"The Grand Greenhouse Renovation Report"
By Kim Keum-hee
Changbi Publishers
The Grand Greenhouse at Changgyeonggung is the first glass greenhouse in Korea and was once the largest in the East. The place holds a controversial history as a symbol of Japanese imperialism, as the palace was demoted into a recreational park with a zoo and botanical garden during the Japanese colonial period.
Kim Geum-hee’s latest historical novel, "The Grand Greenhouse Renovation Report," is set against the backdrop of this once-grand glass structure and delves into the mysteries and poignant secrets hidden within.
In the present day, the protagonist, Young-du, is assigned to document restoration work on the greenhouse. The story begins with her recalling her youth, when she boarded near Changgyeonggung, living with the landlady Moon-ja and her granddaughter, Li-sa.
The narrative alternates between the current-day restoration efforts and flashbacks to the Japanese colonial period, intertwining with the story of the Japanese architect Fukuda Noboru, a character inspired by the memoirs of Fukuda Hayato, the man who originally built the greenhouse.
As the restoration progresses, a shocking secret is uncovered beneath the ground, and Young-du instinctively realizes that it is tied to the mysterious past of Moon-ja, who has kept a lifelong secret. She begins to dig deeper, confronting the history of modern Korea and her own scars as she unravels the mystery.
