On the shared experience of diaspora

In a world increasingly shaped by the displacement of people due to war, climate crises, and economic hardship, diaspora literature has the power to counter rising waves of hate and discrimination. This was the message shared by Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, a Korean American poet and adoptee, and Cho Hae-jin, author of "I Met Loh Ki-wan," the novel that inspired the Netflix film "My Name is Loh Ki-wan." The two writers met on Sunday during a diaspora literature event hosted by the Li

Oct. 3, 2024

'City View' shines light on urban shadows

Gazing at the gleaming glass facades of the skyscrapers in Songdo, Incheon, author Woo Sin-young wondered how they could remain so sleek and beautiful. Then, she recalled reading news about workers who were injured or lost their lives while cleaning those windows. “As I delved deeper into these articles, I felt that someone should speak out on their behalf and give a voice to their stories and narratives,” said Woo, a debut novelist whose "City View" recently won the 14th H

Sept. 27, 2024

2025 Trend Forecast: Small details, new happiness trend amid sluggish economy

After completing his annual bestselling series “Trend Korea” for the upcoming year, Seoul National University professor Kim Rando lamented that "grandeur has disappeared." Next year, Kim explained, will mark a shift from the grand to the details, with an emphasis on paying attention to small details and subtle differences. Now in its 17th year, the "Trend Korea" series forecasts consumer trends for the upcoming year through 10 key predictions, with allusion to the

Sept. 25, 2024

French writer Sylvie Germain wins 13th Pak Kyongni Prize

French writer Sylvie Germain has been named the recipient of the 13th Pak Kyongni Prize, the award’s organizers announced Wednesday. The award, an annual international literary award established in 2011 to honor the legacy of novelist Pak Kyong-ni (1926-2008), recognizes novelists worldwide who have made a significant impact on the literary landscape while preserving its intrinsic value, according to the Toji Cultural Foundation. Pak is best known for her monumental "Toji (The Land),&

Sept. 25, 2024

Park Sang-young's ‘Love in the Big City’ nominated for French literary award

South Korean author Park Sang-young's "Love in the Big City" has been longlisted for the Prix Medicis etranger, one of France's major literary awards for foreign-language novels translated into French, alongside the Goncourt, Prix Femina and Renaudot. The French edition of "Love in the Big City" ("S'aimer dans la grande ville" in French) is among 14 titles nominated for the first round of this year’s prize. The novel, which follows a Korean quee

Sept. 24, 2024

[New in Korean] Can knowing your past life save your present one?

"The Novice Shaman Reading Past Lives" By Lee Sun-young Clayhouse A pair of novice shamans claim that past-life insights can unravel present-day problems. With their help, people find a second chance at life in this heartwarming drama infused with comedy and emotion. The fortune-telling shop Miss Korea has garnered a reputation for helping clients discover their past lives. The vibrant place is run by two shamans: There's the enigmatic Madame Go, whose age remains a mystery, and D

Sept. 22, 2024

[New in Korean] Architectural wonder, love story in Paris from award-winning architect/novelist

"To Where the Light Leads" By Baek Hee-sung Book Romance Lumiere Clerget is a disheartened architect who, despite designing beautiful homes for others, struggles to find a place he can call his own. One day, he receives a call from his real estate agent who has miraculously found him an affordable listing in Paris. The house, with its peculiar features like an unusually low staircase handrail, intrigues Lumiere. He discovers that the house belongs to Peter Waltzer, a wealthy man living

Sept. 21, 2024

[New in Korean] 'Loh Ki-wan' author explores life, death, meaninglessness of war

"Light and Melody" By Cho Hae-jin Munhakdongne Publishing “Light and Melody” intertwines the stories of Kwon-eun, a documentary photographer, and Seung-joon, a journalist, whose paths cross again seven years after they rekindle their bond from cherished childhood memories. Kwon-eun is left physically and emotionally scarred after an injury that cost her half of her left leg while reporting in war-torn Syria. Now unable to return, she rejects all commissions and barely scrap

Sept. 21, 2024

[Off the Pages] German bestseller gets new twist in ‘Snow White Must Die -- Black Out’

German mystery crime writer Nele Neuhaus’ 2010 international bestseller “Snow White Must Die” is getting a fresh take as the Korean drama series “Snow White Must Die -- Black Out,” kicked off Aug. 16. The fourth installment of Neuhaus’ series set in the Taunus region near Frankfurt sold more than 3.5 million copies globally and had its German TV adaptation in 2013. Now just five episodes away from its finale, the MBC series is gaining momentum with its latest

Sept. 18, 2024

[Latest Read] 'Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat' breezes connection, solidarity

Mira, a resident of Yeonnam-dong living with her daughter, Nahee, and her husband, Woochul, finds herself at a crossroads. Despite her past success, her reality feels bleak as she struggles to find work amid all her concerns about her daughter and financial worries. When her old washing machine breaks down, she turns to a nearby laundromat, only to discover an unexpected source of solace. Amid the hum of machines, Mira spots an olive-green diary left on a table. At first, she wasn’t partic

