[_list: Books from Korea] Vol.19 Spring 2013 by LTI Korea Library

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books Interviews

Jung Young Moon Cartoonist Lee Woo-il Writer

Spotlight on Fiction

“The Walk of Light” by Yun Dae-nyeong Theme Lounge

Korea’s Musicals

ISSN 2005-2790

LTI Translation Academy LTI Translation Academy Fellowship The LTI Translation Academy Fellowship is open to overseas applicants whose native language is one of the following five languages: English, French, German, Russian, or Spanish. This fellowship is designed to allow overseas students to fully devote themselves to their studies of literary translation during their stay in Korea. The fellowship includes: ▪ Round-trip airfare ▪ Monthly stipend of 1.6 million KRW ▪ Visa and health insurance ▪ Tuition waiver

About the Program

FAQ What is list_Books from Korea, and where can I find it? list is a quarterly magazine packed with information about Korean books. Register online at www.list.or.kr to receive a free subscription.

▪ Languages: English, French, German, Russian, or Spanish ▪ Eligibility: Foreign nationals interested in the translation of Korean literature ▪ Number of Fellowships: 3 for each language ▪ Courses: Korean Literature, Korean Language, Practice of Literary Translation, Cultural Translation, and Advanced Translation - The program also offers other literary activities such as meetings

Can I get it in English?

The printed edition of list is available in English and Chinese. The webzine (www.list.or.kr) is available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

▪ Faculty: Professors of literature and translation ▪ Duration: September 2013 to June 2014 - Fall Semester: September ~ December 2013 - Spring Semester: March ~ June 2014

What if I want information about Korean books more often? We offer a monthly online newsletter. Simply email list_korea @ klti.or.kr to begin receiving your free copy.

Who publishes list_Books from Korea? list is published by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, which is affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. LTI Korea’s mission is to contribute to global culture by expanding the knowledge of Korean literature and culture abroad. Visit www.klti.or.kr to learn about our many translation, publication, cultural exchange, and education programs. Contact: list_korea @ klti.or.kr

list_Books from Korea App (iPad only) now available for download

with Korean writers and cultural excursions.

How to Apply ▪ Application Documents: application form, personal statement, a letter of recommendation, sample translation of the designated literary work, and certificate of Bachelor’s degree - The application form and the personal statement form can be downloaded from the LTI Korea website. (www.klti.or.kr) - Foreign applicants may submit a recommendation letter in place of his or her bachelor’s degree certificate.

▪ Application Period: April 1 ~ April 30, 2013 ▪ Selection Criteria: application review, sample translation, and a telephone interview ▪ Contact: Ms. Park So-youn (Tel +82-2-6919-7751, academy@klti.or.kr)

Call for Applicants for the LTI Translation Academy Intensive Course The LTI Translation Academy offers various courses for prospective translators of Korean literature from around the world. The Intensive Course is a year-long curriculum composed of translation workshops, Korean language classes, and lectures on Korean culture and literature. The Intensive Course is scheduled to begin in September 2013 for the academic year, 2013-2014. We are looking for qualified applicants that will rise to the challenge of translating Korean literature, thereby contributing to the expansion of its global readership.

Foreword

Nonfiction: The New Frontier in Children’s Books Nonfiction comes in a widely varied spectrum. No subject is off-limits, from history to science, mathematics, nature, man, geography, economics, politics, sports, and art, to philosophy. Children’s books are no exception. In fact, children’s nonfiction is valued as an educational aid, thanks to its informative nature on a wide range of subjects. Teachers and parents look upon children’s nonfiction as a means of cultivating a more diverse perspective with more three-dimensional subject matter than they might encounter in the classroom. Young readers, for their part, are responding enthusiastically to nonfiction specifically written to have entertainment value, a diversity of subjects, and an ease of understanding. The children’s nonfiction market is booming thanks to this trend, with publishing houses becoming ever more vigilant over the material they select and hone to perfection. Children’s nonfiction in Korea today is growing increasingly sophisticated and original in terms of concept, editing, design, and subject matter, elevating the genre’s primarily informative function to the artistic. While the idea may seem incongruous, children’s literature actually has its roots in nonfiction. The first book specifically written and illustrated for children was Comenius’s Orbis Sensualium Pictus (The Visible World in Pictures), an encyclopedic work of nonfiction with an educational aim. Korean children’s literature had a similar beginning. In 1923, the magazine Euorini (Children) published a scientific story titled “Salty and Sweet,” which was followed by nonfiction stories intending to communicate information in an easy, entertaining way. Children’s nonfiction of late has advanced noticeably in terms of specialization and entertainment value. Publishers are hiring specialists to write or revise their nonfiction books, aiming for ever greater accuracy and professionalism, while ensuring a fun reading experience by strategic use of planning, designing, and editing. These efforts have spawned a diverse range of formats in children’s nonfiction. While the purely informational nonfiction book still exists, most books take on a form that best suits their theme or subject matter. Some choose a narrative format inspired by novels, adventure tales, travelogues, or fantasy; others allow the theme to shine through in the simple, attention-getting format of the picture book. Then there is the comic book, still the most popular and accessible format among young readers. Also popular is the editorial style inspired by newsprint design, and mixed media using collage, photographs, and letters, among others. Collections of nonfiction published as part of a series with the same overlying concept are also doing extremely well, armed with clear, accurate, and entertaining text, and meticulously documented source material that includes photographs, illustrations, and professional fact-checking. There is no question that children’s nonfiction has come to occupy a significant place in the publishing market. And so it is with great pleasure that we present the world of children’s nonfiction as it is now. It is with deep regret that we cannot showcase all but a select few in the categories of comic books, book series, narratives, and picture books. With amazing illustrations and facts made fun, children’s nonfiction in Korea is brewing up a storm in bookstores. by Yoon So-hee

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

You asked for it!

HELP~~~ BEES! HELP!

Contents Spring 2013 Vol. 19

01 04 05 06 08

Foreword Trade Report News from LTI Korea Bestsellers Publishing Trends

Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books

10 13 16 19

A New Horizon for Children’s Book Illustrators Reinventing the Children’s Nonfiction Series Kids Warm Up to Nonfiction Look Again, See More

Interviews

22 Writer Jung Young Moon 28 Cartoonist Lee Woo-il

Excerpts

26 A Contrived World by Jung Young Moon 32 Following Robinson Crusoe by Lee Woo-il

The Place

34 Seoul Gallery Tours

Theme Lounge

38 Korea’s Musicals

Reviews

42 Fiction 60 Nonfiction 68 Children’s Books

Spotlight on Fiction

45 "The Walk of Light" by Yun Dae-nyeong

Steady Sellers

59 Who Ate All the Sing-ah? by Park Wansuh

2 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Vol.19 Spring 2013 A Quarterly Magazine for Publishers

Kim Seong-Kon

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Kim Yoon-jin

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Jung Jin Kwon

EDITORIAL BOARD

Kim Dongshik Literary Critic Kim Su-yeong Publisher Kim Yeran Professor, Kwangwoon University Kim Yonghee Literary Critic Yoon So-hee Children’s Book Critic

OVERSEAS EDITORIAL ADVISORS

Choi Kyeonghee University of Chicago Christopher P. Hanscom UCLA Janet Poole University of Toronto Kim Yung-hee University of Hawai'i Michael J. Pettid SUNY-Binghamton University Theodore Hughes Columbia University

DOMESTIC EDITORIAL ADVISORS

Brother Anthony Sogang University Charles Montgomery Dongguk University Emanuel Pastreich Kyung Hee University Horace Jeffery Hodges Ewha Womans University Steven D. Capener Seoul Women's University

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kim Sun-hye

MANAGING EDITORS

Cha Youngju Lee Chae Eun

EDITORS

Kim Stoker Krys Lee

ART DIRECTOR

Choi Woonglim

DESIGNERS

Kim Mijin Jang Hyeju

PHOTOGRAPHER

Lee Kwa-yong

PRINTED BY

Sinsago Hi-tech

PUBLISHER

Overseas Angle

73 Writer’s Note: Han Yujoo

75 An Old Book About the Recent Past

New Books

77 Recommended by Publishers

Meet the Publishers

84 Segyesa 86 87 88 91

Afterword Contributors Featured Authors Index

Date of Publication March 11, 2013 list_ Books from Korea is a quarterly magazine published by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. All correspondence should be addressed to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea at 112 Gil-32, Yeongdong-daero (Samseong-dong) Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-873, Korea Telephone: 82-2-6919-7714 Fax: 82-2-3448-4247 E-mail: list_korea@klti.or.kr www.klti.or.kr www.list.or.kr Copyright © 2013 by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea ISSN 2005-2790 Cover art Kim Byeong-ha Hwaseong Fortress, Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Trade Report

1 3 2

Respond 1997

Sunny

Lee Woo-jeong, Park Lee-jung Book21 Publishing Group 2013, 352p, ISBN 9788950945947 Kang Hyung-chul, Lee Byung-heun Park Lee-jung, Kayun 2011, 324p, ISBN 9788996682424

3. Pieta Kim Ki-duk, Hwang Ra-hyun, Kayun 2012, 320p, ISBN 9788996682462 4. Love 911 Jung Ki-hune, Park Lee-jung, Kayun 2012, 304p, ISBN 9788996682486

Film Novels Make Waves Korean films are continuously setting new records. Kim Ki-duk’s film Pieta garnered the Golden Lion Prize at the Venice Film Festival, one of the top three international film festivals, and the films Masquerade and The Thieves both broke box office records, drawing in over 10 million theatergoers. Boosted by the popularity of such films, a new genre is emerging for readers called film novels. Film novels are books that are based on film scripts and are published at the same time as the films’ release. Different from when a script is adapted from a novel, a film novel bases its storyline on a film’s script. Sunny, Deranged, Pieta, Masquerade, Don’t Cry Mommy, Love 911, and Gift from Room 7—films that audiences have recently shown great affection for—have already been released in book versions, and along with interest for the films’ release abroad, publishers overseas have also expressed deep interest in the novel

versions of the films. In the case of Kim Ki-duk’s film Pieta, rights to the work have been bought by New Prosperous China Media (TIANJIN) Co., Ltd. in China and Ten Points Publishing Co. in Taiwan. The film Sunny has also entered into a contract with a publishing company in China, Beijing Ruyixin Publishing Co., Ltd. Meanwhile, contracts are currently being negotiated for the film Love 911 with publishers in China, Taiwan, and Thailand. The demand for Korean films abroad is helping to expand the Korean Wave and open the door for opportunities to sell the rights to film novels. In addition to t he rights of f ilm novels, publishing companies in East Asia have inquired about the rights to the drama novel Respond 1997, proving that combining moving images with the novel is a new vital force. by Richard Hong

PSY, Gangnam Style

Rights Sold to China, Hungary, and Bulgaria K-pop star PSY has captivated audiences all over the world, in particular, the U.S. and Europe. Who is he? What is his music all about? How did he become the person he is today? With the spotlight on PSY’s music world, we find a rare book that takes us on PSY’s journey as well as shows us the changes that have taken place in Korean pop music. As an ardent PSY fan and as a music critic, Gu Ja-hyoung meticulously details PSY’s start in the music industry to his worldwide fame today. Published at the end of November in 2012, translated versions have already been sold to China, Hungary, and Bulgaria as of January this year, and many overseas publishers are also currently reviewing the book with interest. Anyone who is interested in Korean pop music and PSY, in particular, will enjoy the book. In addition, one of the bestselling books in 2012, The Things We Can See 4 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Only After We Stop, by Venerable Haemin will soon be published France. This book has also been sold to China and Taiwan. Venerable Haemin writes from his heart about what we don’t see as we live through the hustle and bustle of modern day life. Also, in the children’s book category, the books The Bad Boy Stickers by Hwang Sun-mi who wrote The Chicken Who Dreamed She Could Fly, and The Boy Who Can’t Read, written by the author Won You-soon, will be entertaining young readers in Indonesia. These books are moving narratives about elementary school kids and what happens to them in their daily lives. by Joseph Lee

1 1. PSY, Gangnam Style Gu Ja-hyoung, Time Travel 2012, 288p, ISBN 9788996782872 2. The Things We Can See Only After We Stop Venerable Haemin; Illustrator: Lee Young-cheol Sam&Parkers, 2012, 292p, ISBN 9788965700609 3.

The Bad Boy Stickers

The Boy Who Can't Read

Hwang Sun-mi; Illustrator: Kwon Sa-woo Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. 2007, 93p, ISBN 9788901068596 Won You-soon; Illustrator: Lee Hyun-mee Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. 2010, 95p, ISBN 9788901114705

News from LTI Korea

LTI Korea Receives the Order of Cultural Merit from the Czech Republic LT I Korea received t he Order of C u lt u r a l Me r it f r om t he C z e c h Republic for helping promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. At a ceremony held at the LTI Korea headquarters on January 25, Czech Culture Minister Alena Hanáková gave the Order of Cultural Merit to LTI Korea director Kim Seong-Kon. Minister Hanáková expressed her thanks to LTI Korea, saying that its various projects designed to promote Korea n literat u re in her cou nt r y enriched the cultural experience of

the Czech people. She browsed titles translated into Korean and Czech in the LTI Korea library and asked the organization to further promote bilateral cultural exchanges. Director Kim also thanked the minister for the medal and affirmed that LTI Korea would continue to promote cultural and literary exchanges between the two nations. In addition, Kim thanked Jaroslav Olsa, Jr., the current Czech ambassador to Korea, for playing a key role in implementing Korea-Czech literary projects.

LTI Korea Joins Guadalajara International Book Fair, Holds Korea-Mexico Literary Event

poetry recital

a meeting of short story writers from around the world

interview

LTI Korea took part in the Guadalajara International Book Fair from November 26 through December 1, successfully promoting Korean literature together with novelists Kim Young-ha and Han Gang in the heart of the Korean Wave in Latin America. The Korea n literature showca se started with an event celebrating the publication of the poetry collection by Kim Soo-young and Kim Ki-taek’s poetry collection, Gum. León Plascencia Ñol, a Mexican poet who participated in the 2012 Seoul International Writers’ Festival, gave an introduction to the two poets’ literary worlds. A reading session featuring works by writers Kim Young-ha and Han Kang was held at Guada lajara Universit y

the next day. Kim read his short story “Moving” and Han read from her novel, The Vegetarian. In addition, there was a separate publication event for The Vegetarian and a Korean literature event hosted by the University of Nayarit in the city of Tepic. Mexican readers freely talked with Korean writers, gaining a deeper u nderst a nd ing of Korea n literature. One of the highlights at the book fair was the session in which the Mexican reading public met with short story writers from around the world. The book fair invited writers from Mexico, Columbia, Germany, Slovenia, and Korea, which was represented by Kim Young-ha. Both writers and visitors exchanged their views on short story

writing. About 250 visitors gathered to join Kim’s live reading session featuring his short story, “Lightning Rod.” In t he ea rly 20 0 0s, Korea n T V dramas were introduced to the Mexican public. Since then, a growing number of Mexicans have been paying more attention to Korean culture, including its films, music, and fashion. As a result, Mexican fans actively participated in Korean literature events organized by LTI Korea. In recent years, more Korean literar y work s have been translated into Spanish. LTI Korea’s successful events at the book fair were part of t he orga nization’s ef for ts to better communicate wit h loca l readers in Mexico.

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Bestsellers

What We’re Reading Fiction

Nonfiction

If the Waves Belong to the Sea

A Werewolf Boy

Kim Yeon-su, Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 328p, ISBN 9788954428224 Kim Yeon-su is one of Korea’s leading novelists. If the Waves Belong to the Sea was serialized in the Korean quarterly journal Jaeum & Moeum and in the Chinese bimonthly journal Fiction World , under the title Huijae, for one year starting in the summer of 2011. The story is about a woman who was adopted to the U.S. as she seeks out her roots in Korea.

Kim Mi-ri; Illustrator: Yoo Hye-in, ESOOPE 2012, 200p, ISBN 9788994228501

The Sound of the Shallow Water Hwang Sok-yong Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 496p, ISBN 9788954428361 A major Korean literary figure, Hwang Sok-yong celebrates the 50th anniversary of his debut as a writer with The Sound of the Shallow Water. Set during the tumultuous 19th century when the premodern world was replaced by a modern one, the story portrays the life of storyteller Lee Shintong. The dynamic writing style mingles narrative and history like rapids.

A Werewolf Boy is the novelization of director Jo Sung-hee’s movie A Werewolf Boy. It is a love story between the menacing wolf boy and a girl that has shut her heart to the world. The book depicts the irony of a monstrous werewolf being an innocent creature in a world corrupted by desire.

Only Love Song Sok-ze, Human & Books 2012, 300p, ISBN 9788960781542

Is it destiny or a joke if a man loves the same woman his entire life? The main character is enthralled with the whaler’s daughter—and her only, even as the two of them enter middle age. Writer Song Sukze’s characteristic wit shines on love’s triumph over violence in the world.

Scathing Advice for Women in Their 30s Kim Mi-kyung, Book 21 Publishing Group 2012, 380p, ISBN 9788950940768 Kim Mi-kyung is one of Korea’s most famous life coaches. This book features her pragmatic and keen advice for working women.

My Exploration of Cultural Heritage (Vol. 7) Yu Hong-june, Changbi Publishers, Inc. 2012, 472p, 9788936472184 Professor Yu Hong-june’s My Exploration of Cultural Heritage pioneers a new frontier, setting a record with sales of three million copies. This time, with the seventh installment of the series, the author explores Jeju Island. He examines the cultural heritage of the island with a keen and warm eye.

The Book of Love Lee Oisoo, Hainaim Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 302p, ISBN 9788965743590 Writer Lee Oisoo writes witty and profound prose about love. Artist Jeong Tae-ryun’s fascinating miniature illustrations elevate the characters in the book.

Seven Years of Darkness Jeong You-jeong, EunHaeng Namu Publishing Co. 2011, 524p, ISBN 9788956604992

This story is about a man who murdered a 12-yearold girl, and about his son who was stigmatized as the murderer’s offspring. Seven years later, the shattering truth hidden behind the murder case is revealed. This narrative of good and evil—violent collision between destructive impulses and the will to live—brings up questions about human nature.

Wedding Speeches by a Monk Venerable Pomnyun Sunim Hankyoreh Publishing Company 2010, 271p, ISBN 9788984314207 This book compiles advice on love and marriage by the Venerable Pomnyun, one of Korea’s most sought after contemporary spiritual mentors. His profound insights on life illuminate the relationships between man and woman.

Faith (4 vols.) Song Ji-na, Viche Korea Books 2012, 287p, ISBN 9788994343884 (Vol.1)

Celebrated TV dramatist Song Ji-na’s first novel is based on the 24-part drama Faith. Goryeo warrior Choi Yung and doctor Yu Eunsu engage in a heartwrenching love story interwoven with political intrigue.

A Werewolf Boy

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Only Love

The Book of Love

These totals are based on sales records from eight major bookstores and three online bookstores from October to December 2012, provided by the Korean Publishers Association. The books are introduced in no particular order.

Children's Books Overcoming Social Division

A Mountain of Encouragement

The Thirteenth Child

Song Ho-keun, Dasan Books 2012, 252p, ISBN 9788963709086 In order for a healthy society to develop, social efforts must properly diagnose and treat the discord within. Sociologist Song Ho-keun dissects various sources of discord incited by the rapid modernization and democratization of Korean society, and prescribes hopeful new solutions to overcome these issues.

Ko Dae-young; Illustrator: Kim Young-jin Gilbut Children Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 38p, ISBN 9788955821970 A Mountain of Encouragement is the eighth book in the Jiwon and Byeong-gwan series, a celebrated book series that charmingly depicts the ordinary lives of children at home, at school, and on the playground. This book features achievements, compliments, and encouragements during an autumn mountain hike.

Lee Eun-yong; Illustrator: Lee Go-eun Munhakdongne Publishing Corp., 2012 268p, ISBN 9788954617352 The Thirteenth Child is a science fiction story that depicts the conflict and friendship between a bioengineered child with maximized learning capacity who has been built to suppress emotions, and a robot that experiences emotions more profoundly than an ordinary human being. Through the robot that is more human than a human, this book poses the ontological question of what it means to be human.

What Is Your Dream? Kim Su-young, Woongjin Think Big Co., Ltd. 2012, 460p, ISBN 9788901150796 Author Kim Su-young traveled from Seoul to London to meet 365 people over a period of 365 days. She asked about their present lives and the futures they dream of. This book is a record of those interviews, a colorful panorama of dreams.

The Bath Fairy Baek Heena, Bear Books 2012, 44p, ISBN 9788993242706 Baek Heena, “Illustrator of the Year” at the Bologna Children’s Book Festival in 2005 and the celebrated author of Cloud Bread, has published her third illustrated story. The Bath Fairy contains a world of imagination woven around the main character of the granny fairy and a small girl who befriends her in an old-fashioned bathhouse.

Thorny Confession Kim Ryeo-ryeong, BIR Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 289p, ISBN 9788949123141 Kim Ryeo-ryeong, author of Wandeuk, which was made into a movie and brought laughter and tears to five million Korean viewers, has published another young adult novel. A splinter will fester if not removed. You must pluck out the splinter that is lodged in your heart. The painful act of confession is a rite of passage that every adolescent must face.

The Store That Sells Time Kim Sun-young, Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. 2012, 265p, ISBN 9788954427173 Winner of the first Jaeum & Moeum Young Adult Literary Award, Onzo opens “The store that sells time” on the internet in order to fulfill her deceased father’s dream. As she fixes her client’s unresolved issues, she reflects on the meaning of time and life.

What Is Your Dream?

A Mountain of Encouragement

How to Use Mom Kim Seong-jean; Illustrator: Kim Joong-suk Changbi Publishers, Inc., 2012 108p, ISBN 9788936451332 A child is delivered to a mother in Nostlinger’s The Factory Made Boy; but in this story the mother is delivered to the child. Through this reversed relationship between mother and child, How to Use Mom asks what a mother is to a child and what it means to have a true family.

Witch Capsule’s Abracadabra Pharmacy Kim So-min; Illustrator: So Yunkyoung BIR Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 88p, ISBN 9788949161495 Witch Capsule’s Abracadabra Pharmacy is about a child who exchanges bodies with his father after taking some medicine from a witch pharmacist. As the child lives his father’s life in his father’s body, the child comes to understand the difficulties of adult life and as a result becomes more considerate.

