New book sheds light on ongoing debate and legacy of comfort women issues

The issue of women forced into Japanese military sex slavery during World War II, known euphemistically as comfort women, has become a much politicized issue in Korea. The passing of a comfort woman, 91, in May, whose identity is being kept confidential at the request of her bereaved family, leaves only nine registered survivors of Japanese military sex slavery registered with the government. A new book titled "New Ways of Solidarity with Korean Comfort Women: Comfort Women and What Remains

Oct. 16, 2023

[New in Korean] Witches, ecofeminism, climate crisis: Tale of resilience and nature’s power

"And the Witch Went into the Forest" By Sanho Goble/Dulnyouk In Sanho’s latest graphic novel, readers are transported into a world where witches grapple with the looming threats of an environmental crisis and climate change. Once known as shamans or mystics, these witches wield powers that resonate with nature and wild animals. They can make plants grow on barren lands or even sleep underwater. But with a loss of natural habitats and dying species, the witches are also sufferin

Oct. 15, 2023

[New in Korean] The power to save just one person: Blessing or curse?

"Only One Person" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Choi Jin-Young Hankyoreh Publishing This year’s winner of the prestigious Yi Sang Literary Award, Choi Jin-young, returns with a full-length novel after two years. The story revolves around the tallest and the longest-living tree on Earth that can save only one person in danger of dying by borrowing just one leaf from the tree. The protagonist, 16-year-old Mok-hwa, is destined to become a “lifespan mediator&

Oct. 14, 2023

[New in Korean] Booker Prize-shortlisted Bora Chung returns with thriller on suffering

"On Suffering" By Bora Chung Dasan Books Where does human suffering come from? Can we ever be completely free from it? Is a life without suffering a path to salvation? These thought-provoking questions lie at the heart of Bora Chung's latest full-length novel, “On Suffering.” Chung delves into the abstract theme of pain within the intriguing framework of science fiction. The novel may be a turning point in Chung's literary career as it is the first thriller by the

Oct. 14, 2023

[Exclusive] 'Game of Thrones' publisher inks deal for Korean books for first time

Bantam Books has inked a deal with Korean author Jang Se-ah to bring her debut novel, "Runaway," to English-speaking readers, an official at Barbara J. Zitwer Agency, a New York-based literary agency, told The Korea Herald on Thursday. Bantam Books is the Random House subsidiary renowned for the publication of George R. R. Martin's epic "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series, the basis of HBO hit series "Game of Thrones," "Runaway" hit Korean bookshe

Oct. 13, 2023

Trend forecaster Kim Rando emphasizes human control over AI for 2024

"Trend Korea," a trends forecasting book series published annually, has returned with 10 predictions for 2024 along with the subtitle "Dragon Eyes." The term "Dragon Eyes" highlights the essential role humans play in using artificial intelligence technologies, explained Kim Rando, a professor of Seoul National University's consumer science department, during a press conference Thursday at the Press Center in central Seoul. The term derives from an old Chinese s

Oct. 11, 2023

[Herald Interview] 8 lives in 1 saga: Debut novel transcends time and identity in '8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster'

Mirinae Lee's genre-defying debut novel, inspired by her great aunt who defected from North Korea, weaves eight dark yet spellbinding chapters spanning the eight different lives of the main character, Mrs. Mook, who begins her saga by declaring that she was born Japanese (under occupation), lived as a North Korean and is now dying as a South Korean. Lee's "8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster," published by Harper, the fiction imprint of HarperCollins, hit the shelves in the Un

Oct. 5, 2023

[Book Review] 'The Korean Wave in a Post-Pandemic World' delves into Hallyu's past, present and future

“The Korean Wave in a Post-Pandemic World” By Shin Geon-cheol, Mark Whitaker Springer Since the late 1990s, South Korean pop culture has gained popularity overseas, with music, TV dramas and films becoming major exports to other Asian countries. The spread of Korean culture has continued, expanding beyond Asia. The term Hallyu, or Korean Wave, was first introduced in China in 1999 to describe the influx of Korean cultural products to the country. The Korean Wave is now defined by t

Oct. 3, 2023

[Book Review] 'Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection' unveils story of Lee's donated works

“Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection” By Sohn Young-ok Jaeum&Moeum Publishing Co. When the extensive works collected by late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee were donated to the public in South Korea two years ago, it was widely referred to as the “collection of the century,” and the businessman was dubbed as the “Korea’s Medici” as a patron of Korean art. In her latest book, “Lee Kun-hee. Hong Ra-hee. Collection,” journalist Sohn

Sept. 24, 2023

[New in Korean] Year 2020 revisited under shadow of disconnection

"Face to Face" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Choi Eun-mi Changbi Publishers In the author's note for her second novel, "Face to Face," Choi Eun-mi writes, "I’ve developed a habit of thinking about someone’s 2020 when I see people passing by, to come up with a new character for my story. Where they went to sleep, where they worked, whom they were closest to, and what they feared the most in that year." Choi takes readers back to the