Sept. 13, 2024

Taiwanese author Kevin Chen says literature liberates our souls

“I am a failed writer who wrote a novel about failure. (But) I hope that through this book, those who have failed can live a bit more freely. I want to tell them that it’s okay to cry loudly if it’s hard,” said Kevin Chen, or Chen Shih-hung, the award-winning Taiwanese author, during an interview with reporters in Seoul on Monday. Currently based in Berlin, he is also a columnist, translator and actor. Chen, visiting Korea for the first time, participated in a talk progra

Sept. 10, 2024

Fredrik Backman on the power of humor to connect people

"This is a very uncomfortable situation for me," Fredrik Backman admitted candidly to reporters on Saturday. "When I leave here, I'll probably spend the next few days thinking, ‘I shouldn’t have said that,’ or, ‘That was a stupid answer.’ ... But I know I'm learning from these situations. One day, a moment like this will become a character in a book." The celebrated Swedish author of "A Man Called Ove" is currently visiting Ko

Sept. 9, 2024

Claudia Pineiro on literature as mirror reflecting society's shadows and struggles

Renowned authors from around the world are in Seoul for the 2024 Seoul International Writers' Festival, organized by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, which kicked off Friday. Among the distinguished guests are Argentinian author Claudia Pineiro, a 2022 International Booker Prize finalist for her novel “Elena Knows,” and Swedish novelist Fredrik Backman, best known for his global bestseller “A Man Called Ove.” Pineiro is often described as one of Argenti

Sept. 9, 2024

Blue-skinned teen struggles with identity, alienation in 'Melanin'

"My skin is blue, and my mother is Vietnamese. I don't know which is the bigger problem," begins Ha Seung-meen's award-winning novel “Melanin.” The coming-of-age novel follows Jae-il, a teenage boy born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, as he grapples with life in a world that rejects him for his strange blue skin and his multicultural heritage. His unusual complexion becomes a marker of alienation, making him a target for ridicule and bullying from clas

Sept. 7, 2024

[Off the Pages] 'Underground' blends sound and darkness in immersive audio experience

The immersive theater experience “Underground” transports audiences into an entirely new dimension of sensory storytelling -- a captivating, pitch-dark descent into the unknown. Based on acclaimed Korean science fiction author Kim Bo-young's short story “Underground” (featured in her collection “The Fifth Sense” in 2022), the Wooran Foundation’s production plunges viewers deep into a labyrinthine underground set in a dystopian future. “Undergr

Sept. 4, 2024

Writers from Canada, US win Nomo awards celebrating Korean diaspora

Three winners of the Nomo Literary Award were announced by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea on Monday. In the fiction category, Song Ji-young from Canada won for “Assembled Life,” which explores the linguistic, cultural and economic struggles of immigrants, likened to the challenges of assembling furniture. In the poetry category, Lee Won-jung from the US was recognized for “Telescope for Cherry Tomatoes” and four other poems, praised for the skill in poetica

Sept. 3, 2024

Kim Ae-ran reflects on evolving views of growth in 'One of Them Is a Lie'

Describing her latest novel, “One of Them Is a Lie,” author Kim Ae-ran reflected on how her perspective on growth has changed since the release of her debut work, “My Brilliant Life” (2011). "I wanted to view growth differently. We often think of growth as getting bigger or advancing, but I’ve come to see it as more about shifting perspectives -- when other people’s stories and places enter into us, and those spaces grow within us,” said Kim during

Aug. 31, 2024

Journalist Daniel Tudor breathes life into Korea's last prince in novel

The historical novel “The Last Prince” weaves in imagination with the true story of Prince Yi Kang (1877-1955), the fifth son of Emperor Gojong, set against the backdrop of Korea’s turbulent history during the final years of the Korean royal family and the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945). In an unexpected twist for a work steeped in Korean history, the novel comes not from a Korean author but from Daniel Tudor, a British journalist and former Seoul correspondent for The Econo

Aug. 26, 2024

Mirinae Lee becomes first Korean to win William Saroyan for debut novel

South Korean author Mirinae Lee has won the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing for her debut novel, “8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster.” This biennial prize, jointly established in 2003 by Stanford University Libraries and the William Saroyan Foundation in honor of the novelist, playwright and short-story writer William Saroyan, recognizes one fiction and one nonfiction book to “encourage new or emerging writers, rather than to recognize established literary figur

Aug. 25, 2024

Travel essay bridges gap between Korea and foreign audiences with unique cultural insights

In Korea, the choice of alcohol can carry subtle social meanings. Saying, "Let's grab a beer," and, "Let's have some soju," conveys different vibes, according to medical doctor and journalist Park Jae-young. Inviting someone for a beer typically means, "Let's hang out," or, "I have something to talk about, but it's nothing too serious." On the other hand, asking someone to have soju can suggest, "I have something personal to share,

Aug. 24, 2024