The Thirteenth Child

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Publishing Trends

A Contrived World

Descendent of the Change King

Jung Young Moon Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2011, 294p, ISBN 9788932022253 Yi Young-hoon Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. 2012, 440p, ISBN 9788954620123

3. Inferno IX Lee In-hwa, Hainaim Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 515p, ISBN 9788965743606

Fiction

Buzz for New Titles and Writers The key literary buzzword in the fourth quarter of 2012 was generated by Jung Young-moon’s A Contrived World (Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd.) The novel won Korea’s three major literary prizes: the Han Moo-sook Award in January, the Dongin Literary Award in October, and the Daesan Literary Award in November. It is unprecedented for an author to win all three literary prizes in a single year with the same novel. The Chosun Ilbo, a daily newspaper, described Jung’s feat as a “literary award grand slam.” The total prize money Jung received hit a record of 110 million won. Non-literary topics like “prize” and “money” might be a bit inappropriate for portraying Jung’s literary scope; however, the fact remains that the novel has had real impact. A Contrived World is a collection of stories based on the author’s stay in San Francisco. It is not a travelogue but a stream of thoughts. Instead of a coordinated storyline, Jung weaves a web of concise and witty sentences in a way that highlights the meaninglessness of life. The 8 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

jury committee of the Dongin Literary Award praised the novel for offering “a wonderful literary experience as readers come across a totally new story on each and every page.” In non-literary genres, Lee In-hwa’s Inferno IX (Hainaim Publishing Co., Ltd.) is a peculiar work that deserves attention. Lee attempts to yoke literature and online gaming in his latest novel, a thriller in which artificially strengthened humans track down murder suspects. The author seems to deliver the message that people should make new cooperative efforts to resolve today’s fundamental contradictions. As the Earth reaches its limit in terms of growth, the world struggles with deepening unemployment and environmental pollution. Existing superpowers such as the U.S. and China are not capable of handling such pressing issues. The author suggests that hope lies in the artificially enhanced humans and their collective intelligence, reminding readers of the importance of online gamers. Lee, novelist and professor of digital media at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, is also known to be a passionate gamer. As for new writers, there is no question that readers should pay attention to Yi Young-hoon and his award-winning novel Descendent of the Change King (Munhakdongne Publishing Corp.). The novel, winner of the 2012 Munhakdongnae Novel Award, explores the potential of text in a serious yet humorous way at a time when society has turned into a database-guzzling monster. “Change King” in the novel’s title refers to a fictional live-action children’s television series like Power Rangers. The story revolves around a boy who keeps watching Change King, refusing to talk to his stepfather. The author also shows how hard this man in his 30s tries to be accepted as the boy’s father, raising an intriguing question about what becoming a father really means. by Uh Soo-woong

Nonfiction

Scholars Reach Out to Readers Since the autumn of 2012, a number of notable nonfiction titles have hit bookstores in South Korea. Of the large selection, two books stand out: Japan I Read and Met, by Kim Yun-sik, professor emeritus of Seoul National University (Greenbee Publishing Company) and My Exploration of Cultural Heritage (Vol.7) by Yu Hong-june, professor of Myungji University (Changbi Publishers Inc.). Kim, a much-respected scholar of Korean literature, chronicles his life in Japan. He lived in Japan on two separate occasions, and his experiences in that country underlies the 800-page tome. The first half of the book is devoted to Kim’s first period in Japan in 1970. Back then, Kim, in his mid-30s, was an assistant professor at a national university and was studying modern literature. Ten years later, he revisited Japan and what he experienced adds rich detail to the latter part of the book. Readers are privy to Kim’s scholarly passion for Korean literature and his endeavors to explore literature’s essence. Kim introduces five figures—either Japanese or intellectuals related to Japan—as key characters that let his stories unfurl: literary critics Hideo Kobayashi and Jun Eto; Arimasa Mori, who settled in Paris after refusing to take a professorship at the

1. My Exploration of Cultural Heritage (Vol.7) Yu Hong-june, Changbi Publishers, Inc. 2012, 472p, ISBN 9788936472184 2. Japan I Read and Met Kim Yun-sik Greenbee Publishing Company 2012, 808p, ISBN 9788976821546

prestigious Tokyo University; Ruth Benedict, an anthropologist and author of The Chrysanthemum and the Sword; and Richard Mitchell, the historian who wrote Thought Control in Prewar Japan. The very person who unifies the five figures is Lee Kwangsoo. For an author specializing in the modern literature of Korea, Lee represents a fundamental problem to be investigated and scrutinized. György Lukács, who prompts scholars to ponder the relationship between a period of time and its literature, also holds a crucial key to what Kim wants to say. Although Kim details his personal experiences as a scholar in this book, he presents a fascinating picture of how a pioneering literary critic in the previous generation fought a difficult battle to broaden his scholarly horizons and lead his life properly. Professor Yu Hong-june’s book is the latest installment of the popular art history series My Exploration of Cultural Heritage that began about 20 years ago. So far the series has sold more than three million copies, setting an unprecedented record in the travel category of the Korean publishing industry. The author weaves a wonderful web of depictions about the country’s favorite island, Jeju, featuring villages, caves, and historic sites linked to political exiles and female divers. Yu’s writing, as always, is highly detailed; his extensive knowledge of interesting historical facts hidden across the island is irresistibly engaging. Given that Jeju Island is a popular tourist destination for not only Koreans but also foreigners, the book fully deserves attention among publishers as an excellent title to be translated into English and other languages.

Illustration Bratislava (BIB). The market is also witnessing more and more international projects among foreign illustrators and Korean writers and editors. Eye, a title by Changbi Publishers, Inc., is one of such cooperative endeavors, featuring the works by Polish illustrator Iwona Chmielewska. The illustrator, who is more active in Korea than in her home country of Poland, sheds fresh light on the act of seeing. The book, inspired by the everyday life of a blind friend, calls for readers to reexamine the meaning of being handicapped. In 2011, Korean author Kim Heekyung won the Ragazzi Award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair with her book A House of the Mind: Maum in collaboration with Chmielewska. This time, Kim’s new title Twelve Birds is the country’s first-ever Braille children’s picture book. Suzy Lee, a world-renowned illustrator, has published Open This Little Book together with an American writer. The book, published in seven countries, is composed of seven smaller picture books; readers have to see the book to believe that this incredible feat is possible. Lee has been credited with exploring new artistic territory and constantly experimenting. Her fans are never disappointed, largely because Lee continues to push the artistic envelope in her work. Illustrator Baek Heena, also known for her ambition and experimental style, has published a new book, The Bath Fairy. This picture book, based on photographs of clay art, is a refined modern adaptation of an old Korean folktale about a bathing fairy. Baek, the award-winning author of Cloud Bread and The Moon Sorbet, humorously depicts the famous fairy, now in her old age, playing with a young girl at a public bathhouse. Younger readers will be charmed by the clay art and the fun antics, and adults will be lured back to their childhood memories of bathhouses. by Kim Inae

by Kim Bumsoo

Children's Books

Picture Books Take Off The most prominent trend in Korean children’s literature in recent months is the rapid progress in picture books. It is no longer a surprise that Korean publishers and authors receive international awards such as the Bologna Ragazzi Award and The Biennial of

Twelve Birds Kim Heekyung Changbi Publishers, Inc. 2012, 60p, ISBN 9788936454425

2. The Bath Fairy Baek Heena, Bear Books 2012, 44p, ISBN 9788993242706

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Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books

A New Horizon for Children’s Book Illustrators With a relatively short history in Korea, illustrated children’s books are gaining in popularity at home and winning accolades abroad.

Since cartoons require a delicate balance of image and text, talented artists jumped at the opportunity to create illustrations since the earliest stages of the genre. In 1908, Korea’s first cartoon was drawn for Yu Kil-jun’s “A Reader for Workers’ Night Class,” which appeared in the Kyungsung Daily newspaper. In 1925, Korea’s first children’s cartoon strip, Seedong’s First Horse Ride, was drawn by An Seok-joo, a play and movie producer, as well as song lyricist. The first Korean children’s cartoon book, The Rabbit and Monkey, was published in 1946 by Kim Yong-hwan, who based it on Ma Hae-song’s original story of the same title. The Rabbit and Monkey was published a year after Korea gained independence from Japanese colonial rule. Kim wanted the children of Korea to regain their optimism for the future. In the 1980s, more than a dozen cartoon magazines such as Treasure Island, IQ Jump, and Sonyun Champ found widespread popularity and Korea’s iconic cartoon characters—Dooly, the Little Dinosaur, Run, Hany, and Young-Shim—became beloved characters of a generation. In recent years, children’s nonfiction cartoons have led the publishing industry in Korea in terms of sales. This is due to the newfound popularity

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of children’s cartoons with educational content, such as the cartoon books Why Series, Survival Series, Treasure Hunting Series, and so on. Such series typically include more than 30 books, and the topics are diversifying into various disciplines with educational value such as science, culture, society, and foreign languages. In addition to such large-volume cartoon book series like the Why Series, children’s magazines also serve as a platform for cartoonists to expand their creativity. Children’s magazines such as Goraeya or Gaeddong’s Playground dedicate half of their content to science, society, and culture cartoons. Interesting to note is that the popular monthly cartoon series from the magazines are compiled and republished as cartoon books. Some have gone on to win critical acclaim and success. Children’s cartoons in Korea may have a short history but the variety and volume are expanding year after year, with new platforms such as Internet-based cartoons playing a pivotal role in the emerging market of children’s cartoons. The following is an introduction of children’s cartoons from magazines and books.

Peter Historia Grand Prize Winner of the 2012 Bucheon M a n hw a Aw a rd . T h i s s tor y or i g i n a l ly appeared in the children’s magazine Goraeya from 2007 to 2009, and was later published as a two-volume cartoon book. The story is about Peter, a child slave, who in born in the Mesopotamia era and lives through ancient Greece and Rome, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars, and the war in Iraq. As readers follow Peter through these historical periods, they are exposed to history. Peter belongs to a different social class in each historical period, but nonetheless he remains near the bottom of the social ladder, helping readers to become aware of social class differences.

Peter Historia (2 vols.) Education Community Nada; Illustrator: Song Dong-geun Bookinthegap, 2011, 263p (Vol.1), ISBN 9788996442011 (set)

Hello, Junwoochi?

Hello, Junwoochi? (2 vols.) Ha Min-seuk, Bori Publishing Company 2010, 203p, ISBN 9788984286085 (Vol.1)

Winner of the Outstanding Value Award at the 2011 Seoul International Children’s Book Fair, the singlevolume cartoon book was originally a popular series from the children’s magazine, Gaeddong’s Playground. Junwoochi is a supernatural character from Korean folklore. Along with Suk, the protagonist of the story, Junwoochi embarks upon explorations that have educational lessons, such as how to organize books, how to brush your teeth properly, what to do when you catch a cold, and so forth. Weaving fiction and nonfiction, this cartoon book is noted for combining elements of fantasy with practical advice.

Mom’s Dinner Table

Mom’s Dinner Table Park Yeon, GCKBOOK 2008, 173p, ISBN 9788996045151

An organic farmer with 20 years of experience, the author is a famous cartoon environmentalist in Korea, winning several prestigious awards since 1992. In the story, a city girl who only enjoys computer games and eats chips ventures out into the farmlands to discover the joy of nature. The author explains how to raise crops in an environmentally friendly manner and how to make healthy food at home. The author’s personal experience as a farmer and vivid illustrations help readers understand values of farming.

Plant Detective PEA, Find the Offenders in Our Town!

Plant Detective PEA, Find the Offenders in Our Town! Hwang Kyeong-taek, Gilbutschool 2009, 225p, ISBN 9788962221435

T his is a stor y about Wa ndu, born f rom a n entomologist mother and botanist father, who embarks upon a journey to solve the mysterious happenings in his neighborhood. As Wandu finds clues from the vegetables, readers learn about plants and vegetables through this interesting detective story. Lessons provided with vivid illustrations will enlighten readers. list_ Books from Korea

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Special Section

Not Enough to Cry Grand Prize Winner of the 2011 Bucheon International Comics Festival. This story is an autobiographical portrayal of Choi Gyu-seok’s endeavors to realize his dreams. Born into a poor family, the protagonist of the story has no means to receive the art lessons he wants. As the story unfolds, the realistic portrayals of the cartoonist’s life experiences are vividly expressed. In an interview for this book, the renowned cartoonist said, “I wanted to describe the scenes in the same temperature as I felt them.” This moving story details the cartoonist’s life experiences as an art student to becoming an art teacher.

Not Enough to Cry Choi Gyu-seok, Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. 2010, 144p, ISBN 9788958284970

Chany, the Character Cartoonist The illustrator of this book, Bak Hae-chan, is a 6th grade elementary school student and the gold prize winner of the Student Cartoon Competition, hosted by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency. Bak decided to write a story that details his own aspirations to become a cartoonist. Bak, in collaboration with Choi Keumrak, describes how to write and illustrate nonfiction and fiction, as well as short stories and cartoons. The story develops in relation to Bak’s development as an aspiring cartoonist, and readers receive plenty of advice on how to draw cartoons.

Chany, the Character Cartoonist Choi Keum-rak; Illustrator: Bak Hae-chan, Gobooky Books 2009, 96p, ISBN 9788992479677

My Mother’s Story The cartoonist uses his mother’s vivid anecdotes to describe the scenery and events of Korea around a hundred years ago. The protagonist of the story is the cartoonist’s mother Yi Bokdongnyeo, who was born in 1927. Thanks to his mother’s keen memory, the life of an ordinary woman from nearly a century ago is retold like a photo album. The story goes on to describe the major historic events of modern Korea. This book is also valued for its nonfiction narrative. by Kim Ji-eun

My Mother's Story Kim Eun-sung, Sai Comics 2008, 228p, ISBN 9788990781659

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Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books

Reinventing the Children’s Nonfiction Series Innovative approaches to educational picture books are inspiring parents and children to become devotees of a new generation of illustrated book series. Children’s nonfiction is f lying off the shelves of Korean bookstores these days. Nothing like nonfiction satisfies the insatiable curiosity of children or stimulates their intellect in the same way. Nonfiction, in general, helps the reader to understand information related to a diverse range of subjects such as science, culture, politics, society, economics, and history. Of these topics science and history have proven to be the most popular in children’s nonfiction, with publishers leaning towards comic books as the most effective way of combining entertainment and education. This explains the steady popularity of various educational comic book series. Comic books fail, however, in cases where it is necessary to convey information on a more sophisticated scale. Readers these days are demanding nonfiction series that present accurate information in fresh, original ways that go beyond the limitations of the comic book form. The current trend in children’s nonfiction in Korea is to publish a diverse range of subjects under a single series. Unlike the old, “complete set” model of series that were planned and published all at once, these books are published on a stand alone basis. This saves the publisher from hefty production costs and allows the reader to purchase the books one at a time, without having to spend a lump sum. The reader also has the pleasure of waiting for each new book to come out, as most series are planned without a limit on how many books will comprise the entire series. As each book in the series is published individually, the reader can mix and match titles according to their interests without having to commit to the entire set. While the books adhere to the same overall planning concept, each book functions as a completely individual title thanks to changes in format, design, and editing according to subject. Recent titles are also noteworthy for faithful documentation of source material ranging from academic

articles to books, newspapers, magazines, internet links, and photographs, lending credibility to the accuracy of the material. With a flood of series now being published, this article will review a select few for their original planning, accuracy, diversity of views offered, and visuals. Hyeonamsa’s Semo Knowledge Museum (“semo” being an acronym of the Korean for “all the _ in the world”) series includes six books so far. A Trip to the Museum of Musical Instruments is about musical instruments from all over the world; Play and Learn at the Library explains all about the function of libraries; Money, Who Are You? offers insight into everything related to money; Paper Is Strong! informs readers about the history of all kinds of paper; Great Salt! takes a look at the facts and culture surrounding salt; and Just Married! examines marital customs and cultures from around the world. While belonging to the same series, each book features a different look, alternating freely between photographs, comic book format, and conventional illustration. Just Married!, for instance, uses illustrations from beginning to end to depict the different style of weddings and marital cultures in various countries. Money, Who Are You?, on the other hand, uses photographs of actual coins and notes alongside comic strips and illustrations. Even though the same typography is used throughout

Semo Knowledge Museum series Hyeonamsa Publishing Co., Ltd.

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Getting Close to Society series Changbi Publishers, Inc.

the series, almost all other aspects of editorial direction and design are given free rein in each book. The connecting theme is that each book functions as a museum of data from around the world, while being penned by different authors in varying styles. The editors’ vision of encouraging critical thinking skills by presenting information not merely in a factual manner, but in a thematic way comes across clearly throughout the series. Changbi Publishers takes particular care with each individually released title of its Getting Close to Society series. Every year the publisher hosts its Changbi Good Children’s Book Contest, with the prize for the winning entry in nonfiction being published as part of the Getting Close to Society series. Of course, not all of the books in the series are comprised of contest entries. So far books in the series have explored topics related to history, culture, and nature. Detective, Save the UNESCO Memory of the World introduces readers to Korea’s seven World Documentary Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO, appealing to the eye with its narrative organization, faithful documentation, and fact sheets with a layout reminiscent of newspapers. Guess What I Used To Be? poses riddle-like questions to the reader in an overview of traditional Korean dwellings. Parts of the book feature reversible flaps so the reader can open the doors of a room or house. Little Rice Paddy by the Apartment, written in journal form, documents the experiences of first-time city farmers growing rice in a small paddy adjoining their apartment buildings. Natural Monuments of Korea relies on photographs and extensive 14 list_ Books from Korea

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descriptions about the different types of natural monuments in Korea, calling attention to the environment at the same time. Detective, Save the UNESCO Memory of the World introduces the reader to UNESCO-designated items of Intangible Cultural Heritage Humanity in Korea such as the pansori epic songs, Cheoyongmu, the Gangneung Danoje Festival, and Namsadang Nori. By far history is the most popular subject in children’s nonfiction series. Woongjin ThinkBig’s Seeing Eye to Eye World History Class is a now completed series with a total of eight volumes. This series breaks away from the Eurocentric view of world history in favor of an Asian perspective. The Flowering of Ancient Civilizations starts from the beginning of civilization up to the Qin dynasty, Persian, and Roman empires; The Silk Road to Prosperity looks at the mass migration of nomadic tribes and the Tang dynasty, Byzantine, and Islamic empires; The Birth of Global Empires examines the development of trade in Song-era China and the Islamic world, European feudalism, and the Mongolian empire; The Global Village shows how the discovery of new naval routes ushered in a new era of globalism; The Asian-European Stand Off looks at the rise of prosperity in East Asian countries and the expansion of Western imperialism; Coal and Machinery Conquer the World tells the tale of how revolutions in Europe and America formed a new Western hegemony; The Beginning of New Changes and Challenges discusses how Asian and African countries responded to the invasion of Western imperialists; and The Two Faces of Modernity looks at how the material wealth that humanity achieved in the 20th century came at the cost of terrible barbarity. Numerous photographs and detailed illustrations aid the reader’s understanding of the march of history. The history of the world comes alive for the reader with the use of photographs of rare relics. Illustrated maps that conveniently

Seeing Eye to Eye: World History Class series Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.

depict historical artifacts, persons, and events in the same space allow the reader to take in everything at once, experiencing the chronological and spatial flow of history. Boxed articles are sprinkled throughout, providing detailed biographies of historical figures as well as important questions to ponder. Historical charts are organized by continent as well as by subject, inviting the reader to develop varied areas of interest. Charts laying out Korean and world history side by side offer the opportunity to compare historical maps, artifacts, and sites at the same time. R e l a t e d t o h i s t or y, but p e r t a i n i n g m or e t o the traditiona l customs and way of life in Korea, Munhakdongne’s Korean Culture series comprises 16 titles so far. The series recreates the world of traditional culture in picture book form. The books are jointly authored by experts who have been studying Korean history and culture for years, with meticulous fact-checking by college professors according to specialty. The illustrations are likewise the result of careful research and deliberation, delighting the eye as much as serving as a practical aid. This leads to an appreciation of cultural heritage far beyond that of mere fact-dropping. Books in the history series include A King’s Day in Gyeongbok Palace, which explores the lives of past kings who used the palace; Market Day takes the reader back to market day in the past, which was as much a day to socialize as to buy and sell things; Traditional Instruments looks at traditional Korean instruments made from eight different kinds of materials found in nature; Turning Older examines the traditional celebrations that marked milestone ages in the past; and Maps looks back on the history of cartography in Korea, offering glimpses of stunning masterpieces of the past. Other titles include Daedong Nori, Guardian Spirits, Wars at Sea, Pagodas, Talchum (Korean masked dance), A Day in the Gardens of Joseon, Korean Porcelain, Hanok (traditional Korean architecture), Korean Astrology, The Royal Tombs of Joseon, and Pansori. In looking at Korea’s customs and culture, the Korean Culture series provides insight into the roots of

Korean Culture series Munhakdongne Publishing Corp.

Korea’s traditional heritage, as well as the country’s early use of advanced science. It also paints a vivid picture of the Korean artistic spirit and national psyche through its depiction of musical instruments, songs, pictures, crafts, dance, and games. Other series that explore Korean traditions include Borim Press’s Traditional Science series and Bori Publishing Company’s Illustrated Handbooks on Traditional Korean Life and Culture, with Sakyejul's Encyclopedia of Traditional Culture deserving a nod for its diligently researched material. Also of note is Sakyejul’s People and Work series, which examines the world through the lens of various occupations. So far the series has followed the daily routines of a chef working in a Chinese restaurant, a mail carrier, a firefighter, a fashion designer, a fisherman, a doctor, a rancher, and an elementary school teacher. Math or science series have mostly relied on comic book form to appeal, so far with great success, to their young readers. Recent children’s nonfiction series are experimenting with new forms to present information on a diverse range of subjects. by Yoon So-hee

People and Work series Sakyejul Publishing Ltd.

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Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books

Kids Warm Up to Nonfiction

While original stories and stories based on folklore are popular for children’s books, nonfiction titles with the aim to educate as well as entertain, are exploding with bold creative content. The Korea’s children’s book market is steadily increasing in terms of volume and variety, expanding into subjects such as history, geography, science, the environment, culture, art, and noteworthy people. Books with creative content are gaining a stronger foothold among young Korean readers. Introduced here is a selection of nonfiction books, from various Korean publishers, recommended for children all over the world.

Body Book: From Girl to Woman At around age 11 when psychological responses to physical changes begin, a girl can be said to begin growing into a young woman. While an earlier generation of women began their first menstrual period at the average age of 14.41, their generation of daughters experience it at the age of 11.98. This earlier start of puberty confuses many mothers and daughters. Kim’s book provides reader-friendly advice in a question-andanswer format with colorful illustrations. Each chapter deals with changes that occur in the mind and body, and at the end of each chapter, a corner called “ W h i sper You r C onc er n s” deals with tips that range from fashion to health. Designed like a small encyclopedia, this is a must-read for parents with daughters who are entering puberty.

Body Book: From Girl to Woman Kim Malga; Illustrator: Son Da-hye VOOZFIRM, 2011, 123p ISBN 9788994545240

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I Grow My Own Tasty Vegetables!

How to Write a Math Diary Lee Jung, Park Won-kyoo, Lee Jung-min Illustrator: Kim Sang-in Gimm-Young Publishers, Inc. 2011, 156p, ISBN 9788934944652

How to Write a Math Diary

I Grow My Own Tasty Vegetables! is based on author Kim Bada’s experience as a mother who raised vegetables with her children in their city apartment. Designed like a photo journal book, Kim explains how to raise vegetables in recycled plastic bottles and Styrofoam boxes. She provides information on how to make compost from leftover food, tips for making a home garden, descriptions on how to select and plant seeds, and instructions for growing and harvesting vegetables properly. With third and fourth year elementary school students as the main characters of the story, the book describes how they grow their own vegetables in a baby bathtub, purchase seeds, and take care of the vegetables with their mothers. Readers who are accustomed to urban life will find this book informative and enlightening.

The three authors, elementary school math teachers who also teach gifted and talented students, partnered together to explain the A-to-Z of math diary writing. Step-by-step tips are provided on how to write a math diary based on ordinary life experiences. The book provides plenty of reading materials to help readers understand the value of writing a math diary and receive feedback on their writing. Emphasis is placed on letting readers develop their math skills at their own pace and reflect on their thoughts. Through storytelling, children will grasp the concepts of math in an easier manner and learn how write their own math stories. The authors provide 40 sample diary entries to help elementary school students experiencing difficulties in understanding math the conventional way.

I Grow My Own Tasty Vegetables! Kim Bada; Illustrator: Kim Ju-li Hollym Corp., Publishers, 2011, 112p ISBN 9788970943558

The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child Kim Yi-kyung; Illustrator: Jo Seung-yun Gilbutschool, 2012, 160p ISBN 9788962224795

The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child describes the life stories of the recipients of the World’s Children’s Prize, which was created by the Swedish Red Cross and eight other organizations in 2000. The prize is also known as the Nobel Prize for children. Over 27 million children from over 100 countries cast their votes by letter, e-mail, or fax to nominate a child who contributed to raising awareness. Among the recipients are Iqbal Masih, who fought against child labor, Murhabazi Namegebe, who fought for the human rights of child soldiers, and Somaly Mam, who fought against child prostitution. At the end of each chapter, the author provides advice for how readers can help improve humanity.

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What Is Happening at the Foreshore? The intertidal zones along the western coastal border of Korea were created 8,000 years ago, yet the ecosystem of the region remains a mystery even today. As a reporter for an environmental magazine, the author explains the amazing value of the foreshores in terms of geology, biology, history, and cultural studies. The concepts are explained simply and plenty of pictures are provided. The author explains how foreshores are protected in the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan to reinforce the importance of saving the environment. The scientific names for the animals and plants found around the foreshores are provided in the pictorial index as well.

The Little Detectives In Search of Cultural Heritage! This is a story about a 12-year-old Korean-American boy searching for the owner of his grandfather’s folding fan. He commissions the Little Detectives, a group of child detectives in Korea, to help him. Based on the folding fan and a notebook as clues, the Little Detectives realize that the case is related to what is deemed part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea. As the Little Detectives embark on their search, readers learn about Korea’s cultural heritage, as designated by UNESCO. Some examples are pansori, traditional epic songs that richly portray Korea’s history and sentiment, and ganggangsullae, a traditional dance where young women dance in a wide circle. Each chapter ends with “Notes of the Little Detectives,” which provides extra learning material about Korea’s cultural heritage.

What Is Happening at the Foreshore? Lee Hye-young Illustrator: Cho Kwang-hyun Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. 2004, 158p, ISBN 895828031X

by Kim Youngwook

The Little Detectives In Search of Cultural Heritage! Winged Pencil; Illustrator: Hong Seon-ju Changbi Publishers, Inc. 2012, 146p, ISBN 9788936446246

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Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books

Look Again, See More Nonfiction picture books allow us to look at our world from different perspectives. The world around us and the space we occupy within it are interrelated, and high-quality picture books help children express their thoughts and feelings about their universe.

Whitlow Grass Blossoms Below the Street Trees Lee Tae-soo, Urikyoyuk Co., Ltd. 2004, 34p, ISBN 9788980404117

Gazing at Each Other: Talks Among Animals Yoon Yeo-rim; Illustrator: Lee Yoo-jung Little Mountain Publishing Co. 2012, 52p, ISBN 9788989646853

Orbis Sensualium Pictus, written by Comenius and published in 1658 (the Korean translation published in 1999 by SIAT Publishing Co., Ltd.), is known as the first picture book for children. Picture books are popular among today’s children, yet their purpose expands beyond education. The visual language and format allows authors to express their perspectives in unique ways. Even for nonfiction picture books that deal with a familiar event, authors use new approaches that allow them to portray unique sentiments. Among Korea’s nonfiction picture books, the following selections are noteworthy for their style, visualization, and format.