Sept. 23, 2023

[New in Korean] Ancient Korean mummy unearthed in Irish peatland

"Graiai" By Kim Hye-bin Moonji Publishing The novel "Graiai" begins with a powerful opening as the head of a mummy is unearthed in an Irish peatland. Named “Baek-hee,” the head is confirmed to have Korean ancestry. Why Baek-hee left the Korean Peninsula 2,500 years ago, and the whereabouts of her body remain a mystery. The narrative is divided into three parts: In Part 1, the story centers around Joo-na, a broadcast journalist, investigating the excavation in Ir

Sept. 23, 2023

[New in Korean] Poet Kim Hyun of ‘Glory Hole’ sings love beyond life and death

"Ghost Duet" By Kim Hyun Hankyoreh Publishing Poet Kim Hyun has been delicately depicting the lives of queer people in Korea. His commitment to social issues is also evident, from his participation in events such as the "304 Recital," a reading event commemorating the 304 victims of the Sewol Ferry disaster, and in a memorial literature recital honoring the victims of last year’s Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon. Kim’s debut short story collection, “Ghost Du

Sept. 23, 2023

Austrian writer Christoph Ransmayr wins 12th Pak Kyongni Prize

Austrian writer Christoph Ransmayr has been selected as the recipient of the 12th Pak Kyongni Prize, the award’s organizers said Wednesday. This year, a total of 37 nominees were chosen through four rounds of preliminary screening from among 234 novelists from around the world. In June, four writers -- Ransmayr, Cormac McCarthy, Margaret Atwood and Antonio Lobo Antunes -- were nominated as the finalists. The 69-year-old Austrian writer won global recognition with his novel “The Last

Sept. 22, 2023

[Herald Interview] Farrar, Straus and Giroux looking for next ‘Parasite’

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a part of Macmillan USA, boasts an impressive portfolio of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning titles. Rohan Kamicheril, a senior editor at FSG, said the company has yet to feature a Korean writer and hopes to broaden its literary horizon by discovering new Korean voices. “We want to find writers in other parts of the world who are doing challenging, provocative things,” said Kamicheril. “I don't want to just bring over writers who do something simi

Sept. 21, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Good translation is everything’

Forge Books, under its parent company, Macmillan USA, typically publishes three to four translated books a year. In recent years, they have consistently released one Korean book in translation each year. The past three years have seen the publication of works like "My Brilliant Life" by Kim Ae-ran (translation by Chi-Young Kim) and two novels by Lee Geum-yi, “The Picture Bride” and “Can’t I Go Instead” (translations by An Seonjae). Robert Davis, an editor

Sept. 21, 2023

[Herald Interview] Global publishers' take on Korean literature

The K-Literature Fellowship, an initiative organized by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea to promote Korean literature overseas, has been bringing international publishers and literary agents to Seoul since 2018. Over 70 global publishing companies have participated in the program so far, resulting in the publication of some 100 Korean literary works worldwide. This year, the fellowship invited 15 publishing houses from 11 countries to Seoul, where they joined 14 Korean publishers an

Sept. 21, 2023

[Herald Interview] Andrew Porter on renewed attention in Korea for ‘Theory of Light and Matter’

American writer Andrew Porter said he is truly surprised and delighted that his debut work, "The Theory of Light and Matter," has resonated with Korean readers after all these years. Porter’s debut work, a collection of stories published in 2008, won several awards, including the Flannery O'Connor Award for short fiction. While it was published in Korea in 2011, it wasn't until 2019 that the book received renewed attention after acclaimed Korean author Kim Young-ha intr

Sept. 16, 2023

Eun Hee-kyung, Andrew Porter explore words of short stories, novels

On the afternoon of Sept. 10, the third day of the festival, Eun Hee-kyung from South Korea and Andrew Porter from the US met. Although they had never crossed paths before, these literary talents shared a profound appreciation for the written word. Both authors, despite being from different corners of the globe, shared a common thread in their literary portfolios: a dedication to crafting both full-length novels and collections of short stories. For these two writers, the length of a narrative d

Sept. 15, 2023

Bora Chung’s ‘Cursed Bunny’ longlisted for US National Book Award

The English edition of Bora Chung’s short story collection “Cursed Bunny” has been longlisted in the translated literature category for the 2023 National Book Award in the US. Among the 10 nominations announced on this year's long list, "Cursed Bunny" stands as the sole work originating from Asia. Finalists are to be announced on Oct. 3, with the final winner selection coming on Nov. 15. The English edition of “Cursed Bunny” was translated by Anton Hu

Sept. 14, 2023

Writers bring their literary worlds, imaginations to life on Nodeulseom

The annual Seoul International Writers’ Festival, organized by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) kicked off Sept. 8, bringing together 24 Korean and international writers on Nodeulseom, an artificial islet on the Han River in Seoul, for a six-day festival. Under the theme of “Crossing the Bridge of Language,” the 2023 SIWF responded to the heightened sense of isolation and discord brought about by the pandemic. Two captivating storytellers -- Jeong Ji-a

Sept. 14, 2023