore, the novel took the No. 10 spot on its best-seller list for the third week of September, jumping 22 spots. (Mineumsa) The bookstore said sales volume increased by almost three times. Women in their 20s and 30s accounted for 60.9 ...

Kim Sa-in, head of Literature Translation Institute of Korea, stresses importance of cultivating young literary translators of quality

Veteran photojournalist offers readers rare look into restricted areas along the border