Looking Closely Whitlow Grass Blossoms Below the Street Trees is a story that allows us to discover the small yet precious forms of life that we tend to overlook on a daily basis. The author said that he drew and described what he observed from spring to winter. The various types of grass that grow between sidewalk cracks, under concrete walls and tree-lined streets, and in the empty city grounds, are carefully described in the book, as well as the tiny insects or other animals that create a small ecosystem. Don't Worry, Sweetheart, Everything Will Be O.K. is another picture book by the same author. The story describes a kestrel that hatches late from its egg. The caring kestrel parents lovingly nurture the little kestrel. The inner city landscape is described from the kestrel’s perspective, as a little bird nested on top of a building to when it is finally able to fly among the city buildings. The lessons of the story evolve around the idea that even in a city there is always an ecosystem and that list_ Books from Korea

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Special Section

Hwaseong Fortress: The Dream of King Jeongjo Kim Jin-seop; Illustrator: Kim Byeong-ha Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. 2012, 32p, ISBN 9788901143347

we should be respectful to the small creatures that share our habitat. Gazing at Each Other: Talks Among Animals is a story about the ironic situation of animals in a zoo. The picture book shows an animal, such as a cheetah, running fast in the wild, but when the page is turned we see the cheetah sitting in a cage. Various animals are portrayed in a contrasting manner between being free in nature and being caged in a zoo, not knowing their instinct and potential as animals. The questionand-answer narrations that accompany each animal offer us insights about humans, animals, and nature.

Visually Representing History Hwaseong Fortress: The Dream of King Jeongjo is a story about the construction of a fortress built by King Jeongjo from 1794 to 1796 in Suwon. Hwaseong Fortress represents the best of Europe and Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18th century military architecture. It demonstrates the developments in construction and use of materials that left a huge impact on Korean architecture. The book is designed to reflect these historic and cultural values. The stages of building the fortress are represented in a sequential manner with each turn of the page. In addition, the book is designed like a folding screen so readers can physically feel certain features of the fortress.

Gomanye: a Story of North Gando One Century Ago Moon Yeong-mi; Illustrator: Kim Jin-wha Borim Press, 2012, 30p, ISBN 9788943308957

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I Want to Be a Star Yi Min-hui, Changbi Publishers, Inc. 2008, 48p, ISBN 9788936454210

Gomanye: a Story of North Gando One Century Ago is a story about a girl and her family’s journey of moving to North Jiandao, China in 1899. At the time, North Jiandao was considered the land of new opportunity. The story details how the family learns to live in a new environment and adapt to a new culture. The illustrations depict the ordinary life of the people living in North Jiandao a century ago, allowing the young readers to understand how life could be so different yet similar in many ways.

funeral rituals. Six children from six regions appear as the narrators, innocently describing the world they live in and how it relates to funerals. The concept of life and death is difficult for children to understand and the author approaches the matter through the perspective of the children. The colorful illustrations encourage readers to consider the relationship of life, death, and nature. by Eom Hye-suk

Wider Space, Larger Perspective The Stories Shouldn’t Be True is a book that deals with children’s human rights, as designated by the United Nations. This book won the 2011 Ragazzi Award for Children’s Nonfiction. Various children from around the world are represented in the book, simply saying their names one by one. Yet the sentiments of their living conditions are vividly portrayed through the illustrations. Page after page, readers will be exposed to the reality of human rights violations occurring in many parts of the world. I Want to Be a Star is a story about different cultures’

The Stories Shouldn’t Be True Gang Gyeong-su, Sigongsa Co., Ltd. 2011, 36p, ISBN 9788952760661

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Interview

A Modernist of Humor and Lyricism Writer Jung Young Moon The year 2012 could be called “the year of Jung Young Moon.” Jung received three major literary awards, one after another, for A Contrived World, published in 2011. A warm reception not enjoyed by the author throughout the publication of a dozen books since 1997 suddenly and belatedly washed over him. Of his works, the short story collections A Chain of Dark Tales and Pierrot on the Moon have been translated, the former into English and French and the latter into German, and A Most Ambiguous Sunday and An Afternoon of the Faun, also short story collections, are currently undergoing translation, as well as the novel, Vaseline Buddha. Jung writes novels in which the narrators do everything in their imagination. The author, who rarely ever permits clichés, talks about “nothingness” as he describes ugliness instead of beauty, distinguishes between wretchedness and misery, ridicules rather than mocks, transforms ideas into lyricism, and goes from daydreams to delusions. To the author, an impressionist of languor, or an avant-garde lyricist, humor is language, ethics, and light.

Relationships: Insomnia and Writing, Narrator and Author Han Eun-hyeong: Congratulations on receiving three literary awards last year for A Contrived World.* Jung Young Moon: I’m all the more pleased, because all three awards are among the most prestigious in Korea, and are given without commercial considerations. Han: You’ve been known to suffer from severe insomnia. When did it start? There are many references to insomnia in your works—does it have an effect on your works? Jung: It started when I began writing these wretched things called novels. It began to get severe about 10 years ago, I think. A normal brain automatically switches over to sleeping mode when it’s time, but my brain always malfunctions. A lot of thoughts come to me as I lie awake in bed, tossing and turning. Sleepless hours, for me, are also hours in which I can concentrate on writing. Recently, I had this thought—naming each night’s sleep wouldn’t help me fall asleep, but it could 22 list_ Books from Korea

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be better than counting sheep, I should name tonight’s sleep, the confusion of a racehorse that abandons the fallen jockey and runs away without even looking back. Then I made the following note. “But as the horse runs far, far away, my sleep, too, runs far, far away, when the jockey is passed out and sleeping. Will the jockey leap to his feet and go after the horse if I wake him? It seems that I’ll be able to fall sleep only if the jockey runs and catches the horse. It’s a good night to go for a walk on a quiet street on which standing statues are looking down, in some place like Torino, Italy, where standing statues stand here and there on the streets, on a street with equestrian statues, where fallen jockeys have disappeared without a trace.” In the end, I stayed up all night that night, thinking such thoughts, but at least I could think that I had thoughts that were good for staying up all night with. Han: You’re an author who’s suspected to be almost identical to the narrators of his novels. In what way does Jung Young Moon, the author, differ the most from his narrators? How close, and how far, is he from the narrators? Jung: Suspected, you say? You could say that all the novels I’ve written so far are my own stories. I have a hard time distancing myself from the narrators of my novels. There is both good and bad to it, I think. The good being that there are no feelings of disparity and awkwardness that come when you tell a story through a narrator whose personality is completely different from yours, since you can assimilate yourself completely to the character and immerse yourself in him. And you don’t have to take the trouble of gaining new understanding or knowledge about an unfamiliar narrator. The bad would be that I expose myself too completely through the narrator. So there are times when I feel as if I’m being stripped. Personally, though, I think that’s a good thing as well. Han: You say that the narrators of the novels are Jung Young-moon himself, but the alter egos seem quite varied. Jung: Even the things I actually experienced go through a * In 2012, Jung received the HMS Literary Award, the Dong-in Literary Award, and the Daesan Literary Award for his novel, A Contrived World, published in 2011. No other work in Korea has been awarded these three awards simultaneously.

Interview

writer Jung Young Moon and Han Eun-hyeong

lot of transformations and distortions in the different contexts of the novels. The characters in the novels I’ve written so far show different sides in different situations, but maybe they could be merged into a single character. They exist in a world called reality, but are abstract, conceptualized figures. You could say that they are people whose basis of thought is made up of their feelings about and awareness of a sense of boredom and emptiness regarding life. The characters in my works, with a consciousness of language on a fundamental level, talk endlessly of emptiness, suffer from the boredom of life, and a sense of helplessness regarding life.

Boredom, Humor, and Irony Han: An Afternoon of the Faun is a beautiful collection of short stories. “Mrs. Brown,” a story in this collection, is somewhat different from your other works. It has a central story and a plot. Did you write it with a certain resolve? Jung: An Afternoon of the Faun is the collection I personally have the most affection for. It’s been translated into English and is scheduled to be published this fall by Dalkey Archive Press, a prestigious U.S. publisher. “Mrs. Brown,” a story with a relatively clear plot, is unusual among my works, which rarely have a plot. It’s a sort of absurd drama, in which a robber breaks into a house in the suburbs of a small town in the U.S. and does ludicrous things, such as making a request to play the piano while he sings, without even asking for money. I wrote it after watching the news about a robbery that actually took place while I was at the University of Iowa in the U.S. for the 2005 International Writing Program. I’d never written a story with a clear motif, and such stories never had an appeal for me, and even while writing this story I thought it didn’t really suit me, so I felt ill at ease writing it. It’s a somewhat abrupt piece of work, different from the other, ambiguous pieces in An Afternoon of the Faun.

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Vaseline Buddha

A Contrived World

An Afternoon of the Faun

Jung Young Moon Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. 2010, 276p, ISBN 9788957075135 Jung Young Moon Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2011, 294p, ISBN 9788932022253 Jung Young Moon Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. 2008, 303p, ISBN 9788954605793

Ha n: The sentence, “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously,” which appears repeatedly in Vaseline Buddha, is a sentence composed by Chomsky, a sentence that’s semantically incorrect but beautiful. Do you consider it your literary motto? Jung: When I was writing the novel, I tried to give it a general overtone like that of the sentence. I wanted to write a novel that was indefinable, one that could be read in a variety of ways. Han: Humor is based on intellect, isn’t it? Vaseline Buddha is an interesting, unique work in itself, but I felt that you were training your intellect for the humor that was to come into full bloom in A Contrived World. How do you feel about that? Jung: Humor is something that lies at the core of my works. And what I see as humor always involves the irony of the futility of existence. You could say that the two novels are a work in two parts, that something that revealed itself in Vaseline Buddha took on a more concrete shape in A Contrived World. No, now that I’ve said it, it doesn’t seem that way. I think the two are separate pieces of work. Ha n: I laughed countless times while reading A Contrived World. I don’t want to use a word like this, but I felt healed, in a way. How much did you laugh while writing it? Jung: I laughed by myself now and then. But I didn’t experience any healing myself. Even while writing it, I

suffered from extreme boredom and feelings of emptiness. I think the humor came about naturally in the process of putting up with those feelings. Han: I got the impression that you were obsessed with describing the appearance of ugly women. The narrator is strangely moved while describing ugliness. Why is that? Is it because it’s naive and simple to describe beautiful women? Jung: About good-looking men or beautiful women, there’s nothing more to say than that they’re beautiful, but there’s great individuality to an ugly face, with much to describe, and the descriptions can be fun, I think. There’s something moving about an ugly woman, to be sure.

The Imagination and Reality of a Stateless Writer Han: Is there anything you’d like to say to readers abroad? Jung: From the beginning, I started writing novels that were far from what they call “Korean,” and almost none of my works reveal clues that lead you to assume that the setting is in Korea. My works deal with universal human existence and emotions, so no matter what your nationality, you’ll feel almost no sense of disparity that comes from reading foreign novels. I think trained readers in search of novels that are serious and humorous at the same time will enjoy my works. Han: Do you see yourself as a Korean writer? Jung: I see myself as a stateless writer who just happens to write in Korean.

didn’t. The dog looked up at me as if it didn’t know what was going on, and as I sat there quietly looking down at the dog, I felt as if I’d come to her house to fold and unfold the dog’s ears over and over again. In the end, my friend told me to stop folding and unfolding her Maltese’s ears and go home, and I ended up going home, leaving one of the dog’s ears folded, and even after I got home, I went on thinking that the dog’s ear would remain folded until the next morning, at least. The next morning, I didn’t call her to see if the dog’s ear was still folded, but I did think that a Maltese was a dog whose ears were good for folding. I’ve folded back the ears of many dogs, and a Maltese’s ears actually stayed folded the best. Han: Lastly, if you could tell me about any repetitive thought you’ve had lately, groping in the dark or in a haze, what would it be? Jung: It’s a slight twist on the title of Thomas Mann’s novella, Death in Venice—I started writing a story about someone who goes to Venice and meets his end after writing a novel about someone who meets his end after writing a novel called An End in Gangwondo (a province in Korea), or someone who goes to Gangwon Province and meets his end after writing a novel about someone who meets his end after writing a novel called An End in Venice, or someone who thinks about writing such a novel but meets his end without ever writing it, but it’s unclear even as to whether he goes to Gangwon Province or Venice, or if everything is real or merely imagined, and the narrator falls endlessly into hazy thoughts, even as he writes. That’s the general idea, but I don’t know how it’s going to unfold or end. by Han Eun-hyeong

Han: What would you say is the most distinguishing characteristic of your novels? 3

Jung: I’d say it’s that they have no narrative, and are mostly made up of disconnected, fragmentary anecdotes and ideas. Nothing really happens, and the narrator’s consciousness makes for a large part of the works. You could say that I’m continuing the tradition of Kafka and Beckett, great modernists of the 20th century. Han: How do you come up with ideas? Jung: Sometimes I base a work on the smallest bit of an idea, and sometimes, I come up with as many ideas as possible, and then remove the traces of thinking as much as possible in the final stage, making the work look as if it were written without any thought at all. Han: You seem to be a writer who’s particularly sensitive to the nuance of words. What whimsical, fun thoughts have you had lately? Jung: I was at a friend’s house recently, sitting on her sofa with her Maltese puppy in my lap, folding and unfolding its ears over and over again, thinking that in English, the folded corner of a page is called a “dog ear.” As I sat there doing that without talking, I sensed that she wanted me to stop, but I

1. Mondestrunken Jung Young Moon, Edition Delta 2012, 191p, ISBN 9783927648432 1

2. A Chain of Dark Tales Jung Young Moon, Stallion Press 2011, 210p, ISBN 9789810853655 3. Pour ne pas rater ma dernière seconde Jung Young Moon, Romanichels 2007, 192p, ISBN 9782845960879

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Excerpt

An Excerpt from A Contrived World by Jung Young Moon

As I lay alone in bed that night, I couldn’t get out of my mind the thought of the hippie who did nothing and lived on dead raccoons and deer. The hippie was someone I didn’t know, and I hadn’t lived in such a way, but he felt so close and familiar to me. Perhaps it was because I, having had to go hungry for many days, for reasons different from those of the hippie, mostly because I didn’t have an appetite or any kind of desire, of course, had a very good understanding of hunger. And the story about the hippie conformed to one of the images I had of hippies, and that night, I became lost in thought like someone slightly insane, and made up a somewhat preposterous story about him (with the intention of making up a somewhat preposterous story), and in his way of life there was a certain form of life I sought. I fleshed out the story about the hippie who lived for a period of time without doing anything, living on dead raccoons and deer, and came up with the following story (I’m getting off track again, but that’s because it doesn’t matter where this novel is headed, which is because this novel doesn’t seek to say anything.). What I want is a novel in which one story stems and breaks away from another story, and all the stories become mixed up together, creating a mishmash. For the hippie who had no choice but to be very poor because he did nothing, every day was a perfect day for doing nothing, and fortunately, only such days continued. But he was always hungry, even though there was nothing he had done, since he did nothing, and always felt unhappy that he was always hungry even though he hadn’t even worked hard at anything. But he didn’t want to make the mistake of blaming someone else for his hunger, so he blamed his hunger on his stomach, which always made him aware that he was hungry. Twice a day, morning and evening, he went out to the road and collected dead raccoons and deer, which was the most important daily task for him, who had nothing else to do, and almost the only daily task. Sometimes he collected flattened raccoons and deer, over which cars had passed after they were already dead. The hippie, who liked soup, usually made stew and soup with the raccoons and deer. Flattened raccoons and deer, however, did not taste different in particular; they tasted only like raccoons and deer, and did not taste like something that had been flattened, or have a flat taste to them, though such a taste would be difficult to describe. The hippie shared the meat of the dead raccoons

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and deer with an old dog that lived with him, and the dog, which had to share in its master’s poverty, had to appease its hunger, eating with its master the meat of the raccoons and deer that had died, hit by cars. It was the dog that moved the hippie, who was always lazy, and knew that there was an infinitely indulgent pleasure in laziness and indulged in the pleasure without trying to break away from it, and was so used to hunger that he was undaunted by any kind of hunger, to go in search of something to eat. He thought he shouldn’t let the dog go hungry, even if he himself went hungry. The dog, in human years, was older than the hippie, and so the hippie thought that he was responsible for providing for the two of them. The hippie, sick of eating raccoons and deer, once fished out a frog that was floating dead on a nearby pond, still looking fresh, and ate it, but the dog did not eat the frog. He thought about the reason why, and came to the conclusion that it was because the dog did not know what a frog tasted like, and did all he could to feed the dog the frog so that the dog may learn what a frog, which he savored, tasted like, but the dog did all it could to resist. During the day, the hippie spent most of his time sitting on a chair on the porch, waiting for the sound of a car coming to a sudden stop, but the road was far enough that he couldn’t hear the sound very well. The dog mostly sat still beside its master, waiting for him to feed it, not having much energy for anything else. Dogs, by nature, have a keener sense of hearing than humans do, but the dog, which could hear almost no sound, being old and hard of hearing, had a poorer sense of hearing than the hippie did, and was of no help at all. The dog, sitting beside him, pricked its ears now and then, not because it heard something, but because it wanted to see if it could hear anything, or if it hadn’t mistaken a sound for something else. Still, when they sat on the porch, they pricked their ears, and what they heard were sounds other than the sound of a car coming to a sudden stop. The hippie, passing long days because he had nothing else to do, looked at the weeds covering up his house, feeling bitter and even betrayed, rather than proud, that they thrived even though he hadn’t done anything to help. Anyway, when he was spending time on the porch, his eyes were always gazing at something. They were directed towards something that looked like a broken fence, nearly all covered up in weeds, beyond the weeds surrounding his house, and when he started looking at something in particular, he rarely ever took his eyes off it. Staring at the broken fence, he was half out of his wits, and befitting someone half out of his wits, his eyes were half out of focus. The dog, feeling weary and in despair that the hippie wasn’t looking at it but only at the fence, barked to let the hippie know that there were other things worth looking at besides the fence, and the hippie slowly turned his eyes away to look at the dog, and then continued to look at the fence or at the nest of some kind of a bird on a branch of a tree in the woods beyond the fence, like someone who had set out on a new task. There was no telling what he thought about while looking at the fence or the bird’s nest, but thinking only thoughts not worth thinking, he may have admired himself for thinking only such thoughts, and felt he didn’t want to trade his life for anyone else’s, even though he didn’t feel that his life

was more satisfying than anyone else’s. No other animals came to the region with changes in seasons, so no other animals were found dead on the road even when seasons changed. In any given season, only deer and raccoons were found dead on the road. So the hippie couldn’t tell if the seasons had changed through the dead animals on the road, but he did sense changes in the seasons in his own unique way, by taking a bath every two months in spring and fall, once every month in summer, and just once in winter. In other words, he let it sink in that the seasons had changed by taking a different number of baths each season. In winter, when it was very cold, he was unable to think that the cold was nothing compared to hunger, but he felt it was too much trouble even to make a fire in the house, and trained his body to exhibit amazing adaptability, and adapted to the cold. When he was completely sick of raccoon and deer meat, he took his dog to an orchard nearby, and collected, with the permission of the owner, the fruits on the ground and ate them. The orchard owner didn’t like hippies, or people who lived in idleness, or dogs that lived in idleness, or hippies hanging around his orchard, but he disliked hippies only to the point where he didn’t mind hippies who lived in idleness coming to his orchard with dogs that lived in idleness and collecting the fruits on the ground. Perhaps the owner didn’t think that the fruits that had fallen to the ground, which could only be discarded anyway, were something he could in no way give to those who were poor because they were lazy. Or maybe he thought hippies were something akin to animals that ate fruits fallen to the orchard ground. Most of the fruits that had fallen to the ground were bruised or rotten, and the hippie thought they tasted better than fresh fruits. He quibbled about the taste even though he was in no position to be quibble about the taste, for there was no law against quibbling about the taste just because you were in no position to quibble about the taste. Thinking that, he didn’t touch the fruits on the branches, saying to himself that he wouldn’t eat them even if he could. Sometimes the hippie, when he discovered a worm inside an apple while eating it, would wonder, how long has it been since I saw a worm in an apple like this? (It had been several days.) And eat the worm inside the fruit. Anyway, the fruits on the ground had fallen from the sky for sure, and the raccoons and deer hit by cars, as well as the frog floating on the pond, could, in a way, be deemed to have fallen from the sky, and so it could be deemed that he didn’t want anything aside from what had fallen naturally from the sky. There was a river near the hippie’s house, and in the river lived fish that were ready and willing to be caught by people, and the hippie could have caught and eaten the fish, but he considered himself to be a sort of farmer, and tried not to covet the work of a fisherman. At any rate, fish were something you had to fish out of water, and could not be deemed as something that fell from the sky. Sometimes he took what naturally fell from the sky to a hippie friend of his who lived nearby, who was also poor thanks to his laziness, and there were several hippies in the area who lived without doing anything. They spent their time eating fruits and raccoons and deer and

endlessly talking about what they were eating or other things. Once, the old dog, which had to starve along with its master for several days because he failed to find dead raccoons and deer, was unable to bear the hunger, and went hunting on its own, dragging its old body, and came back with a field mouse that was still alive and shared it with its master. It was more likely that the old dog, which could scare a field mouse but would have had a hard time catching a nimble field mouse, being slow in movement, had gotten a sort of freebie, by catching a field mouse that was too old or injured, for instance, than that it had caught one that was in good shape. Maybe the dog, still having the strength to bark, at least, had bared the few bad teeth it had, threatening a snake that had caught the field mouse, even as it was a little scared of the snake, and the snake, feeling terribly wronged, had given up the field mouse in its mouth and disappeared. The hippie, eating the field mouse after eating nothing but raccoons and deer, savored the field mouse even more, and tried several times to get his dog to catch field mice, but the dog always returned empty-handed and made its master—and itself, too, perhaps—struggle with hunger, thinking about field mice. The hippie tried to teach the dog to hunt field mice and other little animals, but to no avail. The dog was too old, to the point where it couldn’t learn anything new, let alone hunting. The lazy hippie, who usually ate raccoons and deer, and ate a frog and a field mouse once, prayed to God from time to time, saying that he would work for a living if He let him eat something other than raccoons and deer, such as pheasants or wild turkeys hit by cars. He said, however, that he wouldn’t work hard, only enough to barely eke out a living. God, who had at one time, for some reason, dropped manna from the sky to save a chosen people, but was quite indifferent to some people, did not answer the prayer. The hippie, the laziest in the world, prayed to God that his old dog wouldn’t starve, even if he himself did, but God did not answer that prayer, either. The hippie thought that working too hard at something did not look good, and could even be bad, so he used moderation even when it came to prayer. The hippie lived for a time, eating raccoons and deer he no longer wanted to eat or even think about, and resenting God’s indifference, and making his old dog resent God’s indifference as well—the dog showed its resentment of God’s indifference by barking at the sky for no reason. The hippie, too, had friends who had once been close to him, and thinking that they would be happy if he got in touch with them, so though he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see them, he didn’t get in touch with any of them. He thought they would all be delighted to learn of his pitiful plight, so he did not want to bring delight to his friends, whom he didn’t want to see at all. As a result, there was no one after that who had any news of him. translated by Jung Yewon

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Interview

Sob

Illustrating a World of His Own Cartoonist Lee Woo-il Let’s say there is a question about what holds the work of Lee Woo-il together. If one were to consider his cartoons and science, history or various other disciplines, and information, the typical answer would be incorrect; what holds his work together is his quirkiness. He sees what a typical person cannot see and tells stories in ways they are unable to. The strength of this quirkiness becomes individuality itself. Be it cartoons, illustrations, or characters, Lee’s creations all become part of the artist’s incomparable signature.

co-written with his wife. Rewarding Travels (Sigongsa Co., Ltd.) contains a variety of travel recollections, and The Tokyo Story of Hyun Tae-jun and Lee Woo-il (Sigongsa Co., Ltd.) was co-written with Hyun Tae-jun and illustrated by Lee. There is also Lee Woo-il Drinks Tequila Lying on a Caribbean Beach (Wisdomhouse Publishing Co., Ltd.), which is about his family trip to Cuba. As one can ascertain from the list, Lee Woo-il is one of the most celebrated illustrators, as well as cartoonists, in Korea.

Lee Woo-il regards himself as a cartoonist. But he is at times embarrassed to present himself as one. He says, “When I see Yoon Tae-ho and others, there are so many cartoonists who study a tremendous amount. That is why I am ashamed to call myself a cartoonist, and therefore think of myself an illustrator/cartoonist. I wish to be a cartoonist but as a cartoonist, I haven’t done much and I feel regret about it.” Lee is being modest when he says that he hasn’t done much. When one examines his oeuvre, there is his major work, the Nobinson series, which covers science, world history, Korean history, the classics, and art history, as well as other subjects, and totals about 50-plus volumes. That’s not all. Then there are the cartoon versions of Jin Junggwon’s Odyssey of Aesthetics, The Tri-character Tri-colored Odyssey of Aesthetics (Humanist Publishing Group) and The Living World History for Children (Humanist Publishing Group). He has also done Homer Goes (Gimm-Young Publishers, Inc.), which tells the story of ancient Greece; The Illustrated Fairy Tales of Lee Woo-il, a collection of short cartoons (GoldenBough); and The Fables of Woo-il (Sahoi Pyoungnon Publishing Co., Inc.). Lee Woo-il and Seon Hyeonggyeong’s Honeymoon (GoldenCompass) is an illustrated book

A Straightforward Artist It is difficult to categorize Lee’s cartoons. What would be characteristic of his work would be several stories told in a single book in a chatty manner, or a cartoon illustrating a preposterous fantasy, or one that tells a stor y in an idiosyncratic way. The definitive Lee Woo-il style is his direct method of delivering his message. Some formal elements of the cartoonist’s style are characters that seem like they are drawn in a haphazard manner, which is by no means easy to do. Lee says the essential goal of his cartoons is to provide laughter and cheer: “I like Park Soo-dong’s cartoons the most, and have read them all. Because my parents didn’t prevent me from reading comic books, I could buy and read all the comic books. The sense of humor found in Park Soo-dong’s cartoons is exceptional. But when I was young, I used to think he perhaps drew a little too carelessly. When I enrolled in college at Hongik University, I found out that other students who were drawing and doing cartoon work were all so very good. But I didn’t want to put too much weight on the drawing itself. list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Interview

A stand-out among cartoon illustrators, the creator of the popular the Nobinson series Lee Woo-il talks about his inspirations, aspiration, and early days as a visual design student. How can you tell the direction with that? You got a better idea? ptui~

What I mean is, you should spit more! Croak~~

comic book critic Park In-ha and artist Lee Woo-il

From some point on, I was just churning out drawings. The funny cartoonists work very quickly and are really prolific and I found myself becoming like them. I asked myself, Is there a need to put so much effort into drawing? Isn’t it enough to convey what I want with a sense of humor? I decided not to put extra care into them. It was after my drawings were more roughly done that I got a more favorable response; this could be said of the Nobinson series, but it depends on how one sees it. 'What’s the matter with your drawings?' A lot of people tell me that they look like they’re done very carelessly. In fact, when I brought over the manuscript for Donald the Chicken to illustrate it, I was asked to make them pretty like Park Kwangsoo’s work. Although I drew them as prettily as I could, I regretted it. They weren't ready to embrace an individualistic style. That’s why all the works seem pretty much the same. If I get a chance, I’d like to change my drawing style and also experiment as well.” Lee’s cartoons don't beat around the bush. He doesn’t go out of his way to make his work appear more than what it is. His stories only tell a tale to the extent of his own point of view. Beyond merely drawing Hollywood male and female actors, he interprets in square sections the scene as he sees it, such as boxing all the villains or the famous characters together. The way he explicates his thoughts is also very straightforward. Along with funny comics, what has nourished Lee’s cartoons has been the comic book club Nemorami, from his college days. Nemorami, founded in 1988 by the visual design students at Hongik University, was known to be a most innovative experimental place for Korean cartoons. Here, the members sought their own paths, influencing and inspiring each other. “(Hong) Seung-woo was doing funny comics even then, and his are the funniest of them all. He said he was going to keep on doing funny cartoons even after graduation, 30 list_ Books from Korea

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whereas I opted for cartoons as a way of self-expression, but I really didn’t have a definite goal of becoming a cartoonist. As a matter of fact, I worked for a design company after I graduated. As a design major, one gets accustomed to pleasing the client first, which means you are less attached to your work. By participating in the Nemorami club activities, I was somewhat able to overcome that tendency. But everyone sneered at us when we sold our club newsletters on campus. The upperclassmen even told us not to disgrace our school. The work that I did then looks quite childish to me now. Because we started with nothing, we relied on each other a lot. We managed to get hold of a comic magazine like Heavy Metal with great difficulty, and marveled at it, as well as took turns watching the Japanese animation we were able to get a hold of. That’s how we shared our visions of the future with each other. I wish the first and second year club members could’ve all worked in the cartoon industry…” After graduating from college, Lee started work at an advertising firm but the work was stifling his creativity. He wanted to do cartoons but “there was no Internet, and work was not conducive to making a comic book. Therefore I just created my own comic book, and printed 1,000 copies in Chungmuro.” Hence, the self-published comic book, commonly called the “red book,” what we now know as The Rebellion of the Red Stocking, became a sensation. His unique imagination came across as refreshing to those who appreciated his work. When the film magazine Cine 21 was launched, Lee began doing the illustrations for it: “I did the illustrations for Cine 21 since the beginning and because I was trained as a cartoonist, my illustrations looked cartoonish instead of painterly or artsy as was customary then. I did them like a cartoon and the dialogue made what otherwise could’ve been quite dry more readable. Cine 21 was started with the intention of making it popular and lowbrow, and so I did a lot of illustrations with

dialogue clouds.” It was novel to have drawings done in a free style, with the story being told without having it explained. Illustrations that used to supplement the text began to take on an identity of their own as an independent, narrative cartoon. Lee says, “It could also be quite risky. If the editing desk did not like it, and I did not do a great job of comprehending the text fully, the illustration could miss the original intent of the author or the editors, so I tried very hard to adjust and accommodate. Nowadays, it’s become quite common. I worked as an illustrator for four or five years. I worked after I graduated then took a yearlong trip. When I tried to look for a job after my travels, the economy was really bad. That's when I did the serialization of Donald the Chicken in the Dong-A Ilbo for about a year.” It wasn’t a cartoon that was appropriate for a conservative paper. That’s the reason why he was severely criticized by the reporter he worked with. "He always pleaded with me to come up with a conclusion. As you know, Park Kwang-soo always gives a clear-cut ending. I, being aberrant, never did,” Lee recalls. While he was working on the serialization of Donald the Chicken he also did the illustration for the article, “How to Survive on a Deserted Island.” Nobinson is the character he came up with at that time.

be evaluated on the grounds of my drawings and the feelings conveyed by them.” Lee has set new challenges for himself in 2013, including a webtoon project. He says, “I’ve been preparing for it for a while. After doing a number of longer cartoons, I realized that my forte is the shorter work, like the conte or comic strips, but that I lacked what it takes to successfully complete a longer cartoon. That’s why I want to challenge myself to work on another longer project by way of a webtoon. A webtoon is a great opportunity for people in their 20s. I wish there had been such a forum for me when I was younger.” Lee Woo-il is a cartoonist, illustrator, designer, traveler, and collector, but most of all, he is someone with a boundless imagination, and an artist who always challenges himself with new work. Right now, he’s pondering his next exciting project. by Park In-ha

Telling His Stories Through Illustration “It wasn’t like I was going to keep working on it with some kind of a plan. It was a special feature. But then someone from the Danielstone Company said, Why don’t we publish it in a book form? So the very short, “How to Survive on a Deserted Island.” was published in book form. Park Kyungsoo did the writing, and I put together about 30 drawings for the book. It gained more popularity than I would’ve thought.” According to Lee, that is how the Nobinson series, which was representative of cartoons aimed for teenagers, was born. “My professor from college used to say that illustration should not stop short of explaining only the text," Lee said. It should be able to tell more. That’s why I tried to show more than what is in the main text. I start with the text but instead of explaining it, I wanted to include some other kind of humor. Children won’t read unless it’s funny, and so I thought if I was going to explain the text again, it would just be repetitious. That’s how I tried to tell an additional story that was different from the text. And it wasn’t easy.” Lee dreams of cartoons with no holds barred. To borrow his own expression, he would like do “incredibly loose drawings.” That is why he says, “I’m happiest when I’m doodling. It gives me joy and makes me happy. I like doing free drawings. People think that there are only certain kinds of cartoons, like webtoons or academic cartoons like A Thousand Magical Chinese Characters. But there are others, like four-section comic strips and editorial cartoons. Since I like cartoonists like Saul Steinberg, and I happen to like the less popular genre of cartoons that are close to fine art, I don’t expect to be understood completely but I at least would like to

Nobinson series Park Kyungsoo et al.; Illustrator: Lee Woo-il, Danielstone Co. 2013, ISBN 9788958074069 (set)

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Excerpt

Following Robinson Crusoe

I haven't had a drop of water in four days.

But if I walk this way, maybe there's an oasis somewhere...

Chapter 1 If you don't have water, drink Coke

Morning On A Strange Island Nobinson woke to cold sea water touching his face. He could not lift a finger with his body feeling limp like salted cabbage. “Naturally?" He thought to himself. "Sea water is salty." The pitch-black night, the frightening roar, the crash, the screams… Those horrifying moments began to drift back through his cloudy head. He felt thirsty. The sides of his throat were stuck together, like a pair of inseparable love birds. His mouth felt arid, as if it was full of sand. It was a terrible thirst, as if the last drop of moisture had dried out from his body. The blazing sun stung like needles. Only then did he realize he had been swept by the waves to the beach of this strange island. "I can't be the only survivor among those passengers?" Still lying on the sand, Nobinson looked around him. All he could see on the wide beach were the waves coming and going, and absolutely no sign of another human being. A short distance away, a square tin that swept onto the beach was glittering in the sun. Whatever was in that tin was now gone. It was also the only trace of the airplane. "Water… I have to find water." He staggered as he tried to raise himself. He clenched

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his teeth and stood up on the beach. It didn't matter where he was or how he was going to escape. What he needed most right now was water. He had already swallowed so much seawater and sweated so much that he could barely keep his eyes focused. He had to find water, somehow, before the dehydration got any worse. He opened the sack he was wearing around his waist and checked his belongings. Camera, pocketknife, lighter, a cheap raincoat, and a few plastic bags his mother had forced him to pack. He also found his glasses with a string cord attached, a watch, some clothes, underwear, a belt, shoes, and a wallet with some money inside. His knapsack would have come in handy, but he was lucky to have what he had now. Something warm flowed down his face. He staggered away from the beach, licking the salty liquid, not knowing or even caring whether it was sweat or tears. He started out in search of a drop of water to quench the deathly thirst.

The Search For Water Nobinson mustered all his common sense to find water; Water water always flows downward and gathers where the bottom is hard, and to find water in a mountain, you have to go to the valley; and so on. But the valley he found was dry and all he could see were sand and gravel. He must have gone the wrong way. He muttered even in his blurry state of mind. "If this were a video game, I would reload without saving." He saw ants crawling up a tree. Startled birds scattered above the woods. Flies and mayflies swarmed around his face. His thirst was worse due to heavy perspiration, and dehydration was getting to his head now. At last Nobinson gave up on finding water and collapsed on the ground. His eyelids were getting heavy. Who could that be, that man wearing animal skin on his back like a caveman? Hey, he's also carrying a spear. I thought I was alone on this island. Is this a dream or what?

physical functions is 1 liter a day. At 86째F (30째C) it becomes 2.5 liters, and at 95째F (35째C), 5 liters. If there is a shortage of water, the hormones decrease the salivary glands' activity, resulting in a dry mouth and thirst. The conclusion is simple. Humans cannot live only on bread; they need water too. translated by Shin Mikyung

water(before purification)

rocks

sand charcoal

If You Want To Survive, Drink! Water, together with air, is most vital to any living organism. Seventy to 80 percent of the human body is comprised of water, and all metabolisms that sustain life take place through a chemical reaction where various materials are dissolved into an aqueous solution. The human body carries about 45 liters of water. About 2.75 liters of water is replaced everyday. Out of the total 1.5 liters is from drinking, 1 liter is from eating, and about 0.25 liters is obtained through the metabolism of dry food. About 1-2 liters are discharged through urine. If no food or water is supplied, the body breaks down fat to make about 0.25 liters of water. But more is lost to respiration and perspiration. At least 0.4 liters is lost just by lying down and doing nothing. In short, you always have a water deficit problem. The least amount of water necessary to sustain

sand pebbles

Hehe, tastes great!

Following Robinson Crusoe Park Sangjoon, Park Kyungsoo; illustrator: Lee Woo-il Danielstone Co. 2011, 187p, ISBN 9788958071860

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The Place

Seoul Gallery Tours Gallery Jinsun

With the increasing sophistication of tourists who seek more than just bargain sales or quick samples of local cuisine, gallery tours are becoming an alternative way for art lovers and everyday visitors to learn about the unique culture and history of the city.

allery ung G g u s Deok

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Gallery Tourists in Seoul The definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;tourâ&#x20AC;? is changing daily. Tourists are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with hurried visits to popular tourist attractions and quick tastes of local delicacies. A more creative, customized travel plan tailored around individual interests is what many travelers are demanding these days. One area of tourism on the rise is the gallery tour. Popular among foreign and domestic tourists alike, gallery tours are all the rage among those seeking to enrich their everyday lives through culture.

Rediscovering Seoul Through Galleries Unlike music, film, and literature, art is often considered too complex and inaccessible for general consumption. But people with a basic appreciation for beauty welcome opportunities to be exposed to art. “Some friends and I visit galleries in the greater Seoul area once a week and get together to exchange reviews and catch up,” says Jeon Byeong-min, an office worker. “I didn’t know the first thing about art in the beginning, so I hardly knew what I was looking at. But I have developed taste and perspective over time.” Yi Dong-hun, another office worker, believes that the best part of his Seoul gallery tours was “the new dimension of Seoul I discovered while seeing art in a gallery and running around Seoul to visit these galleries.” Céline Besset, a French expat working in Korea, says she understands how much Koreans love art by the sheer number of galleries in Korea: “The pieces I saw in the galleries in the Czech Republic when I worked there had a style and feel similar to the art in France, but Korean galleries are full of works that one does not often come across in Europe. It makes for a very moving experience.” Anke Pierik, a Dutch tourist, says: “I will never forget the experience of walking around Samcheong-dong all day, where there are galleries and cozy cafes around every corner.” He is especially appreciative that “Most galleries in Seoul offer free admission. Korea is one of the few countries where people can afford to visit a great variety of galleries all day on a small outlay.”

essence of Korean culture, they religiously leaf through tourist guides in search of Korean art. Like any other metropolitan city, Seoul has lost a great deal of its past. However, Seoul is home to a culture distinct from North American or European cities, and in the heart of this culture is the reverence for art and literature that is a natural part of day to day life.

So Much to See For those who enjoy art, Korea is full of objets d’art to feast their eyes on. One does not even need to visit a museum or gallery to see art. There are sculptures and installations in front of most buildings in Seoul that add life to the harsh lines of the city. Small exhibitions are often held in subway stations to bring art to people on the move. Needless to say, exhibitions of famous artists are packed with art enthusiasts of all ages. A fun, cheap gallery tour is possible even with the most basic information on galleries. There are dozens of galleries of all sizes as well as art stores around Seoul. Areas such as Samcheong-dong, Insa-dong, Pyeongchang-dong, Cheongdam-dong, and the Hongik University area boast a high concentration of galleries that create the aura of art streets. These streets are also home to framing shops, specialized bookstores that sell folios and art theory books, and art supply stores, not to mention cafes and restaurants where customers can see art by young local artists over tea or a meal.

The Present Leads to the Past

Modern and Contemporary Korean Art

Foreigners’ interest in Korea starts with the contemporary and expands to a wider cultural landscape. Korean films represented by the works of Kim Ki-duk or Park Chan-wook, dynamic songs and choreography by K-pop stars, including PSY, young pro-gamers with unparalleled instincts and guts, and other faces of Korean culture today makes one curious about the culture of Korea’s past. Visitors wish to see old palaces, temples, art museums, galleries, traditional hanok villages, and traditional markets. Hoping to encounter the

While art today tends to transcend national and cultural borders and there is even debate on what constitutes Korean art, foreigners come to Korea to see art that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Foreigners who have an eye for Asian art hope to see the beauty of the negative space and the lines, patterns colored with characteristically Asian palettes, and pieces that ref lect the traditional white clothing that Koreans wore. Fortunately, such pieces are easily found in many museums popular among foreigners and such high

philosopher Kang Shin-joo

Seoul Museum

Seoul Museum of Art

The Place

tourist-traffic areas like Insa-dong. More current contemporary Korean art depicts compact vignettes of Korea’s colorful history, whereas modern art is a panorama of Korean history since the end of the Joseon era.

DIY Gallery Tour Here are some recommendations of how people can start their own gallery tour. Of course there are countless museums and galleries in Seoul, each with their own unique color, that connect artists and every day art lovers.

Modern Art at the National Museum of Art, Deoksugung Gallery www.moca.go.kr

The National Museum of Art, Deoksugung Gallery is conveniently located downtown near Seoul Plaza and Gwanghwamun, making it easy for visitors to find. Hidden deep within the calm of the old palace, the National Museum of Art, Deoksugung Gallery greets museum-goers with a feast for the eyes all year round. The permanent collection is composed largely of pictures and paintings from the modern period. Through portraits of modern Korea in photographs and paintings, the collection provides insight to understanding Korea. "Realism in Asian Art," an exhibition in 2010, was a collection that illustrated the ups and downs of a tumultuous Asian history within the frame of realism. The collection was curated successfully despite great challenges and received an enthusiastic response. The building itself, the National Museum of Art, Deoksugung Gallery, is a work of art, and seeing art inside the former palace adds to the experience.

Seoul Museum of Art: An Overview of Modern and Contemporary Korean Art sema.seoul.go.kr

The Seoul Museum of Art, located close to Deoksugung Palace, is a good place for friends to visit on an outing. The SMOA houses the permanent exhibition of Chun Kyung-Ja, a popular and critically renowned artist. While traveling to all corners of the world, Chun Kyung-Ja produced pieces that express her personal impression of the places she saw in strong primary colors that make her pieces pulse with life. The artist’s studio and supplies are preserved here as well, allowing a voyeuristic pleasure into the secrets of a creative genius. SMOA also houses sculptures of young Korean artists, providing a glimpse of the future of Korean art.

Gallery Jinsun, Where Art Meets Books www.jinsunart.com

Situated right at the entrance of Samcheong-dong, Gallery Jinsun is easy to find. As the book cafe adjacent to the gallery shows, Gallery Jinsun focuses on art related to books. Its "Artists Who Draw Books" exhibition was a festival of book art that gathered works of many Korean artists who reinterpreted books into the language of art. The collection was an affirmation of the relationship between books and art through work by artists such as the photographer Lim Soo Sik who goes looking for bibliophiles in their cramped studies, and Seo Yura who arranges books from her childhood in a variety of ways. Rather than displaying well-established or overseas artists, Gallery Jinsun is committed to discovering young, passionate artists. The “Window Exhibition” (one to two pieces in the gallery window) showcases experimental works by artists who have just finished their training, bringing the most contemporary Korean art to Samcheong-dong pedestrians.

Gallery Trunk: Rethinking Photography Gallery Trunk

www.trunkgallery.com

Gallery Trunk is truly unique. While it appears to be just another photography gallery, the gallery does not stop at simply displaying pieces on the walls. As art has progressed

philosopher Kang Shin-joo

Gallery Doll

beyond traditional media to incorporate photography and the audiovisual, Gallery Trunk transcends the boundaries of photography and centers its exhibitions around experimental artists who freely integrate many forms of media. Patrons of the gallery take in art works that densely pack the two gallery floors. Gallery Trunk is committed to giving commercially marginalized artists the opportunity to communicate with the world through exhibitions. Also, exhibits such as "Mad Women Project" showcase pioneering works of feminist artists. Works of early photographers who suffered for the sake of Korean art during difficult times are also periodically displayed. It is a gross miscalculation to assume that the experimental and abstract nature of Gallery Trunkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection would drive patrons away; in actuality it receives nearly as many visitors as larger spaces.

Gallery Doll: Expressing the Korean www.gallerydoll.com

Gallery Doll, a landmark in Samcheong-dong since before Samcheong-dong became what it is today, is the answer to the question: What would a truly Korean gallery look like? The hard work of a gallery owner who searched untiringly for works that express the Korean ethos is evident in the collection. The gallery steadily exhibits works by established artists. Works that beautifully reconfigure images deeply embedded in the minds of Koreans are displayed regardless of current trends. Gallery Doll also undertook the project of finding works by long-forgotten artists who defected or were kidnapped to North Korea. Through the hard work of the gallery, the paintings of the seminal artist Lim Gun Hong was brought to light for the public.

Seoul Museum: Art and Garden www.seoulmuseum.org

Located bet ween Samcheong-dong and Pyeongchangdong, two neighborhoods famous for their superb galleries and museums, Seoul Museum is an exceptionally beautiful building perched at the foot of Mt. Inwang. Keeping in step with its mission to be the central cultural facility and hub of Seoul, Seoul Museum boasts a world-class collection and exhibition space. Its permanent collection consists of a wide selection of works from the best Korean artists. The carefully

philosopher Kang Shin-joo

Seoul National University Museum

Seokpajeong

arranged pieces encourage a dynamic and creative encounter with art. Visitors may opt to experience the peace and serenity of the past by stopping by Seokpajeong, the farm house of Heungseon Daewongun, a powerful regent during the Joseon era.

Seoul National University Museum: Encountering Abstract Art www.snumoa.org

The grand exterior of the building alone, designed by the great architect Rem Koolhaas with minimal demands from the client, makes the trip to the Seoul National University Museum worthwhile. Its collection covers the key characteristics of Korean modern and contemporary art history, and the permanent collection includes works by a few Korean artists who have achieved international renown. Contemporary Korean works of a strong abstract and experimental nature periodically meet patrons through special exhibitions. The Seoul National University Museum encourages visitors to step out of their comfort zones to encounter complex art on a more meaningful level. by Park Jeongjun

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Theme Lounge

Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Musicals With sold-out shows and a demand for more entertaining, elaborate performances, it is a good time for musicals in Korea.

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Last year, the musical market in Korea grew by 25 percent, which translates to 250 billion won in sales. Since 2001, the Korean adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera has recorded an unprecedented annual growth of 17 to 18 percent. This has been rising faster than ever in recent years. Korea’s musical industry has witnessed phenomenal growth despite the worldwide economic downturn and the not-so-positive outlook for the Korean economy. Cultural consumption is most affected when the economy slows, and this is especially true for musicals as high art expenditure is likely to be reduced. In light of this consumer behavior, Korea’s musical industry has already accomplished a remarkable feat with its accelerated pace of growth. Why do people go wild over musicals? First of all, there is the appeal of the live stage. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. The energy of live entertainment and its rawness are qualities that differentiate musicals from other genres in the culture industry. Realistic 3-D representations of King Kong climbing the Empire State Building or the enchanting world of blue-skinned humanoids in Avatar cannot compare to the dynamic atmosphere delivered by live performances. Even though society has embraced the digital environment, the analog realm of performing arts has gained the spotlight with its unique positioning. This phenomenon is known as digilog among scholars in the humanities. This refers to an evolution brought about from breaking down the barriers between digital and

analog. In this regard, musicals can be seen as a prime example of digilog. The comprehensive nature of musicals has also led to their widespread popularity. The audience gets to enjoy a rich and fulfilling story that is melded into a harmony of music, dance, and acting. The senses are further stimulated by special effects. For instance, The Phantom of the Opera engages the audience by suddenly lifting the chandelier, or releasing it to swing threateningly over the audience. In Disney’s production of the musical Mary Poppins, Bert dances upside-down on the ceiling while Mary Poppins disappears over the audience on the third floor. One of the most successful musicals in Korea today is Les Misérables. The final scene of Javert throwing himself into the Seine River is so beautifully recreated that it is almost as if the audience were watching down from the sky. The final scene of the original animated feature is retained in Beauty and the Beast, in which the beast magically transforms into a prince. I have watched the same musical performed on different stages around the world, but the transformation scene never fails to impress. The mesmerizing illusion was designed by the team that worked with David Copperfield. Of course, domestic productions have been highly successful as well. One Korean hit musical is Gwanghwamun Yeonga. The musical score consists of songs composed by the late Lee Young-hun, who was famous for his work with Lee Mun-se.

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Theme Lounge

Similar to Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You, that featured songs by the Swedish pop group ABBA and the British band Queen respectively, this type of musical gets the label of jukebox musical. Just like a coin-operated jukebox, these musicals deliver a nostalgic stage by weaving popular songs of the past into the a plot, which sets them apart from other musical performances. They target not only theatergoers, but also fans of specific bands or singers. Gwanghwamun Yeonga has gained prominence by dramatizing the songs of the late composer Lee. The value in scarcity should be noted since Lee has left behind a legacy in music. Music is not the only thing about musicals. The plot and dynamic structure can give new life to previous hit songs. Gwanghwamun Yeonga introduces various themes for Korean audiences in their 30s to 50s to relive the past. The musical revolves around student movements from the 1980s, suppression of human rights, and the romance and conf lict experienced by the youth in those days. Instead of simply covering golden hits, jukebox musicals present episodes that allow the audience to travel back in time. It is this unique marketing strategy that has expanded the target audience, mainly comprised of young women, to include older generations. Since 2012, Gwanghwamun Yeonga has achieved commercial success in Japan. In addition to original members such as Jo Sungmo, Park Hosan, Lisa, and Kim Tae-han, the tour production playing in Osaka and Tokyo features a lineup of Korean idols including U-Know Yoon Ho of Dong Bang Shin Ki, G.O. and Seungho of MBLAQ, Choi Min-hwan of FTISLAND, Sung-je of Chosinsung, Woo-hyun of INFINITE, and Kevin of ZE:A. The future looks bright as there has been talk of upcoming tours in China and the United States. Jukebox musicals built around popular Korean songs are likely to be a trend for a while, with new ones being written as we speak. Beginning with songs by the late singer-songwriter Kim Gwang-suk in If That Day Comes, we can expect the revival

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of music by Kim Hyun-sik, Seotaiji, and Shin Joong-hyun in future musicals. K-pop is another hot topic. With story and music packed onto the stage, K-pop musicals are blue ocean cultural products that will draw attention from fans at home and abroad. Some locally produced musicals have fared well in other places overseas. Produced by the Daegu International Musical Festival, the musical Turandot adds unique musical elements to the opera stage set by Puccini’s Turandot. Thanks to the renowned musical composer Jang So-young, this musical opera received the special grand prize in China’s Dongguan Musical Festival, and followed up with tours in other cities such as Hangzhou and Ningbo. This year, the musical Turandot will go on a long tour in major Chinese cities, including Shanghai. A positive reception by the Chinese audience may even lead to public performance rights to China, a first for a domestic musical. Other productions have seen small but significant results. Singin’ in the Rain is famous as a salon musical; Bballae tells the love story between a bookstore lady and a migrant worker, while The Sorrows of Young Werther adds a Korean perspective to Goethe’s novella. Recently, Korean musicals have been staged at a theater in Tokyo. This interesting experiment will reveal how Korean perspectives are perceived by the local audience. Meanwhile, some musicals are highly anticipated even though they have yet to be performed overseas. Finding Mr. Kim Jong Wook became an overnight sensation in small musical theaters, and Brothers Were Brave is a romantic comedy written by Jang Yoo-jung, a young female playwright and director. These are examples of Korean musicals that have been adapted into a film or are awaiting film adaptation. In addition, the Korean musical Sherlock Holmes is scheduled to open in Japan, where the mystery genre is generally well-received. Movicals such as Bungee Jumping of Their Own, Organ in My Memory, and Radio Star are movies that have been retold as musicals. The term “movical” refers to musical adaptations of films. A major advantage of musicals is that new emotions are

piqued when a two-dimensional screen is expanded to a threedimensional stage. Producers are less burdened in marketing since the content has been verified by moviegoers, while consumers do not face any risk in having to spend money on an unfamiliar story. Creating a new boom in Korean culture by reprocessing popular Korean content is an effective marketing strategy. Musicals can be used to maximize the value of proven Korean content. As such, it is a worthwhile attempt to introduce Korean dramas on the musical stage. Dramacals are similar to moviecals, but it is more difficult to compress an entire series into a few hours. Dramacals that have taken the stage include Princess Hours, Jewel in the Palace, Lovers in Paris, and Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Beautiful. Some upcoming dramacals are Moon Embracing the Sun, Rooftop Prince, and Full House. It will be interesting to watch how Korean cultural content advances to the next level through Korean dramacals, and whether they will be able to attract overseas audiences. In Korea, the number of musicals average between 160 and

180 openings per year. Surprisingly, these figures do not include childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musicals or educational musicals. Foreign imports, in the form of Korean adaptations or original tours, only account for 30 percent of the market. In other words, seven out of ten musicals are Korean-made. The Korean musical industry, having expanded rapidly over the years, is now a key player in the global cultural market. We should devote more attention and effort to musicals, so that they may mark a new phase of the Korean Wave. It is a future worth watching out for. by Won Jongwon

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Reviews Fiction

Guilt Begets God Songs on Earth Lee Seung-u, Minumsa Publishing Group 2012, 344p, ISBN 9788937485763

Lee Seung-u is a rare author who has delved into the metaphysical realm from the Christian point of view. He was born in Jangheung in South Jeolla Province, graduated from Seoul Theologica l University, and studied at the United Graduate School of Theology at Yonsei University. Since embarking on his literary career in 1981 with “The Portrait of Erysichthon,” Lee has continuously dealt with the issues plaguing modern society by linking them to Christian salvation. That is not to say that the theological dilemmas or the Christian worldview present in his novels are his own. His novels have the power to make readers rethink the idea of the absolute being and salvation by making connections bet ween the hardships people undergo in contemporary society and the root causes that drive human psychology (guilt, anxiety, and desire). If we could invoke the title of Lucien Gold ma n’s work here, L ee Seungu’s novel examines the hidden God in modern society. Lee Seung-u’s recently published novel Songs on Earth takes place at C h e on s a n M on a s t e r y. C h e on s a n Monastery is both a sacred place with beautiful writings on the wall and a place with a tragic past involving a mass murder. Songs on Earth is a multi-layered novel with five different narratives intertwined: Kang Sang-ho, who investigates the monastery based

on the records left by his older brother and later exposes the existence of the inscriptions on the wall; Cha Donghyeon, a theological scholar who writes about the inscriptions on the wall after reading Kang Sang-ho’s book; Jang, who makes confessions about the 72 followers who were killed at the monastery after reading Cha Dong-hyeon’s work; Han Jeong-hyo, who is at the center of political power and is connected to the mass slaughter at the monastery; and Hu, who goes to the monastery after suffering from feeling responsible for his cousin Yeon-hui’s sexual assault. With the monastery at the core, we f ind out about t he incomplete manuscript of a traveler, a newspaper article by a religious scholar, and a testimonial and confession about the mass slaughter. We also see a diversity of writings like the Biblical scriptures that cover one of the the monastery walls. And as the narratives converge, the memories surrounding the wall and the killings at the Cheonsan Monastery come alive. According to Songs on Earth, desire comes from a sense of guilt. The fact that Kang Sang-ho completes his brother’s work posthumously or the fact that Jang reveals the truth behind the mass killing all come from their sense of guilt. If that is true, who controls this cycle of desire and guilt? There could have been many other ways to lessen Kang Sang-ho’s

guilt about his brother. Why did he feel the need to complete his brother’s work? This can’t be explained purely by societal mechanisms or by innate human desire. As Tolstoy said in What Is Religion?, t he irrationa l, u npred ictable, a nd invisible actions are what allow human beings to go beyond their limitations. I n L e e S e u n g - u ’s C h r i s t i a n worldview, a sense of guilt that seeks atonement bears desire and that desire spawns more guilt. According to his work, the endless cycle between desire and guilt originates from the desire of the indescribable, transcendent, ultimate being. The hidden God is at the center of that cycle of human desire and guilt, and hence, the novel makes us contemplate the incompleteness of human beings and the world. Lee Seung-u’s works Two Sides of Life and Mysteries of the Labyrinth have been translated in Europe and the United States and have, in particular, received high praise from the French press and literary circles. In 2009, Lee Seungu’s novel The Private Lives of Plants was published as part of the Folio series by the French publishing company Editions Gallimard, as the first Korean author to be included. by Kim Dongshik

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Reviews Fiction

Telling the Storyteller’s Tales The Sound of the Shallow Water Hwang Sok-yong, Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. 2012, 486p, ISBN 9788954428361

As Hamlet was dying, he left Horatio his last will. He asked Horatio to tell future generations of the injustice done to him so that his name would not be stained. If Horatio, the only remaining witness to Hamlet’s life, died after everyone else had died, who would know of Hamlet’s sorrow? Carrying out Hamlet’s will meant accepting the fate of a storyteller. The responsibility of a storyteller is to remain alive and record the tumultuous life stories of the dead and orally narrate them. But who will tell the story of the storyteller? Hwang Sok-yong’s The Sound of the Shallow Water is an interesting response to this very question: how does the story of the storyteller get passed on? The Sound of the Shallow Water starts off with the story of the storyteller Lee Shin-tong and his lover Yeon-ok during the Joseon era. It takes place in the 19th century just when Western culture began infiltrating, and the caste system of the old era came under threat. Lee Shin-tong possessed exceptional writing skills but he was a son of a concubine, and because he

was bound by the caste system, he could not obtain a government post. So he did not pursue a path of advancement but instead joined the Donghak Peasant Movement. The greatest way he could contribute was by orally transmitting the various stories of the peasants. With his sole talent for making people laugh and cry by telling stories, he was able to light a fire in the frozen hearts and minds of the countless people he encountered: “When he stopped narrating at a critical point in his story, people threw money at his feet, urging him to continue as they could not stand not knowing what happened next.” The story then takes a different shape as it is told from the perspective of Yeonok, the woman who loved Lee Shin-tong all her life. Yeon-ok looks for him all over the country and discovers not only the life story of one man but also becomes aware of the history of the suffering people. In her quest to find her love, she ends up becoming a storyteller herself. by Jung Yeo-ul

Soothing Self-Reflection Stinging Snowflake Lee Dong-ha, Hyundaemunhak Publishing Co. 2012, 268p, ISBN 9788972756163

Five out of 10 stories in Stinging Snowflake focus on remembering the past. The other five stories are based on what is happening in a rural village but also include narrative descriptions about the past. Through this descriptive method of retrospection, the author attempts to confirm one’s roots and explore changes in identity. His main characters examine where their lives began by talking about facts that have hardly changed, and expose in detail scars from childhood, being hurt and feeling lost as a young adult, lethargy in middle age, and the stability that follows. W he t he r it i s a s t or y b a s e d on memories or the present, all the stories focus on self-ref lection. The author is interested in how the characters have lived their lives so far, how they have felt, and what understanding they have achieved. Through such self-ref lection 44 list_ Books from Korea

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and awakening, a poet aims to find a pure truth that is secretly hidden deep inside people’s heart. The author calls this a “stinging snowflake.” A distinctive literary feature is the logic and humor of his sentences. The exacting sentences adhere to the correct use of subject-predicate relationships and do not misplace even a single adverb, demonstrating that these stories are the fruit of long contemplation and practice. This is a feature that cannot come out of novels that observe manners and customs mostly out of interest. A sense of humor plays a role in counterbalancing the sadness in various stories. Lee's works show a great deal of compassion, remorse, and self-reproach in life, and can be colored with a sentimental tone. However, the humor gradually enhances the refinement of the work. If you understand that life is made up of laughter, tears, happiness, and sadness, you will be able to understand the beauty of this technique. Self-reproach is sublimated

into self-reflection when humor soothes the pains of life. by Lee Soong-won

Spotlight on Fiction

The Walk of Light

ďź&#x160;

by Yun Dae-nyeong translated by Janet Poole

* Yun Dae-nyeong, from Many Stars Drifted to One Place

Munhakdongne Publishing Corp., 2010

The Walk of Light I was 11 back then, so the house must have been built in 1972. That makes it all of 25 years old. A small, slate-roofed house: floor area 30 pyeong on a 50 pyeong plot. The ground plan looks something like this:

myself in the middle, the only son (36 years old). My father was 27 and mother 25 when they produced the first of us. When we built this house my older sister was a pretty adolescent in junior high, I was a fifth grader with a permanent scowl, and my little sister owned three pairs of white trainers and rarely spoke. Yes, you were in second grade then.

The Sunflower Room

At first I wanted to draw it like one of those sketches of an excavation of Gaya or Balhae dwellings, but I thought people might miss my point. I had to convey the overall balance, even if there were slight inaccuracies in the individual sections radiating out to the north, east, south, and west from the maru, the wooden-floored space where we ate our meals. Only then is it clear exactly where and at what angle the light passes through each room between sunrise and sunset. Seen from a light airplane or a hot air balloon perhaps even this old house would appear like a lavishly prepared meal, just as this polluted earth still looks beautiful with its multi-colored patches when viewed from far up in the sky. At least I hope so. Twenty-five years of my family's past and present live side by side in this house. Only recently have I realized that a family too is a small universe, or maybe a lonely planet. There are five of us: my parents (64 and 62 years old), my older sister (38 years old), my younger sister (33 years old) and 46 list_ Books from Korea

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At first there were three rooms. But just before my older sister's wedding 10 years ago we had another room of six or seven pyeong built in a corner of the yard by the gate. And so there were four. My father had long felt that we needed another room for special occasions, as even if we hired somewhere for the reception we needed a place for the older relatives, who invariably came up from the countryside to stay before making their way home again. And, of course, special occasions would continue to crop up, as family events only increase with age. Sadly we lost something when we had that big hut-like room built. We had planted sunflowers in that spot year after year and also used it as an unfenced chicken run. Every spring we set chicks free in the sunflower patch and in fall roosters would push their way out from between the thick stalks. When there was some kind of event, those white-bearded people who never failed to come up from the countryside would sit amidst the sunflowers, drinking and playing cards before lying down to sleep. One summer's day Mother stopped a photographer who happened to pass by the gate and had a picture taken of me with my sisters, standing in a line in the sunflower patch. Was that the year I graduated from elementary school? With black sunburnt faces and each scowling in our own way because we weren't used to cameras, we looked like we belonged to one of those documentary photographs the UN Food Program distributes around the world. To top it off, I wasn't wearing any shoes. I wonder what time of day it was? It must have been morning, judging from the way the shadows cast by the sunflower stalks leaned towards the west at about 20 degrees, and so it must have been a Sunday or a national holiday when we didn't have to go to school. Until I left home at the age of 20 I took good care of that precious photo in an album in the attic over the kitchen. Even

though it was black and white, the lost sunflower patch of my childhood survived there. Once the lonely light had shone through the lens to make an impression of the three of us on the film, we could have made as many prints as we wanted. But when the photographer returned to our house a few days later, he didn't leave behind the negative. When I went up to the attic to look for that one and only photo on my first visit home during my military service, it had disappeared from the photo album without a trace. Had one of my sisters taken it? As long as no one deliberately threw it away surely it must still be lying in an album somewhere. When I'm lying in the new room on my occasional visits home, I invariably dream I'm standing barefoot in that yellowed photo. That room is like a greenhouse in the tropics; it is the first to catch the light, the perfect place to have a sunflower dream. The ticklish steps of a chick rush diagonally across my feet. Oh, and your red lips! Our house was a slightly shabby affair, consisting of some slate on top of a bunch of bricks and noticeably deteriorating with age. As it was our father's nature to be unable to resist fixing everything, he would spend every minute of every Sunday repairing the house. Over time he must have climbed up onto the roof at least five times with a bucket of yet another color of paint. Sky blue, dark blue, yellow, orange, pale mugwort green. But the front gate always remained a deep red. So some people called our house the "house with the red gate." The sunflower room at the house with the red gate. From the time I was 26 was like a cheap hotel room where I stayed three or four times a year. At my age I was naturally half a stranger to my family, and it felt uncomfortable and unnatural when I went into the side rooms to the east or west, let alone the inner room. Now I harbored well-kept secrets that could never be shared with them.

Noon, Saturday, June 7th My mother was discharged from the hospital this morning and is now lying down in the inner room. My younger sister, who finally married last year, is in the east room recovering from the birth of her first child. My older sister now lives in the west room, having divorced in February. It's June and all three rooms are sizzling hot because of my

younger sister recovering from childbirth in the east room. The boiler out the back is connected to the inner and side rooms, so if we turn the heat on in the inner room it comes on in the east and west rooms too. There's no separate control allowing us to turn the heat off in each room. The house was built that way and there's no changing it unless we pull up all the floor tiles. I took the express bus down from Seoul last night, dropped in at the hospital, and then arrived here at midnight. About a fortnight ago I heard that our mother was suffering from exhaustion. At first she went to the local health clinic for a shot, thinking that she had overdone things after losing her mother last month, but when the fever persisted my father took her to a hospital near his office, where he goes to be treated for his angina and stomach problems. The initial examination showed a kidney infection, and the doctor advised going to a university hospital for further tests. Our mother had been admitted to a university hospital several years ago with pleurisy, and now the very mention of the word made her shudder. As she refused to go anywhere near such a place again, there was no choice but to treat the inflammation alone. Before she finally made it home, our mother visited a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and was given some ridiculous tonic. Last night she had fixed her hollow eyes on me and repeated over and over that she did not understand why she could not bear to stay at the hospital this time. Even before this turn of events I had planned to come home for Mother's birthday next Tuesday, and we had arranged a special breakfast for her tomorrow. But what's the point of forcing a birthday party on someone who's bedridden? My older sister looks like a criminal doing forced labor as she takes care of both our sick mother and our recuperating sister. It's been a long time since the whole family gathered and every room was full, but the atmosphere is hardly festive. My younger sister is upset that our mother has fallen sick at just this moment, but she can't go to her in-laws as her mother-in-law is a severe diabetic with complications who can't even open her eyes properly. Our mother must have her own worries because she's been snapping at everyone for a while now. Each time a still silence, like the silence in an empty pot, settles down over the maru before disappearing again. Father went back to work after bringing Mother home, but he'll be back again around three in the afternoon. I'm looking out through the window of the sunflower room list_ Books from Korea

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at the sun shining down almost vertically onto the flowerbed. Three or four late-blooming dandelions, a pomegranate and a date tree, Chinese pinks, gentian, peonies, dahlias, lilies, and opium poppies…all growing as they please in a tangled mass. In the very middle of the flowerbed there are several stepping-stones leading up onto the platform where we keep our saucepots. These opium poppies, now blooming like fresh blood splattered under the summer light, are like a secret Mother lovingly nurtures. When summer arrives each year she bolts the front gate firmly. It's finally noon, and a few straw-like strands of shadow hang amidst a riot of colors, all sparkling like broken pastel crayons scattered around the yard. For an instant the riot of day fills my ears.

The Briquettes It was shortly after my older sister had taken her a bowl of rice gruel when our mother began to snap again. It was not snapping so much as cursing. Damn you, you idiot! The words suddenly leapt out onto the maru. I pricked my ears and quickly stuck my head out of the window. It was a harsh voice I'd never heard before. Our mother was known throughout the neighborhood as a soft-spoken woman who always chose her words carefully. When my sister came back out of the room carrying the gruel her eyes were visibly bloodshot. "You think gruel that thick will go down my throat, you stupid girl!" My little sister's swollen face peeked out of the east room before she quietly closed the door, the baby pushed to her breast. I went into the kitchen and quietly whispered behind my sister's back as she placed the pot onto the gas burner. "Don't take it to heart, she's got a lot of things on her mind." Without even turning around, my sister replied in a sour voice. "But why does her dear abused daughter have to be here on top of everything else? It makes my blood boil… Ever since we were little Mother's always been like that with me. Just like that. Only none of you knew." "What are you talking about?" The kitchen was narrow with a low ceiling (you could climb up the steps from the inner room to an attic over the kitchen) 48 list_ Books from Korea

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so that with just one gas burner lit the sweat poured down my neck. My sister's back was already drenched. "You remember when we lived in rented rooms, before we moved here?" That was a long time ago, in fact, at least 25 years ago. "One day Mother said she was going shopping and asked me to boil some noodles. But you know how it is with noodles. Even women who've been cooking for years can never get just the right amount. There's always some left over. So I tried to boil enough for the five of us, but they filled up half a bucket. They swelled up so much it was enough to feed 10 men. I was so scared I was crouched in a corner shaking when she came back. She was holding a basket of groceries and just stood in the doorway for a while. But for some reason she didn't get mad." That was the mother I grew up knowing. At least until I left home at the age of 20. "But that wasn't the end of it. When everyone had gone to sleep at night she woke me up and led me out to the kitchen where she told me to eat the rest of the noodles left in the bucket. She said we don't have a dog or a pig in our house." "!…so what happened?" "What do you mean what happened? What could I do when she was standing behind me? I picked all those swollen noodles out of the bucket with my hands and swallowed them. You remember…that kitchen just had a dirt floor. In the end I threw them all up and went to sleep crying. I still can't eat noodles, even now." So things like that had happened. It was different, of course, but occasionally when I was young I had also been woken up at dawn and led outside by our mother. She would make me wash my face and bow in front of a dried pollack head and a candle protruding out of some steamed rice cake, which she had placed in front of the saucepot platform. Exhausted and with no idea what was going on, I would prostrate myself on the ground and then hurry inside to crawl back under my blanket. Even now this is a secret between our mother and myself. Was it because she was the oldest daughter? Even though my sister had graduated from a well-known high school and entered a top university, she had dropped out before the end of her second year when our family finances hit trouble. She sat the civil service examination and quietly supported our younger sister through university. Despite all this she had never uttered one word of complaint. Why would our mother behave like an

evil mother-in-law or widow towards such a model daughter? And without any of us knowing at that. After the thinned-out gruel had gone into the inner room and we had sat down around the table on the maru, there was a creak of the front gate and Mr. Pak from the charcoal briquette store walked in, pulling his cart behind him. "We still burn briquettes here?" I turned to ask my sister, putting down my spoon. "The boiler's always burned briquettes. Only the new room has oil heating." Holding tongs that were designed to carry two briquettes at once in both hands, Mr. Pak began to pick up the briquettes four at a time and pile them under the eaves behind the house. The briquettes shone like tanned leather as they greedily soaked up the sunrays. Pak was extraordinarily thin and his hair totally white. He was an alcoholic. When I was young, he had kept several grape fields. "Why's he still delivering briquettes at his age?" My sister was careful to reply only after he had disappeared behind the back of the house. "He used to be really rich so he can't be that badly off even now." "So?" "You remember when we were in junior high, and he had an affair with the woman from the barber shop? Some people say that he sold the grape fields without telling his wife and bought that woman a house. Later she resold the house and ran away." The whole neighborhood was in an uproar for a while. My sister stopped talking each time Pak returned to the yard to fetch more briquettes, and then continued: "His wife has made him deliver briquettes ever since." "You mean for 20 years?" This meant she would work him until he died of old age. I guess it must have been that long now, my sister said, and cast a pointed look in the direction of the black briquette cart. I hurriedly put down my chopsticks and stepped into the yard. Pak returned from the back with a reddish face, reeking of alcohol, and quickly waved me away from the briquettes with his tongs. "Leave it alone. That soot'll stick to your hands." After we had seen the cart off through the front gate, I swept up the soot in the yard. When I heard my sister washing up in the kitchen I walked round the back. In the corner of the

back wall there was an iron cauldron and a stack of firewood. The sun was just passing over the kitchen and a pungent heat rebounded off the cement wall. Through the window of the inner room I could see Mother had fallen asleep with her blouse undone. It was cool out the back, where an awning had been hung between the wall and the eaves of the roof to keep out the rain. The briquettes were stacked up neatly under the awning in the west corner. To one side a persimmon tree pressed up against the wall, passing the roof at a diagonal and spreading out towards the sky. Since our father had celebrated his 60th birthday I had come down every year to pick the persimmons for the Harvest Moon Festival. Now the tree is as thick as a mortar, but when I was in junior high it was no more than the width of a finger. Our mother had dug it up when she went to her family home to celebrate her mother's 60th birthday. It was under that persimmon tree one summer day that I slowly pulled down my trousers and masturbated for the first time, and that same day I smoked my first cigarette and leaned against the wall shivering. What were those cigarettes called? Milky Way, Pigeon, South Gate, or was it Scenic Site? I think it was Scenic Site, with a photo of Bulguk Temple on the packet. Anyway, I had no way to dispose of that half-smoked cigarette and had to push it into a hole of one of those briquettes piled up to the side, without even extinguishing it properly. That night I dreamt that our house was on fire. I rushed outside barefoot to see several hundred briquettes piled up under the eaves blazing like red-hot coals. The flames charred the green persimmon leaves and then began to take root next door. There was an uproar on the other side of the wall as the villagers all ran up carrying buckets of water. Just after that disgusting hairs began to sprout one by one from under my armpits and my groin. While I was in junior high I would creep around the back after midnight in the rain or the snow and masturbate next to the pile of briquettes, or squat down beneath the persimmon to smoke a cigarette…and sometimes I would cry for no reason. Sitting there in the dark, without a spot of light, I was a sad teenager.

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Ears When Father returned, the ripe afternoon sun was pushing its way up onto the saucepots and a strand of cloud covered part of the yard and the flowerbed. I was in the sunflower room stealing glances at the burning light splashing out of the red mouths of three or four open pomegranates, when Father opened the front gate and shouted out as if angry, did the briquettes come? There must have been some soot left in the yard, even though I'd swept up carefully. Out on the maru the baby in my little sister's arms immediately doubled up crying. Mother woke up then as well. "Oh, why does he always have to shout?" It was hard to tell from Mother's hoarse voice whether this was a rebuke or a grievance, but Father pretended not to hear, and after washing his hands at the water tap, he suddenly walked over to my room. I quickly stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray. "Haven't you given up those cigarettes yet? You keep saying your lungs are giving you trouble." His voice was still angry as if something had happened. "So, when are you leaving us?" "I was thinking of taking the bus tomorrow afternoon." "When?" "Tomorrow!" I shouted with exasperation and looked at Father leaning against the door with his hands behind his back. He frowned, pointing to his ear, and then again all but shouted, I can't hear too well! On top of angina and stomach problems his hearing had been deteriorating for a long time now, but it seemed as if the situation had taken a turn for the worse in the past few months. Several years ago, after he had gone to the hospital with bloody pus flowing out of his ear, Father had given up in a single day the alcohol and cigarettes that had been his lifetime companions. But there was no way to combat old age. "You think my ears are my only problem? These eyes are so bad now I can barely see!" He waited for the cigarette smoke to disperse and then stepped into my room as if he were a guest. "This is a mess, isn't it?" It was the atmosphere in our house to which he referred. "She was kicking up such a fuss I had to bring her home, but I think we'll have to go to a big hospital before long…she's just not her usual self…since spring she's been constantly losing 50 list_ Books from Korea

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her temper…and, as if that wasn't enough, your big sister's been deserted and come back home…you can't sit still for a minute like any normal person would…and who knows what's going on inside the little one's head, even the spirits couldn't figure that out." Behind that obstinate exterior there was probably any number of problems she was brooding over. We were exchanging such thoughts when Mother's voice resounded once more. "Would someone go and turn the heat off until evening! You'd think you were trying to boil me to death." I didn't even have to look to know my older sister had come out of her room and was standing on the maru, unable to keep anyone happy. Father groaned and stood up with a few dry coughs. "If you can't give up completely then at least try sucking on a piece of eundon." I wondered if they still sold those tiny silver capsules that were supposed to help you give up smoking, and picked up a box of matches to take aim at a stray cat, which had climbed over the wall and was poking around our saucepots. The matchbox landed between the flowerbed and the saucepot platform. The cat scampered over the wall with a meow. The next moment my father appeared from around the back and walked out the gate carrying a briquette burning with blue flames. I opened the door to the east room and carefully asked my sister if she would like to move to the sunflower room. Then we wouldn't have to heat the inner room in the daytime. She hurriedly covered her breast, blushing, and shook her head in refusal. The east room had been hers alone until she married and left home. A print of Claude Monet's "Impression: Sunrise" had hung on the wall like a crest since she was in junior high. She had hardly ever ventured near the west or sunflower rooms while she lived at home. No one told her to stay away, but she would shut herself up in her room like a silkworm in a cocoon. Inside that Monet print hanging on the wall. Inside those wrinkles of quiet light steeped in mist. She seemed to think of our house as somewhere to stay for a while before moving on. But that while had turned into 32 long years. She had taught art at a junior high school before her marriage. When she finally gave in to demands to meet a prospective marriage partner, introduced by a friend of my mother's, they said she had agreed to marry like a child being sent away for adoption.

She said she would stay just one more day and leave the next morning. She lives in Cheongju with her husband, who works for Korea Electric Power Corporation. I was in no position to ask her to stay longer, so I merely nodded and came back out onto the maru. Mother lay on her side looking out onto the yard. Father returned after disposing of the briquette and sat down on the maru. Mother immediately began to moan at him to move his back out of her way. Then, sometime after a cockerel suddenly called out in the distance, despite it being daytime, mother began to mumble to herself like someone out of her mind. "Four blooms on the pomegranate and the Chinese pinks will soon be over. Once the dahlias and poppies have bloomed, it'll be time to take the lids off the saucepots, oh, but it's such a nuisance when it rains in the summer… Where did those ants on the door hinge go when it rained?… Ha, ha, they must have hid in the rose moss. I'm sitting under the Buddha's hand, looking up at the pink willow-weed." The colors in the flowerbed were still changing by the hour, like Monet's brush strokes. Now Father started to mumble as if in reply. "Oh, there go my ears." I glanced over at the flowerbed, taken aback by these words, just in time to see a breeze quietly passing over the flower heads. “Really, those flowers don’t hear very well." This bizarre conversation between my mother and father continued for a while longer. "Should I wear my shoes?" "You were barefoot with straw sandals tied over your head." "Look, I've been barefoot ever since you didn't buy me shoes when our eldest was born. Who wears straw sandals these days? I just carry them around and when my arm feels as if it might fall off then I tie them on my head." "So that was you who went by just now?" "Yes, I went on ahead." "So, is it nice there?" "Maybe I'll just lie down here behind you for a little while."

The Old Maid Someone pushed open the gate and walked into the yard. The moment the gate opened I was gripped by the feeling that a

woman had walked straight out of that old photo album up in the attic. It was the old woman with a harelip who used to run a bean curd shop in the village down the road. She had a split upper lip, which curled up to her nose, and was blind in one eye. She had never married. No one knew her name or how old she was, so we called her the old bean curd woman, the woman with a harelip, or the old maid. She had closed down the bean curd shop a long time ago because of all the work it entailed, and now grew potatoes and sweet potatoes on a patch next to her house in the winter and picked roots in spring and summer, which she exchanged for rice around the neighborhood. She stood in the middle of the yard waiting for someone to come out, a black bundle in her arms. She was wearing a cotton jacket over a tube skirt and black rubber shoes, just as she used to. I hadn't seen her for several years, in fact I had completely forgotten about her and was not even aware she was still alive. Mother had been lying down inside, but now she jumped up in a fit and began to shout savagely, "Why have you come so soon?" The cat that had disappeared next door reappeared on the top of the wall. It was not clear whether the old maid heard Mother's shouts or not, as she simply turned an expressionless face towards the cat on the wall. A chill slid down my spine while behind me Mother looked as if she'd seen a ghost. What was going on? I can still remember how our mother used to feed the old maid freshly-cooked rice, and even send her away with a bowl full of rice from our rice chest when she came to our house. So why was she insulting her so coarsely today? "Miran! Give that woman a bowl of rice and get her out of here now!" My sister came running out of the kitchen holding a yellow plastic container and lifted up the lid on the rice chest with visibly shaking hands. My eyes met Father's for a second; they were filled with a sense of ill-boding. In the rough air that had been kicked up, I turned around to watch from behind as the old maid bent down over the flowerbed. My sister stepped down into the yard, hurriedly pulling on her slippers, but even though she held out the container, saying "Here you are," it was hard to tell whether the woman heard or not. "I know what she wants! What are you doing? Why don't you chase her away and sprinkle some salt in the yard!" The light that had been pouring down into the yard now quietly slipped up onto the saucepot platform, just as the old list_ Books from Korea

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maid snapped off a poppy stem under the pomegranate and stole a glance into the inner room. Mother's voice sounded strained, completely withered. "You didn't say anything a few days ago." Even the cat on the wall stood still and watched the old maid. "So, now you're telling me to go?" Mother kept on spitting out words, but the woman did not reply. She took a long look at the container that my sister hesitantly held out towards her, and said, "Put this in your mother's mouth tonight." With that she opened the gate and left. I'm not sure whether Mother heard or not. Even though our father had instinctively stepped down into the yard the moment the poppy head had fallen, he may not have heard either. My sister turned her hollow eyes to meet mine, but I shook my head, not knowing what to do. The cat disappeared from the wall and we heard the door to the inner room close behind us. I wonder what our father was thinking as he stood next to the pomegranate tree with his hands behind his back, staring at the poppy that had lost its neck. I went into the sunflower room and watched the languid afternoon sun soak into the saucepot platform and then slither over the garden wall like a snake. Was that the unfamiliar sound of Mother sobbing that I could hear coming from the inner room? My older sister was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Father was out the back stoking the briquettes with a fan. My younger sister sat quietly behind the closed door of the east room, alone as usual. As we all sat around the table to eat, the light in the yard slowly lifted and darkness fell down over us like a blanket. Father turned on the maru light with the same hand that held his chopsticks. The table was cleared and we each went to our own room. In the sunflower room I quietly listened to Father, who sat on the maru, mumbling to himself. The cat came over the wall A black bundle in the yard Just one moment, and then When the poppy falls

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The smell of charcoal on the maru

Blood and Bean Curd By the time my sister came to my room after finishing the day's work, the baby in the east room was pestering its mother for a final time before going to sleep. My older sister had divorced four months ago and her former husband was bringing up their two children. He imported liquor from overseas and was about to remarry, she said. She was still young enough to meet someone else too. "I'm almost 40â&#x20AC;ŚYou call that young? I just want to stay here and help out Mom and Dad." "Don't you want to see your kids?" Her daughter was in fourth grade and her son in second grade. She just wanted to bury them deep in her heart and forget about them, she said. But burying her children deep in her heart was easier said than done. It was just as if some stranger had given her a balloon in the park one holiday and walked away, leaving her standing in the same spot for 10 years. She summed up her past this simply. But just as it was time to close the park that person had suddenly reappeared and told her to return the balloon. Her eyes were red again. "I had a really tough time last spring." She had coughed up a lot of blood around the time the azaleas were in bloom. "The azaleas?" I stubbed out my cigarette and sat up clumsily. The baby suddenly stopped crying. "I'd gone to bed one night when something kept rising up my throat. I swallowed hard several times, thinking that my stomach must be upset. But there was this strange bloody taste in my mouth. Then I threw up, and all this sticky stuff came pouring out of my mouth. When I turned the light on, the blankets and mattress were splattered with specks of blood." "!â&#x20AC;Ś" "He saw it. The first thing he said was, do you have TB? Then he turned his back on meâ&#x20AC;Śhe was scared." Tuberculosis. "When I went to the hospital for an X-ray, they found two holes the size of a coin in my lung. You wouldn't believe how

much raw bean curd I ate when I got home. But why does eating bean curd make you cry so much?" It was only natural to cry, but why bean curd? "They say there's no food cleaner than bean curd." Even so, what good was bean curd going to do against tuberculosis? When we were little we ate an awful lot of that bean curd the old maid used to make. That soft, warm bean curd that she would bring to each of us in a gourd dipper early in the morning. Could a balloon and memories of bean curd be all there is to life? "For a whole year I swallowed seven different pills on an empty stomach every morning. And I kept on eating a block of bean curd every night too. We didn't get along that well anyway, but one day he suddenly asked for a divorce and said he didn't want to talk about it. I was in shock. I didn't even cry until I was on the train coming down here with my bundle of things. I don't know why, but I couldn't stop thinking of that song we used to sing when we were little, "Thoughts of Older Brother." You know the one that goes, 'You said you would bring me a pair of silk shoes.' You know it, don't you?" Know it? I must have been in elementary school. Didn't we sing it together as we sat on the tiny porch of our rented house, looking up between the eaves at the red evening sky? "You know our mother had TB once too. That must have been before you started school. Father used to give her a shot in her near every night and eventually she recovered." She was only two years older than me, but she could remember so much more. This was the first time I heard that our mother had suffered from tuberculosis. "Mother was always hardhearted towards me, but for some reason I never resented it. Isn't that strange? But recently I feel like I'm finally beginning to understand." Was there a reason for that too? I suppose there must be. "I was the closest to her. She was having a hard time making ends meet. So when she was upset, she used to take it out on me." Once our mother was gone, this sister would be the mother of my heart. As warm as bean curd. "What are you going to do with your life?" "What?" "How much longer are you going to wander around without a home or any kind of structure to your life? If there's someone

suitable, then why don't you settle down? You're 36 now, aren't you?" Someone suitable. There's no one like that. But there is someone I'm thinking of in Kuta. One week from now I'll be on a plane flying there. I hadn't told anyone about her yet, and so now I confessed to my future mother that I had found someone I liked. "Where's Kuta?" It's a seaside resort on Bali. This past January I was in Bali for 12 days. It was so cold in Seoul that I just had to go somewhere warm. "You mean she's Indonesian?" My sister's eyes opened wide and she looked right at me. I nodded. Her face turned pale. "So what's her name and how old is she?" So? "She uses her English name Suzanne, so I don't know her Balinese name. She's 22." "Twenty-two? That's…well, have you made any kind of promise?" The conversation was becoming more serious. It seemed what I had said had been quite unexpected. "I promised I'd go back, of course." Since the age of 26 home had been somewhere I returned in order to leave. On the other hand, all the places in the world I had gone were places I left in order to return. "And will you?" "I miss her, so I think I'll end up going back somehow." This time the first thing I'll ask is her Balinese name. Mea nwhile my sister looked like she wa s approaching resignation. Women are pretty quick to reach resignation when it comes to such affairs. "What does she do?" "To put it our way, she graduated from high school and works in a hotel restaurant." "What's the name of the hotel?" She really asks all kinds of things. "Bali Summer Hotel." She repeated it to herself slowly, Bali Summer Hotel, and then gave me a doubting, worried look that bore right through me. "Why do you still live like you're in a dream even now you've grown up?" The question was unexpected. list_ Books from Korea

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For me my dreams are my waking time and my waking time is a dream too. There's nothing I can do about it. Anyway, the person I'm thinking of is in Kuta. I was eating braised sea bream in Kuta's Bali Summer Hotel when my eyes met hers from a distance. She was small and pretty, with darkish skin and wearing a sarong that suited her well. When I left, I gave her my CD player and Zoltán Kodály's Solo Cello Sonata. Since I've been back I sometimes have this dream, where the two of us are sitting in beach chairs, sipping on Bintang beer and listening to Kodály's solo. "I'm coming!" My sister jumped up in response to our mother's call. As she stood up she said to me, "Have you told Mother?" How could I tell her? "I'm just worried you might get hurt. The two of you I mean." Hurt. Well, longing is the source of all hurt. With time the longing turns to hurt and lingers in your heart to the degree you longed. We all carry such wounds. She came back five minutes later, but just stood outside the door saying there was something strange about Mother. What? "All of a sudden she said, go see if the grinding stone is out in the back. I mean, how long has it been since we used that?" "…and is it?" "Yes." "Then, what's the problem? Why don't you try to get some rest? Oh, and I wanted to ask you one thing." What? She appeared to be swaying under the outside light. "You don't by any chance happen to have that picture of us in the sunflower patch when we were kids?" Unfortunately she couldn't even remember what picture I was talking about. Once she had gone into the west room silence fell over the whole house.

The Bali Summer Hotel She wore white lace-up shoes and waited on me whenever I went down to the restaurant, mornings and evenings. On the fourth day she brought me braised sea bream, and I whispered to her discreetly that I had waited all night for morning to come. All 54 list_ Books from Korea

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the time I was looking down at those white shoes under the table. Her legs trembled at my words. The next morning she again brought the tray to my table. I told her it was snowing heavily now in Korea. Finally she spoke, laboriously repeating the word snow. Snow as white as your shoes, I said. She twisted her feet in towards each other and laughed quietly. Then she watched from a distance until I finished my meal. On my fifth morning at the Bali Summer Hotel she brought me fruit, coffee, and toast, and I suggested we meet that evening in front of the offices of the private phone company Wartel. There were many outdoor cafes in that neighborhood. I wanted to drink Bintang and talk late into the night. She blushed madly, shook her head, and returned to her place. She continued to watch me from where she was standing. That evening she came to my room. We spent an hour somewhat awkwardly listening to Kodály, and then just as we were both getting thirsty we slipped off our clothes. I held her like a baby, and she spoke to me in awkward English. "I want to see snow." "Right, the snow." "Shoes falling lots and lots from the sky?" Yes, that's right, I laughed. White shoes pouring down from the sky. I spoke to her in Korean. "I've loved you since long ago. You silent, little thing." Of course she couldn't understand, so she just listened to me quietly. "You're still hiding in those Monet strokes. In the shadows of that strange light. You little dumb thing." The curves of her breasts and buttocks were beautiful beyond words. Outside the window coconut palm leaves gently swayed under the lights. If I closed my eyes, it seemed those palm leaves would turn into huge fish and slowly float over my head. The next day she arrived at noon. Again she begged me to talk to her about snow. Stealing glances at the tropical roses and palms over her naked back, I thought of my love in the east room. After a week I left. Leaving behind the white shoes and Kodály. And the promise that I would return. But she didn't seem to believe me. I spent four days in Uluwatu, and then on the day I was to return to Seoul she surprised me at Denpasar Ngurah Rai Airport where, eyes brimming with tears, she said

she hoped I was not a snowman.

The Shoes When I went to the bathroom shortly after midnight, Father followed me outside. No, he didn't follow me. Even after I'd finished my business and was returning to my room, he was still standing in the dark in front of the maru, holding something in his hands. I took a closer look and saw Mother's shoes. I could not bring myself to ask why and had to force myself to look him in the face. "She asked me to bring these in." His voice quivered. He carried the shoes into the inner room and all the lights went out.

He could have spoken quietly, but instead he shouted. How can he still be deaf on a quiet night like this? I stood up and went to turn the light on, when a cold hand grabbed my wrist. "Just come on out!" I went outside with him still grasping my wrist. He didn't step up onto the maru, but repeated what he'd said in the sunflower room. "Your mother's gone!" That's when I realized that something had happened in the inner room. They were still deep asleep in the east and west rooms. When I entered the inner room, barely able to steady my trembling legs, the first things to catch my eye were the white rubber shoes on Mother's pillow.

The Walk of Night Hey Sister, I drew a ground plan of our house today. I suppose someday it'll be yellowed by the light and curl up into a roll of dry paper. Just like our lives. Then the memories of our time spent in this house will gradually fade too. But somehow I know that you will be the only one who remembers everything later. I know it's you who's got the photo of the sunflower patch. Didn't we kiss fearlessly between the green sunflower stalks one summer day? You've been watching me through your big eyes for a whole lifetime. Or I've been watching you. A few days from now I'll go to meet you again. On that far away tropical island. Yes, tropical. There I'll meet you again at the age of 36. Outside I could hear the sound of the night passing over barefoot. Treading on the sunflower roof, across the yard and the flowerbed, up onto the saucepot platform and then over the wall to the side. It must have been three or four in the morning when I heard footsteps approach my pillow and someone shook my shoulders. We had been sitting together in easy chairs listening to Kodรกly when suddenly my eyes opened wide and I sat up. A voice from the dark spoke into my ear. "She's gone!"

Many Stars Drifted to One Place Yun Dae-nyeong, Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. 2010, 436p, ISBN 9788954610605

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About the Author Yun Dae-nyeong was born in 1962 in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province. He made his debut in 1990 by winning the New Writer Award sponsored by the monthly Munhak Sasang (Literary Thought). The recipient of Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Young Artist Award (1994), Yi Sang Literary Award (1996), Modern Literature Prize (1998), and Yi Hyo-seok Literary Award (2003), he has written the short story collections Sweetfish Fishing Reports, Behold the Southern Stairs, Many Stars Drifted to One Place, and There Walks Someone; essay collections Things I Want to Tell Her and Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spoon and Chopsticks; and novels I Went to See an Old Movie, Mi-ran, A Traveler in the Snow, and Why Did the Tiger Go to the Sea?

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Reviews Fiction

Losing the Senses Short Nap by the Roadside Choi Suchol, Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 300p, ISBN 9788932023502

In the literary establishment of Korea, Choi Suchol is viewed as a Modernist Korean writer who has challenged the conventional mode of ordering events in a cause and effect narrative. In contrast, he poses fundamental philosophical questions about how what ta kes place outside of the self is felt and perceived; how a person’s sensibility and perceptions affect the consciousness; and how ultimately awareness and recollection are re-enacted by way of language. In Choi’s new antholog y of short stories Short Nap by the Roadside, he continues to ask similar questions, but this time, instead of stopping short of asking only questions, the author invites readers to seek the answer in their own lives. “Pinocchios” tells a story about those who have lost all their senses, including their perception, and are therefore called Pinocchio, after the wooden puppet in the famous children’s novel. I n “M a ster s of Obl iv ion,” t here are characters that practice the skill of

obliterating their memories in order to deprive themselves of all recollections. The message delivered by the author in the stories “Pinocchios” and “Masters of Oblivion,” is how one should overcome skepticism about the senses and memories, and instead try to reclaim them no matter how painful and how much they are intermixed with misunderstanding and deception. In “ T he Ventriloqu ist’s L ove,” a character renounces the limited language of ventriloquism that fails to convey his complete self. Short Nap by the Roadside is about the author’s persistent investigation into how one must confront somber subjects in order to unveil the superficiality of our reality. The author laudably presents the wisdom he attained through his long and arduous exploration. by Yi Soo-hyung

Pain’s Relativity Fire Salamander Han Kang, Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 310p, ISBN 9788932023533

Han Kang’s work Fire Salamander is a collection of her published stories over the past 10 years. The collection is not so much about showing how the author’s sensibility and thoughts have developed over the last 10 years but how her subtle pathos takes over its space and plays out in a variety of ways. Cold passion, characteristic of Han Kang, is felt in the short stories in this collection as well. What is interesting, however, is that over 10 years, her works do not take the dramatic course that goes from pain and despair to solace and affirmation. To reiterate, there is no connection in terms of development of story or emotions between the very first published work and the most recently published work. Instead, what seemed like a scar that would fade becomes even starker, and what seemed like a permanent

scar in one moment disappears in another. T he f ac t t hat t here a re no def i n ite epiphanies or a turn towards healing is what makes this compilation unique. Therefore, Han Kang’s collection of short stories, spanning 10 years, is not a show of what develops internally over time but what unfolds over a spatial context. Something else interesting about Fire Salamander is comparing whether it is an exercise in understanding the source of sensitivity or showing sensitivity as the cause. Without self-deception or denial, this thing called life, where things play out by themselves and where only Han Kang’s sensibility allows entryway, is put on display. Shou ld readers recognize only the absolute tempo of life or only the existence of the lives belonging to various individuals, then they will not understand the book’s message: the theory of relativity concerning pain. In order to handle suffering without self-deception or denial, the two entities of life need to work in

conjunction with one another. Readers will see the labor of the author’s hand throughout the book as she writes about what stirs us. by Cho Kangsok

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Reviews Fiction

Inspired by Despair Sir Chancellor Bae Myung-hoon, Bookhouse Publishers 2012, 360p, ISBN 9788956056104

In this collection of short stories, an election is a battleground where a plethora of desires clash by way of each candidate. An election comes to a close when the winner and loser are decided. Although it may not be long before the voters who voted for the winner will feel betrayed by the leader they chose, for the time being they cannot help but cheer and gloat in the joy of victory. The defeated and his supporters offer congratulations and encouragement to the victor, but they also despair at the thought of the authority the victor will wield as the leader. Here, at the point of despair, a fantasy will arise. If private fantasy is born when personal desire has been crushed, then socia l fantasy is created when collective desire has been thwarted by social institutions or authority. Most of the 10 short stories in Sir Chancellor are set in a virtual society where a chancellor reigns. “Bicentennial Chancellor” starts off with a brilliant scientist who despises the new chancellor, and so is frozen and preserved by his wife for five years. He comes back to life

The Animal Inside Them Lumière People Chang Kangmyoung, Hankyoreh Publishing Company 2012, 356p, ISBN 9788984316461

Chang K angmyoung’s novel Lumière People contains a series of stories about the people who live in the Lumière Building. At a quick glance, the book seems to be about about the brilliant lives of the people living there as the word “lumière” suggests, meaning light or hope. In reality, the title is paradoxical, as the book is about the people who are degenerating as capitalist prisoners in this “bright” city. T he people Cha ng K a ngmyou ng invents are as complex as the old area of Seoul, Sinchon, where the building is located. There is the young pregnant girl and the runaway boy in apartment 801; the workaholic, the bar hostess, and the waiter in apartment 802; the hearingimpaired person in apartment 803; and the debtor and the second-generation chaebol, or conglomerate heir, in apartment 805. 58 list_ Books from Korea

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However, these are all people who live outside the realm of what is considered acceptable in society, qualifying them as losers. For example, in “801 - The Batboy,” a runaway boy who breaks away from the school system becomes a real-life batboy; in “808 - The Rats Underground Kingdom,” the abandoned teenagers take the shape of rat people. The exaggerated animal depictions are also applied to 802’s workaholic, 805’s debtor, and to the second-generation chaebol. “805 – Hit Him with a Wad of Cash” plays out the extreme behavior of the “haves” and the “have-nots.” The rule of the game is to take turns hitting the designated person with a bundle of money until the person getting hit asks them to stop, making the person doing the hitting a winner. The debtor Jeong-min, who takes part in this game, makes 140 million won as the person getting hit and comforts himself by telling himself that

after five years but the chancellor is still in power. The scientist repeats his frozen hibernation several more times, but each time the chancellor is still reigning over the citizens. Another short story, “Next Year,” is about a strange world where the year 2012 repeats continuously for 30 years. In “Great Resolution,” the chancellor, who has been taken over by a vindictive spirit, is obsessed with a water construction project that brings about his downfall. Most of the stories contained in this collection are fantasies with a dystopian imagination; however, because they are told with humor, they do not read like bleak tales. Hard realities such as the canal controversy and cronyism reveal the political reality of Korean society. by Choi Sungmin

“getting beaten up is kind of work.” All the participants of this game, are relegated to the animal world and are merely seen as the ringleaders of capitalism. T h r ou g h d e f i c i e nt or e x c e s s i v e application of animal characteristics, Lumière People makes us question what it means to be human as well as consider the value of dignity and truth. by Jung Eunkyoung

Steady Sellers

In Search of a Lost Past Who Ate All the Sing-ah? Park Wansuh, Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 301p, ISBN 9788933801925

Pa r k Wa n s u h w a s a n o u t s t a n d i n g storyteller and prolific writer who filled Korean literature with spirit and vigor. Park ’s novels are characterized by her straightforward and penetrating style. Her style, which is like a skillful weaving of boldness and sensitivity makes readers feel as if they are touching a piece of smooth fabric. In particular, her ability to expose selfishness, secular greed, falsity, and accurately depict multiple layers of human psychology is unrivaled. Her infinite narrative imagination is based on her own experiences that were more dramatic than her novels. Her childhood and youth coincided with the most turbulent period of Korean modern and contemporary history from the Japanese occupation of Korea to the Korean War. During her formative years, when the emotional rapport between the

self and the world is most sensitive and active, Park experienced the tumultuous history of Korea. This experience became a constant source of repeated trauma in her novels. For Park, the life she experienced was in itself the treasury and the origin of her literary imagination. Who Ate Up All the Sing-ah? is an autobiographical novel that elaborately chronicles her experiences. In particular, this novel is significant in that it sheds light on historical topics, which had been monopolized by male writers, through a woman’s view for the first time. It vividly portrays a historical experience captured by a woman’s regard and sensibility. In Park’s novels, ideology and the history of struggles for power that were the exclusive provenance of male writers are absorbed into a very personal and microscopic world of daily life. The history of the turbulent

years Koreans experienced is turned into rich folkloric scenery through various trivial episodes of everyday life such as a broken bowl of soy sauce in the kitchen, girls’ hairstyles that changed from braided hair to straight bobs, shamanic rituals that often took place in villages, tales told by mothers who did sewing for pay, and strange games children played. In Who Ate Up All the Sing-ah?, Park revives Korea’s unique daily lifestyle that had disappeared and heals and restores the history destroyed by men with a feminine sensibility through the story of mother and daughter who were left out of history. In the novel, the mother who has a powerful influence on the daughter’s life is the most interesting character. When her husband dies, she leaves her home in Bakjeokgol and moves to Seoul. She becomes the head of the family and forms a new matriarchal family. Having rejected the role of a daughter-in-law, she assumes the responsibility for the livelihood of the family by doing needlework for pay and turns into an unyielding and tough woman whose sole goal is to give a modern education to her children. She then forces her daughter to live the life of a modern woman that she has never been. The daughter however, regards her mother sometimes with love but other times with bitterness. The feelings of love and hate the daughter has toward her mother are shown in the way she sees Ba kjeokgol where she spent her childhood. To the mother, Bakjeokgol, where her husband’s family was based, was a feudal world she needed to escape. To the daughter, however, it is remembered as a space of longing, a paradise where her childhood memories are kept. As the grown-up daughter looks back on her past, Ba kjeokgol is portrayed a s the model of Korean life that was not damaged by modernity but that no longer exists today. In this sense, the mother gives her daughter an opportunity for a modern education as well as takes away her daughter’s childhood, Bakjeokgol. However, it is not only the daughter who suffers. The mother also loses all interest in life when her son dies in the Korean War. The author is asking us: Who ate all the sing-ah fruit that used to be so abundant in the fields? by Park Hyekyung

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Reviews Nonfiction

Communication for Life The Persuasion of Philosophers Ahn Gwang-bok, Across Publishing Company 2012, 280p, ISBN 9788997379071

Good speakers and writers are often the subject of a not-so-secret envy. The ability to convey one’s thoughts in speech and writing is a special skill. It is not a natural talent, however. Anybody can become a good writer and speaker if they practice reading, listening, speaking, and writing enough. T h e Pe r s u a si on of Phil os oph e r s examines the art of rhetoric by drawing upon sources from t he Sophist s and classica l logic, to modern-day psychology. The idea being, of course, that rhetoric is merely another name for how to read, listen, speak, and write well. The author, a philosophy teacher and practicing philosopher of 20 years, lays down the rules of persuasive argument in four sections devoted to reading, listening, speaking, and writing. This does not in any way mean this book is dismissable as part of the superficial selfhelp genre. The methods outlined in the book are well-thought out and intricate as befits a philosopher who has been teaching philosophy for two decades. For instance, the act of reading does not merely refer to books, according to the author; books must be read, but more important is the ability to read what is going on in the world. The key here is to avoid assigning exaggerated importance to things. In this way one gains a clear perspective.

It i s a c om mon m i sperc ept ion t h a t on e t e n d s t o g e t e m o t i on a l when spe a k i ng , but it i s ac t u a l ly when one listens that one gives in to overexcitement. Therefore it is necessary to check one’s emotions when listening, cautions the author. It is only with emotional detachment that one can clearly hear what the message is. Socrates may have opened up a new world to the youth of Athens with his words, but he is more famous for his sympathetic and persuasive listening skills. One becomes a master of persuasion only by being a master of listening. W hat about spea k ing, then? Speaking may be considered in the context of Tao. Speaking is about having the respect to meet someone halfway in an argument and having the patience to repeat oneself as necessary. Here all speakers should abide by what the author calls perfection. Perfection, in this case, refers to “the state of possessing all qualities and characteristics as fit and necessary,” or in other words, to hold the other speaker’s character in good faith. The purpose of learning how to read, listen, speak, and write is to be able to persuade others. The pinnacle of this process, of course, is writing. In order to put down one’s thoughts in words, a certain quantity of material is necessary, as well as the time to outline one’s argument. Writing requires more time

than the other skills to organize one’s thoughts. It also demands the ability to choose what thoughts to focus on and what thoughts to discard. Writers would do well to remember that in writing, less is more. People read, listen, spea k, a nd write every day, but from time to time still get in trouble for lack of better instruction. Perhaps the greatest virtue of The Persuasion of Philosophers is that it teaches that reading, listening, speaking, and writing are acts performed every day, and are the same acts that complete our lives. This writer dares to venture that a copy of The Persuasion of Philosophers by your side will help you with the wisdom and wit to be a better communicator. by Jang Dongseok

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Reviews Nonfiction

Making the Humanities Easy The Humanities, Starting Now Ju Hyun-sung, BetterBooks 2012, 560p, ISBN 9788998015015

The subtitle, not the title, reveals the true character of The Humanities, Starting Now. The title hints at the writer’s unswerving purpose and his lean and elegant style, but the subtitle alerts us to the publisher’s marketing strategy. The subtitle, “The Minimum You Have to Know About the Liberal Arts To Be Informed,” brings to mind the self-help genre. Perhaps thanks to this, it has gone through 53 printings in under three months, an amazing feat in the current publishing environment, especially for a 560-page book on the humanities. What is the secret behind its success? First of all the writer is highly skilled. Ju Hyun-sung, an acquisitions editor for a publishing company, has read thousands of books in the genre and has professional knowledge of his readership base. Of course, if these were the only reasons that the book succeeded then editors would simply write books themselves, and not

waste time soliciting manuscripts and paying royalties. Perhaps Ju’s foremost talent lies in aptly choosing subjects and explaining them smoothly and clearly. It would be difficult to confine topics such as psychology, Western painting, Greek and Roman mythology, Western histor y, Western philosophy and the globalization debate to one volume apiece, but Ju has managed to fit each topic into a single chapter. The Humanities, Starting Now isn’t f lashy, but due to its careful attention to fundamentals, it can be regarded as a very good introduction to the humanities. by Bae No-pil

Who Needs Love? Do Not Love One Another Doh-ol Kim Young-oak, Tongnamu Publishing Co. 2012, 360p, ISBN 9788982641251

T here h a s ne ver be en a word more mysterious and abstruse than “love.” Love is so all-encompassing and broad in its definition that it can be applied to a ny situation. L ove a nd its ma ny applications—romantic love, love between p a rent s a nd c h i ld ren, love of you r neighbors, love for your enemy—have elevated love to a status beyond the reach of religious and ideological dispute. But as love continues to conquer all, its meaning grows fuzzy. Love tends to be abused in all sorts of situations as the panacea of all problems. Doh-ol Kim Young-oak, philosopher and one of the greatest minds of Korea, points out this problem of love in his book by the provocative title, Do Not Love One Another. Kim argues that we speak of love without knowing what it is. As people oversimplify by packing all good things

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under the umbrella term of love, do we not see the world in large, unsophisticated categories that encourage prejudice and generalizations? The book was originally written for the wandering youth of our society, but instead of comforting the young and weary, Doh-ol pitches a characteristically blunt messa ge: “Yout h is in no way beautiful. Youth is beautiful only in the hindsight of old men. Memories of youth, not youth itself, are beautiful. Time puts reality through a sieve that retains the romantic and shakes off the fear, horror, and pain that inevitably come with it. The reality that governs youth is, in fact, despair.” Po si n g provo c at i ve , c omp e l l i n g questions on history, the universe, religion, and food, Do Not Love One Another reminds us that philosophy is omnipresent.

Kim introduces readers to a new and exciting way of looking at the world through the scope of Eastern philosophy. by Richard Hong

Reviews Nonfiction

Consuming Culture The Birth of Philistinism Park Sook-ja, Purnyoksa Publishing Company 2012, 411p, ISBN 9788994079738

In Korea, being refined has many different connotations. It can mean the knowledge one has or indicate a level of knowledge, but it can also imply etiquette or suggest a certain class and educational background. Taste in reading is also linked to it. A scholar of Korean modern literature, Park Sook-ja, states that the issue is not about being refined, but rather it is about philistinism. One example of philistinism she gives is, “Literary masterpieces that are referred to in order to show off one’s literary taste, as a kind of bibliography of ‘great’ books that support one’s claim to elitism, and the educational credentials for a successful life.” During the Japanese colonial period, Korean literary masterpieces were viewed as a means to assimilate into Western high culture. However, it was very rare that such works were properly translated, and even the excerpts were in translation or

No More Political Extremes Ending the Polemic Venerable Pomnyun, Hankyoreh Publishing Company 2012, 176p, ISBN 9788984316393

Rele a sed a mont h before t he la st presidential election, with the subtitle “A Vision for the Future of Korea,” this book seems ambitious in its aims. Based on its subtitle and publication date, one would expect the writer to be a political contender, but in fact he is the Venerable Pomnyun, a well-known Buddhist monk. Religion is not a major inf luence on Korean politics, so the book seems anomalous. A key to understanding it can be found on the cover, where the Chinese characters for hwa-jaeng are written in large type as part of the design, intimating there is a religious basis for the book. The monk Wonhyo (617-686), famous during the Silla Dynasty, developed the notion of hwa-jaeng, which means that t wo opposing doctrines may be synthesized at a higher level of consciousness. For this concept, he referred to the Buddha’s essential teaching of jung-do. A simple

reading of these characters would suggest they mean, “sitting in the middle,” but the precise definition is: “abandoning a flawed extreme position and taking the correct view.” During the election, the parties used confrontation tactics. In a democracy no single party will receive over 90 percent of voter support, but in Korea every politician claims to be representing 99 percent of the people. Candidates for the two major parties wage campaigns ridiculing the opposition by insisting that it represents either only the richest and most powerful one percent of citizens, or the one percent of remaining pro-North Korea agitators. This was particularly true in the past election. Venerable Pomnyun wrote this book to encourage the end of this polarization. The fierce confrontation that characterized the election can easily be avoided with the return of common sense. Of course, this solution cannot easily be achieved. For example, Ahn Cheolsoo, who looks to Venerable Pomnyun as his

inaccurate renditions of the works. The Korean translation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables was poorly done and even worse, had to rely on the Japanese translation, which greatly distorted the main theme of the work. Instead of the “birth of a modern self with a conscience” it t u rned i nto a “suc c e ss stor y of a poor boy.” As a result of an incomplete understanding of the story, the masterpiece became a symbol of success. The author thoroughly researched newspapers, magazines, and short works of the colonial period, and accurately portrays the reading, publication, and intellectual culture of that time. The book also covers broader ground with an argument about the intellectual network in East Asia during the Japanese imperialist era. by Pyo Jeonghun

mentor, offered a third, commonsense a lternat ive in t he la st elec t ion, but the political experiment ended in his withdrawal from candidacy. Although the election has passed, Ending the Polemic is still a useful guide for understanding the present and future political landscape in South Korea. by Bae No-pil

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Reviews Nonfiction

A Divided Country Overcoming Societal Division Song Ho-keun, Dasan Books 2012, 252p, ISBN 9788963709086

O ve r comin g S ocie ta l D ivi si on b e a r s similarities to the Venerable Pomnyun’s Ending the Polemic, also reviewed in this issue. Both books were printed just prior to the presidential election last year, and coincidentally, their subtitles both refer to Korea’s future. The authors voice their worries about Korea’s current divisive twoparty politics and prognosticate about what this means for the future. Song Ho-keun, a respected newspaper columnist with a keen eye for social analysis, has been publishing f inely crafted columns for over 20 years. He states that in the current situation, we need logic to g ua rd u s f rom ta k ing extreme sides, and rather than taking clear rhetorical positions, we require protective skepticism. The most interesting part of the book is his contention that while Korea has achieved industrialization and democratic reform, it is precisely this success that is blocking its progress. Citizens are divided along political lines: the right is proud it

took a leading role in industrialization, and the left feels it sacrificed to achieve democracy. Each faction has become so obsessed with its own role in Korea’s success story that it has come to regard the other side with enmity. Song believes this mood has persisted for the past 17 years. This is the time it has taken for the average Korean’s income to increase from $10,000 a year in 1994 to $20,000 in 2011, the longest for any OECD country. Japan took five years, and Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. each took 10. It seems there must have been a political reason for the economic stagnation that set in during the 1990s. Song theorizes that the government was never able to achieve social consensus on policies rega rd ing grow t h a nd distribution. Societ y has reached an ideological impasse. If you are wondering what lies in store for Korea after its last difficult election, Song’s analysis will be your guide. by Bae No-pil

History Through Magazines Magazines, Window into an Era Compiled by An Jae-sung, Dolbegae Publishers 2012, 392p, ISBN 9788971995020

The subtitle of this book is “Reading H i s tor y i n Old M a g a z i ne s .” He re , old magazines refer to the magazines published during and after the Japanese colonial period (1910-45) in Korea. The book includes the magazine articles of that period and with brief supplementary explanations. That is why An Jae-sung says he did not write the book, but instead compiled it: “Many history books are written in a stilted style. What I had in mind was a book that read like it was by a person from the period, of which I was writing about. In order to vividly recount the historical circumstances, I have retained the writing style of the newspapers and magazines of the times, leaving it up to the readers themselves to evaluate the era and its people.” 64 list_ Books from Korea

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One such newspaper excerpt is as follows: “Money! Is your name Money? Before you, the emperor bows down, the general collapses, the aristocrats genuflect, and everyone surrenders. Who are you, to be so great? To make all people, all nations fight, cooperate, cry, and laugh? To bring peace to the families and countries, to put them to despair, to make them rise and decline, and to bring tears?” (Gaebyeok, November 11, 1923) The book delineates in detail the birth and development of a modern currency in Korea. When Korea became a colony of Japan, it was incorporated into the world capitalist system. The magazines that are covered in this book are diverse, such as popular magazines, socialist magazines, conservative right-wing party magazines, Japanese newspapers printed in Manchuria, and magazines published in the USSR and China. An focuses on satirical writings and critical commentary from these magazines, for they reveal the conflicts and paradoxes

of the socio-political reality of Korea during the colonial period. by Pyo Jeonghun

Reviews Nonfiction

Where K-pop Comes From Speaking of Singers Im Jin-mo, BIGHOUSE 2012, 328p, ISBN 9788996377962

K-pop is having its heyday. Young artists are at the vanguard of this craze, but according to pop music critic Im Jinmo, it is “the result of a long tradition of Korean music that has been rehashed and reinvented many times.” His new book, Speaking of Singers, casts new light on 41 well-known recording artists that have opened the way for K-pop singers enjoying worldwide popularity today. The first is the queen of ballads, Lee Mi-ja. Perhaps most known for “Lady Camellia,” a song once banned for its similarity to Japanese enka. It has stood the test of time however, and is now considered one of the greatest Korean pop songs of the 20th century. Of the singer known as the Godfather of Korean rock, Shin Joong-hyun, whose songs such as “Beautiful Woman” and “Woman in the Rain” are beloved to this day, the author calls him “the grand master.” He has similar words of praise for Twin Folio, the folk rock duo that ushered in the acoustic guitar craze in Korea, for

“sowing the seeds of musical democracy.” As for Jo Yong-pil, considered “one of the greatest vocalists in Korean history,” the author crowns him as “the king of singers who deserves every inch of his title.” Speaking of Singers does not forget those artists who are no longer with us, such as Kim Hyun-sik, Yoo Jae-ha, and Kim Kwang-suk. His pieces on Insooni, the energetic diva, Lee Seung-hwan, the prince of concerts, and Lee Seung-chul, possessor of the most impressive vocal cords in Korea, also make for entertaining reading. As the author says, today’s K-pop would not have been possible without the artists of the past, as “no matter how much pop music is about the present tense, it must not be forgotten that the present exists in the progression of time from the past to the present perfect.” by Jang Dongseok

Generating New Stories Storymachine Kim Jin-song, Nanda 2012, 315p, ISBN 9788954619912

Ho w t o e x p l a i n S t o r y m a c h i n e ? A n idiosyncratic carpenter who makes unique wooden dolls that tell stories has written a unique book. An arts and humanities book that is also a book of essays, Storymachine is an experiment in constructing narrative through images. The author Kim Jin-song has worn many hats, from art critic, exhibition planner and publishing producer, to fulltime carpenter, but his latest career change brought out the unconventional in him. His wooden dolls are bursting with stories generated by the turning wheels of time to create an imaginative world. One could say that this book is an explication of his works. Through the stories that he creates with each doll, Kim takes readers by the hand through a narrative world about their creation. The explanations deepen the readers’

understanding of the stories and their hidden charms. “Old Man Drinking,” “Child Dozing Over a Book,” “Phantom Spider Village,” and “Woman Hanging off a Fish” beckon readers to listen while each story leads to the next. An imaginary space does not open up with the subversion of the logic that makes reality work. The strange laws and logic that apply to imaginary spaces are not unrealistic daydreams, but opportunities for closer examination of the physical limits of reality. by Richard Hong

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Reviews Nonfiction

A Bold Relocation Hello Jeju, Happy Daum Daum Communications, Amoeba 2012, 198p, ISBN 9788965690283

Daum Communications is one of the biggest web portals in South Korea. Many Koreans use Daum for email, surfing the web, reading the news, and other services. In 2004 Daum Communications began the process of moving its headquarters to Jeju Island. In Korea, everything including the economy, politics, and culture, is focused in the capital, Seoul. Would an IT company be able to survive in the country’s southernmost island far away from the mainland? The first Daum employees to move to Jeju were 16 members of it s Net Intelligence Lab in 2004. In the beginning they lived and worked out of guesthouses. Eight years later, Daum officially opened its new headqua r ters in Jeju, c a lled SPACE.1. This book explores those first eight years in which the company moved itself to Jeju, and how its members adjusted to life on the island. Lavish illustrations and photographs accompany the text, which is based on interviews with 80 Daum employees.

Go Creative Purple People Kim Yeong-se, Kyobo Book Centre Co., Ltd. 2012, 300p, ISBN 9788997235926

The equation for success is undergoing rapid transformation. If Wall Street was the gold mine of the 20th century, Silicon Valley is now the hottest capital in the world, attracting the greatest talent from all over the world. Among the stars such as the late Steve Jobs of Apple, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Steve Chen of YouTube, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is Kim Yeong-se, Korea’s premier designer and the CEO of INNODESIGN. His revolutionary design for Anycall and iRiver catapulted him to the top of the international design community, winning t he IDE A pri z e (a lso k now n a s t he Academy Award of design), the reddot of Germany, and the Good Design Award of Japan. Purple People is design guru K im Yeong-se’s view on creative people. While Seth Godin shares how remarkable objects 66 list_ Books from Korea

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are born in Purple Cow, Kim Yeong-se explains through the concept of “purple people” how remarkable people who play key roles in an era of creative economies are born. Purple people truly own their lives, create projects they are passionate about, and know how to be free by striking a balance between work and play. They are not exemplary students that follow instructions well, but bold adventurers who strive to satisfy their boundless curiosity and have the guts to travel their chosen paths despite the discouraging labels— oddball, rebel, outsider—that society pins on them. The sincerity of Kim Yeong-se’s transformation from industrial designer to life designer comes through in the book. by Richard Hong

T he d e c i s ion to r e lo c a t e D a u m Communications to Jeju was more than a physical, spatial move. The process was one of integrating itself in the local community. For instance, the company runs industr y-ac ademia pa r tnership prog r a m s w it h Jeju Un iver sit y a nd sponsors a local music festival, Get in Jeju. By far the greatest impact of the company’s move, however, has been on its employees. Park Jeong-hyun of the company’s Search Development Team was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer due to stress. After her stay in Jeju she found her mental and physical health improved immensely, thank s to the beautiful, natura l environment, clear air, and peace of mind she experienced there. The questions addressed in this book go beyond that of the fate of a single corporation: What does work mean to us? And how do we balance work and happiness? by Pyo Jeonghun

Reviews Nonfiction

Why Travel? Reflections on Travel (3 vols.) Yoon Yea-il, Dolbegae Publishers 2012, 352p, ISBN 9788971995112 (Vol.1)

Ref lections on Travel opens up with a quotation from Claude Lévi-Strauss’s Tristes Tropiques. “Perhaps, then, this was what travelling was, an exploration of the deserts of my mind rather than those surrounding me?” Tr a ve l h a s b e c ome a n ord i n a r y event of this age. Travel has become standardized for every place in the world, and wherever we go we are given the same experience. Often our interest is limited to how many tourist sites we visited rather than what we felt and learned from those places. Considering the time and expense, traveling needs to be economic and reasonable, like everything else in our lives. How uneconomical and ineffective it is to meet strangers and just peek at local life during our travels! This is not a n ordina r y travel guidebook that introduces attractions, restaurants, and entertainment. It does not pretentiously speak of places with an air of profound understanding based on a temporary stay, nor is it a travel

Game Mirrors Life Incomplete Life Yoon Tae-ho, Wisdomhouse Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 300p, ISBN 9788960865563 (Vol.1)

For players in China, Japan, and Korea, baduk (Korean for the game, “go”) is no ordinary game. The game played with black and white stones on a 19x19 grid demonstrates all matters of challenges and dangers, as well as the wisdom necessary to overcome them. Now the game has been embraced by manhwa artist Yoon Taeho, whose previous works Yahoo and Moss have proven his ability to translate weighty social issues into thrilling entertainment. His latest work on baduk, however, is not about the cutthroat world of professional players. The author instead uses baduk as an allegory for the world of office workers, those drones fated to fill in our society one dot at a time. "Incomplete life" is the term in baduk for the state of stones that do not have a base or enough shape to make two eyes (another baduk term). The Korean word

misaeng literally means "not yet alive." It also refers to the social status of Jang Keurae, the protagonist, who has just landed his first job. His resume is devoid of any of the qualifications now taken for granted, such as English proficiency, study abroad experience, or awards. He did not even graduate from university, as he dedicated the first two decades of his life practicing baduk in hopes of becoming a professional player. To no greater surprise than his own, however, he manages to snag an internship at a well-known company. Now he must rise above all of his setbacks to seize this opportunity. Traditionally there are two tropes in office drama-type manhwa: on the one hand there is the über-talented protagonist that defeats all competitors to create his own company; on the other there are protagonists that have a day job but are more engrossed in their hobbies that may range from fishing, fine dining, to horse racing. Incomplete Life chooses neither. Instead, the story focuses on how the

essay founded on sentimentalit y and impressions. Ref lections on Travel is a liberal travel book that meditates on places and reads into people. It philosophizes on the nature of travel, contemplates foreign lifestyles and history, and questions the traveler’s morals. The purpose of this book is experiencing life in a small town, listening to local people without judging, taking photos with a camera without using it as a tool of violence, following the path in your heart, understanding depth instead of scope, a nd f ina lly understa nding oneself. by Han Mihwa

protagonist of average abilities, set in a realistic environment, slowly branches out to become a creative force in his own right. At first Jang Keu-rae believes that his baduk-playing years were a waste of time. He comes to realize, however, as he competes with the other interns, becomes a temporary member of the team, and helps to devise and work on a new project, how closely the game of baduk mirrors life. by Yi Myung-suk

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Reviews Children's Books

Everything Is Connected

A blind fisherman is on his way out to sea. He is alone, with no one to help him in his advanced years. His life must be a hard and lonely one. In these circumstances it would be no surprise if such a life were full of despair and sorrow. This, however, is a picture book for children. Adults making books for children are not inclined to address only sorrow and despair. They would rather speak persuasively of hope, courage, and dreams. And this work, A Day at the Beach, is no exception. The full text of the book in its entirety only amounts to 68 list_ Books from Korea

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five lines, but the illustrations show how the seemingly pitiful old man leads a full life. One of the winning entries in the student category of the V&A Illustration Awa rd s 20 0 6 , t he ju r y deemed it “An accomplished entry, beautifully conceived and executed, this work showed a mature engagement with the traditional [printmaking] medium.” Beautifully depicted through images, readers follow the blind old man as he goes fishing with his dog. He is mending his nets when a seagull snatches a line out of his hands. The dog, chasing the seagull, suddenly morphs into the seagull. The dog-seagull returns the line to the old man. In the meantime the old man is reeling in a white fish as big as he is. The white fish swims off with the newly returned line and the old man, turning into a black fish, pursues it. The dog-seagull follows him under the sea,

and turns into a large boulder when a shark threatens to gobble up the black fish. Then the boulder turns into the old man, and the black fish turns into the dog. Coming back to the surface, the old man and the dog go home with the big fish in their basket. The story finishes with the line, “Tomorrow they will repeat their life of today.” The deceptively simple illustrations of this book address a much deeper topic. The line that runs across every page of the book shows that the old man, blind and isolated as he is, is not abandoned by the world but is always connected to something. Those things might be his

dog, seagulls, fish, and by extension nature itself. And so the connection transcends mere association, moving on to harmonious identification. One only needs to obser ve the dynamic scenes of transformation to come to this conclusion. T he old ma n, t he dog , t he seagull, and the f ish chase one another and feed on one another. Their relationship, however, is not antagonistic or tragic. On the contrary, it appears to be natural, healthy, and even happy. The author seems to be saying that in nature all lives are connected, and all beings share an understanding and kinship. This idea is most symbolica lly represented by the tree rings forming the waves of the sea.

One of the most central theses in Eastern philosophy is that all things are connected, not only in this life but in previous and future ones. This picture book visualizes this clearly. The powerful, imaginative illustrations transport its young readers to a state of unity with the world. Young and older readers will be awed by this humble picture book. by Kim Inae

A Day at the Beach Kim Su-yeon, Borim Press 2012, 50p, ISBN 9788943309022

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Reviews Children's Books

Can Clothes Cause Trouble? Let’s Wear Good Clothes Bang Mi-jin; Illustrator: Sobogi Wisdomhouse Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 92p, ISBN 9788962473506

Let’s Wear Good Clothes is a unique book with a focus on clothes in leading children to think about environmental issues. What do clothes have to do with environmental issues? What do “good clothes” mean here? Do they imply that there are “evil clothes,” too? Yes, some of the clothes we wear have caused pollution, exploited workers in poor countries, and even led animals to agonizing deaths. Through the very fashion-conscious mother and daughter characters, this book illustrates each of these environmental issues relating to clothes. To children today, fashion is more than clothes. It is a code, entertainment, and culture that they share with peers. Never has it been more important to dress nicely and look stylish. But that doesn’t mean that it is desirable to blindly follow the latest fashion or buy new clothes every season. It is extremely important to teach children about the sound consumption of clothes because a habitual way of thinking developed during childhood is carried

A Twist to Time Travel The Kitty Watch That Takes You Back in Time Ko Jae-hyun; Illustrator: Han Ji-sun Bear Books, 2012, 183p, ISBN 9788993242744

We all wish, at one time or another, we could go back in time. When we make a fatal mistake, or get into a tragic accident, or want to escape a reality that feels unbearable, we imagine a time machine in our possession, hoping against hope that by correcting our mistakes yesterday we could solve our problems today. The Kitty Watch That Takes You Back in Time by Ko Jae-hyun is a time travel story where a kitty character wrist watch serves as a time machine. The story contains four episodes, each told by different children: Junpyo, Heeju, Kiyoung, and Seun. The only thing these otherwise unrelated narrators have in common is that they all get hold of a kitty watch by chance one day. The kitty watch takes the children back in time. The watch displays the time remaining in the past. 70 list_ Books from Korea

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Once time runs out, the watch takes the children back to the present. This means that the children are each given a limited amount of time to spend in the past. Junpyo goes back to the day when his father, a detective, was injured trying to catch a bad guy. Heeju goes back to the day her sick mother gave birth to her. Kiyoung goes back to the day his brother got into a car accident because of him. Seun goes back to the time she began to grow apart from her best friend Ara. W h i le Ju npyo a nd Heeju have a special time with their respective parents (although neither parent recognizes his or her child from the future), and understand their parent better than ever, Kiyoung and Seun have the perfect chance to correct their mistakes. But only Seun succeeds in changing the present, not by undoing what had been done but by repenting soon enough for what she had done wrong. In The Kitty Watch That Takes You Back in Time, the kitty watch is not an almighty God who can solve any problem.

well into adulthood. Accordingly, this book explains in detail why buying quality clothes rather than cheap and trendy ones is the path to good consumption and being truly stylish. This book ’s ot her streng t h is its style of storytelling that combines text with illustration and cartoons. It will appeal especially to children who find reading boring or difficult. There are also nonfiction aspects of this book with each chapter providing a nice summary about environmental issues and clothes. Clothes are everyday items of interest that will naturally lead children to think about environmental issues in their life. Any reader who has ever felt uneasy about the tons of clothes being mass produced, consumed, and thrown away will find themselves agreeing with this book. by Kim Min-ryoung

It only helps reflect on the self or others. After all, no time machine can ever solve the root cause of problems: people. Unless they change, people will make the same mistakes over and over again. Using the intriguing subject of time travel, this story de-familiarizes everyday events to help the reader reflect on the past. by Kim Min-ryoung

Reviews Children's Books

Lyrical Tales for Kids My Hair Smells Like Sunshine Yoo Eunsil; Illustrator: Lee Hyeon-ju BIR Publishing Co., Ltd., 2012 90p, ISBN 9788949161587

My Ha i r S m e l l s Li k e S u n s h i n e i s a collection of short stories for lower grade children by Yoo Eunsil, winner of the Korea Children’s Book Award and member of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List. Author Yoo also penned Dear Mrs. Astrid Lindgren (Changbi Publishers, Inc., 2005), that has been published in French, and is also being translated into English, Chinese, and Spanish. Another one of her works, The Last Event (Baram Books, 2010), which reflects on the theme of death, is slated to be published in French as well, proving Yoo’s rising prominence as an international author. Stories for lower grade children must exhibit the power of concrete senses, and stories or novels for upper grade children, the power of reason. Yoo is successful in incorporating both in her works, which accounts for her wide readership in Korea. Especially important in stories for lower grade children is a simple yet lyrical writing style that considers the nature of

young children. Yoo has confessed that in order to acquire such a style, she has transcribed journal entries of eight to nineyear-old children, and tries not speaking to adults if she can help it while she’s writing stories for lower grade children. This collection fully demonstrates the results of her efforts. “ T he C h i ld W ho L i k e d To o,” a story about a child who says “me, too,” whenever someone says something and “One Hundredth Day Rice Cake” about how a child comes to accept a baby sibling by fulfilling the symbolic task of sharing rice cakes with neighbors to celebrate the baby’s 100th day. All the children in this collection are sweet and lovable, like children next door. The illustrations by Lee Hyeon-ju, the recipient of the 2012 Bologna Ragazzi Award, are also a delight. by Yu Youngjin

Storytelling Like a Master My Cousin Sera Kim Min-ryoung; Illustrator: Hong Ki-han Changbi Publishers, Inc., 2012, 185p ISBN 9788936442705

In Korea, there is a common expression: “created by a master artisan, one stitch at a time.” This line comes from the popular TV series Secret Garden. This book, too, could be described in a similar way— each story in the collection is written to perfection. Every word is written with great care, one stroke at a time, rather than one stitch at a time. The beauty of a short story lies in the development of the conflict and the bang of the conclusion at a crucial moment. The stories in this collection, too, are faithful to the short story aesthetic. So finishing a story, short as it is, you suddenly feel alienated from a world that had once been familiar. Just reading the title piece of this collection, “My Cousin Sera,” will provide such an experience. The story depicts the

conflict felt by parents who are entrusted with the care of Sera, a child relative, just when they have finally moved into a home of their own. T he d au g hter S e - eu n, t he m a i n character, looks forward to sharing a room with her cousin who doesn’t have any parents to look after her. But Seeun’s mother is not all that happy about accepting a stranger into the home. The conf lict grows as the story unfolds like a balloon about to burst. Yet despite the buzz, Sera does not end up living with Seeun after all. The selfish familism and vanity of adults are exposed through the mother, who is relieved at the news, and through the perspective of the daughter who sees her mother in a new way. The collection is packed with short stories written with great care such as “A Town in Which Good Children Live,” an exposé on the vanity of adults, “Why Dana Cried” and “Happy Pepero Day!” which vividly capture the minds of girls who have just entered adolescence, and

“Brazilian Tteokbokki,” a lyrical portrayal of the acceptance of a loved one. by Yu Youngjin

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Reviews Children's Books

For the Love of Books Immortal Cho, the Wandering Bookseller Jeong Chang-guen; Illustrator: Kim Doh-yeon Sakyejul Publishing, 2012, 118p, ISBN 9788958286547

A popular myth in Korean children’s publishing is that books with the word “book” in their titles will always sell well. The idea is that parents and teachers cannot resist the idea of an educational book. The Korean affinity for the word “book,” however, goes back to when Koreans revered books as rare artifacts. In Korean history, people who read books have always been respected regardless of their wealth or power. Immortal Cho, the Wandering Bookseller is based on the historical figure of Cho Saeng, presumed to have lived in the 18th century. Rather than focus on biographical details, however, the book explores how books were circulated in the early days of printing and publishing, as well as talks about the people who bought them. Cho Saeng the wandering bookseller is the protagonist, with the noted 18th century polymath Cho Su-sam as his sidekick. Presented through the eyes of the child Cho Su-sam, Cho Saeng becomes a much more accessible character.

Perhaps one of the most interesting scenes of the book is where women are shown copying novels by hand, as well as the scene where novels are banned altogether. Novels were considered inferior cultural products by intellectuals of the time. In the end, books equal information, and any story with the potential to rock the foundations of society will be banned regardless of its accuracy. Legend holds that in his advanced years Cho Saeng the bookseller did not die, but became immortal. It seems only fitting that as book lovers, Koreans should give him this send-off, and that he live on as a beloved character in one of their many stories. by Oh Seran

Return of the Goblin The Grand Arrival of Dokkaebi Neuti in Seoul Cheon Hyo-jeong; Illustrator: O Jung-tac Munhakdongne Publishing Corp., 2012 191p, ISBN 9788954619882

The dokkaebi, a gremlin-like spiritual being in old Korean stories, still makes appearances as a popular character in contemporary Korean fairy tales. People fear it for its horrific looks and annoying mischief, but in actuality, it is known to help good people by fighting evil. The dokkaebi has always served as a helper of the main character in old Korean tales; the reason why it often makes an appearance in modern Korean children’s books is probably because the dokkaebi acts in similar ways as many children. One common characteristic between a child and a dokkaebi is that they are incorrigibly mischievous and so always seem to get into trouble, yet manage to evade being punished. The Grand Arrival of Dokkaebi Neuti in Seoul is the first children’s book by Cheon 72 list_ Books from Korea

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Hyo-jeong, an elementary school teacher; readers will be impressed with how well the book is written. There is a fortuitous encounter between the protagonist, a young boy, and the dokkaebi, Neuti. An unexpected adventure ensues with a confrontation against the evil that has plagued the boy’s family for half a millennium. The protagonist’s grandfather left behind a bow for his grandson to fight against the evil that is harming the family; it is also a symbol for the main character. In t he end, w it h t he help of t he dokkaebi, the boy aims the arrow at the villain, Jahanyeo, and by doing so saves his father who had abruptly collapsed, by bringing him back to life. In one sense, this book is a coming-of-age story in which the author has successfully transformed an old traditional tale into a contemporary tale imbued with fantasy. Only when a genuine confrontation between good and evil is manifested do the themes of the book become clear and the symbols and metaphors become coherent.

Cheon has done a laudable job of drawing on the power of old-fashioned storytelling in creating a modern children’s book. by Oh Seran

Writer's Note

100 Days

in Aix-en-Provence LTI Korea Forum, Bibliothèque Méjanes lecture hall

writer Han Yujoo

Although I had spent six months in France a number of years ago, I had never been to the southern part of the country. Now I was going for three months, from September to December for my LTI Korea residency, and I had no idea what to pack. All of those who had been there assured me that the weather was golden, utterly flawless. I decided to take mostly light clothing and left for Provence, Aix-en-Provence, to be precise. The weather had been my greatest concern before leaving. Once I arrived, however, the weather was the last thing on my mind. It was always fair, as I had been told, every morning an occasion to rejoice. And so once I had been lulled into forgetting about the weather, I began to take notice of other things. Mostly I noticed the people. The town of Aix-en-Provence was small enough to walk around in half an hour. The houses were painted in eggshell, and there was a fountain in every alley. I counted over 10 bookstores in the tiny village. With the exception of a few, most were small affairs devoted to used books or some other kind of specialty. The population, I thought, could not amount to more than 200,000 people. For me it was nothing short of extraordinary that such a small city could sustain over 10 bookstores. The LTI Korea Forum was held at the Bibliothèque Méjanes in the center of the village. Writers Pyun Hye-young, Kim Junghyuk, and Kim Ae-ran flew in from Korea. The French translations of their books had just been published. I was to join the forum with them as writer-in-residence. We were not prepared for the surprise that greeted us, however, when we arrived at the auditorium of the library that evening. Almost all 300 seats of the hall were full. There was a hall packed full of people that had most likely never heard of us before.

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Writer's Note

from left to right: Kim Ae-ran, Pyun Hye-young, Jean Claude De Crescenzo, Han Yujoo, Kim Junghyuk, and Kim Hye-gyeong

a reading at the Librairie Le Bleuet

Professors Jean Claude de Crescenzo and Kim Hye-gyeong presided over the forum, which consisted of readings, interviews, and question and answer sessions. For over two and a half hours the audience kept their places, listening carefully to the unfamiliar cadence of Korean. When I was living in Paris a few years ago, every time I took the metro I would wonder if France was practically the only country in the world where a writer might make a living without having to supplement their income in other ways. It was an idle thought, born of resignation, ignorance, and wonder at the sheer novelty of it all. In practice I have no doubt French authors struggle as much as others, but looking at the crowded auditorium gave me a strange feeling. Frankly, I marveled. During my three months in Aix-en-Provence I was able to meet quite a few people with a great interest in Korean literature. Most of them had lived in Korea at some point. I was not able to engage in as many conversations with them as I would have liked, due to the brevity of my stay, but we were able to share our thoughts on literature, on where it was headed in today’s world, on how there might be different ways of expression, of expressing what is important in literature, and how a new world opens up once these differences are understood. My flight back to Korea left from Charles de Gaulle Airport, so I had to go to Paris. During the three and a half hours’ journey north on the TGV, the clouds crept over the sky as the train sped on to higher latitudes. By the time I reached Paris it was raining. Walking out of the long platform, I did not look back. I did not look back because I already missed the place I had left. by Han Yujoo

*Han Yujoo is a writer. Born in 1982 in Seoul, she made her debut in 2003 when she won the Literature and Society New Writer’s Award. She is the author of the short-story collections Dalo; The Book of Ice; and My Left Hand Is the King, and My Right Hand Is His Scribe. She is also the recipient of the Hankook Ilbo Literary Award.

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Overseas Angle

An Old Book About the Recent Past The Man Who Was Left as Nine Pairs of Shoes Yun Heung-gil, Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2001, 318p, ISBN 9788932008806

Nueve pares de zapatos Yun Heung-gil, Bajo la Luna 2012, 192p, ISBN 9789871803200

I started reading Korean literature about three years ago. Before that, I had never been exposed to works by Korean writers. The only Korean narratives that I had encountered was through a few Korean films. The first Korean book that I read was The Map: An Anthology of Short Stories in Korean Literature (Ji-do: antologia de la narrativa coreana contemporanea), a collaborative project between Argentine writer Oliverio Coelho and Professor Kim Un-kyung. By introducing short stories by various prominent writers, this anthology presents a rich panorama of the unique culture of Korean society. I was not only intrigued by the short stories in this book, but I also made an interesting discovery. Unlike general Asian literature that had been translated into Spanish in the past few years, Korean literary works deal with new themes and a different kind of agony. They focus on human conflicts that touch upon the deep-rooted political/social issues faced by a divided country. On the other hand, they can also be regarded as a truly imaginative literature, almost to the point of being evasive. Oliverio Coelho later approached me with an idea on list_ Books from Korea

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Overseas Angle

publishing a Korean literature series through Bajo la Luna, in which I hold the position of editorial director. He presented Spanish translations of several Korean books, and wanted us to explore new possibilities. This was the finishing touch to my overview of Korea and Korean literature. Interestingly enough, there were many similarities between literary works of the two countries. One of my occupational habits is to compare books with those I have read in the past. The Man Who Was Left as Nine Pairs of Shoes by Yun Heung-gil is a book that demonstrates similarities between Korean and Argentine literature. Outside of the names of characters, the book almost reads like an Argentine novel. It is written in a realistic tone that depicts Argentina in the latter half of the 20th century, a time during which the country suffered an economic and moral breakdown after being hit by the cruel forces of capitalism. The hardships of the protagonist Kwon in The Man Who Was Left as Nine Pairs of Shoes allowed me to reflect on how specific social conditions are molded by a dictatorship and blind rule over an individual’s economic power. There was nothing that could have prevented Kwon’s downfall, not even education, honesty, or morality. Like a line of dominos, Kwon came to a devastating end when the first piece tumbled, and the rest followed one after another. Having witnessed the Argentine economic crisis in 2001, I find it hard to believe that this book was written in 1977 as it provides such an accurate portrayal of my own experience 10 years ago. Because I had taken so long to come across the book, I had a feeling that publishing it would be another hurdle. As I pondered over the similarities and differences, I realized that this kind of book had not yet been published in Argentina. In Argentine literature, writers have not been able to describe the decade-old crisis using the traditional approach of fiction, while poets have attempted in vain to articulate how the country had lost 10 years since the end of the 20th century. I now understand what makes the Korean book special and why it must be published. by Miguel Balaguer

LTI Korea Overseas Publication Grants LTI Korea provides publication grants to overseas publishers who are planning to publish or have already published translated Korean books. The aim is to reach more international readers through increased overseas publications of Korean books. Qualifications • Any publisher who has signed a contract for the publication rights of a Korean book and can publish the book by December 2013. • Any publisher who has already published a translated Korean book in 2013, based on a contract for publication rights of the book.

Grants • Part of the total publication expense. • The amount varies depending on the cost of publication and the genre of the book. • The grant will be issued after publication.

Application • Required Documents 1. Publisher’s profile 2. Publication plan 3. A copy of the contract between the publisher and the translator. 4. A copy of the contract between the publisher and the copyright holder. • Register as a member on LTI Korea’s English website (http://eng.klti.or.kr) • Complete an online application form on the website and upload the required documents.

Schedule • Submission deadlines: March 31/ June 30/ September 30 • The results will be announced in April/ July/ October. • If the book you wish to publish has received the LTI Korea Translation Grant, you may apply for funding at any time.

Contact grants@klti.or.kr Jenny Kim

*Miguel Balaguer was born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1970. He is the editorial director of Bajo la Luna, an independent publishing house based in Buenos Aires.

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New Books

Recommended by Publishers Korean editors have handpicked their favorite titles among the collections from their own publishing houses. The following list contains hidden gems in Korea’s publishing industry. For further information, please contact the agents directly.

Children’s Books

Hungry Kkum-ee

Grimmie's White Canvas

Muscle Uncle and Fat Aunt

I Wanna Be Dorigang

Kim Sam-hyuen, Sang Publishing 2012, 40p, ISBN 9788991126404

Lee Hyun-ju, Sang Publishing 2011, 42p, ISBN 9788991126374

Cho Won-hee, Sang Publishing 2012, 46p, ISBN 9788991126381

Hungry Kkum-ee is a playful boy frog. One day, Kkum-ee’s house falls silent as his parents turn serious. He wants to be loved every day, but his parents keep talking about their own problems. Kkumee has many things to talk about, but doesn’t know how to express them. This imaginative children’s book sheds light on why children hatch eccentric thoughts and actions to express themselves.

Grimmie's White Canvas features Grimmie, a girl who loves drawing, and what happens in her imagination. Grimmie first draws snow falling within a window frame and then walks into it. She also draws a ladder to help out a woodpecker stuck in a tree, a door for a bear who finds itself trapped in a cave due to heavy snow, and many other objects for other animal friends.

In this picture book about unique characters, a muscular man, and a chubby woman live in a forest. They are called Muscle Uncle and Fat Aunt. They look strange and scary. But it’s once you know them personally, the two characters are kind and warm-hearted. The author calls on readers to focus on the significance of everyday things instead of superficial looks.

Yoon Jane; Illustrator: Oh Seung-min Nurimbo Publishing Co. 2012, 44p, ISBN 9788958761501

I Wanna Be Dorigang is the first of the alien Selmina’s special mission series, targeting children aged eight to nine. Min-a, a first grader in primary school, claims that she is an alien from Saturn. Along with her classmates, she creates a fantasy world filled with positive, sound energy. Each title focuses on a different topic such as friendship, love, and courage, from the perspective of younger readers. Copyright Agent: We Jung-eun nurimbo_pub@naver.com 82-31-955-7391 www.nurimbo.co.kr

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Children’s Books

The Princess Who Pretends Not to Know It Choi Sook-hee, Bear Books 2012, 32p, ISBN 9788993242720

A long time ago, a young princess lived in a small castle. The king and the queen deeply love the princess. One day, cold winds begin to blow fiercely inside the castle. The princess is scared and sad, but pretends not to know what is happening and focuses on playing a game. Before she knows it, she finds herself trapped in a tall tower. Will it be possible for her to get back to her parents? Copyright Agent: Choi Hyun-kyoung bearbooks@naver.com 82-2-332-2672 www.bearbooks.co.kr

I Was an Elephant

If You Live, I Live Too

Who Is It?

Lee Yong-po; Illustrator: Lee Yoon-hee UriKyoyuk Publishing Co., 2012, 164p ISBN 9788980408672

Choi Eun-yung; Illustrator: Choi Jung-in UriKyoyuk Publishing Co., 2009, 172p ISBN 9788980408610

Lee Beom-jae, Gesunamu Publishing House 2013, 36p, ISBN 9788989654759

Woo-sung is bigger than his friends; he is also struggling with vocal tics. This children’s story revolves around Woosung and his efforts to understand his family’s complex history, accept himself as he is, and find his own identity. The novel focuses on Woo-sung’s innermost state, and shows how he gets bullied and isolated.

Geun-ho leads a lonely life after each of his parents gets remarried. What’s worse, he falls into a coma after a traffic accident. His soul leaves his body and roams the hospital, observing others. He is surprised that his grandmother still recognizes his soul. His grandmother suggests a way for Geun-ho to wake up from the coma, which is part of a moving plot about the importance of family, life, and death.

Who Is It? is concerned with the relationship between happiness and sharing. The more people share, the greater the happiness. The story begins with a good-hearted rabbit that clears the snow on the road in order to help her friends walk safely. Her act leads to other positive consequences, making other animals happy. As such, happiness grows when people share it. Copyright Agent: Jeong Eun-mee gesunamu21@hanmail.net 82-2-566-6288 www.gesunamu.co.kr

Shadow Is My Friend

The Holes in My Body

Easy Mathematics: Life

Kim Hongdo

Park Jung-sun; Illustrator: Lee Suzy GILBUTChildren Publishing 2008, 32p, ISBN 9788955821116

Heo Eun-mi; Illustrator: Lee Haery GILBUTChildren Publishing, 2000, 28p ISBN 9788955821185

Kang Moon-bong et al; Illustrator: Song Jin-uk Kyung Moon Sa, 2011, 224p ISBN 9788961053754

Jin Jun-hyun, NAMUSOOP 2004, 48p, ISBN 9788989004158

The book is designed to help children learn about the science of light and shadow in an entertaining way. In the book, a cat hides behind a bigger shadow to hide its own shadow; children put on masks to play together in the house. Children use shadow to stage a short drama or use their hands to play with their own shadow.

The Holes in My Body illustrates the human body. The first page starts with a black circle, which turns out to be a waterhole. The following pages show a variety of holes in the house, such as a shower faucet. The book then moves to its key topic: the holes in the human body including the nose, mouth, ears, and eyes. The author explains the functions of such holes in the body as well as how they are closely interconnected with the world.

Easy Mathematics: Life links mathematics with everyday life in a bid to raise curiosity among younger readers. There is a prejudice that math-related books are filled with complex numbers. The book defies such preconceptions; instead, it focuses on interesting and readily accessible numbers in life. Any reader who has so far been indifferent to math should pick up this book.

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Kim Hongdo is widely known as one of the finest painters in the 18th century among Koreans. His paintings such as “Ssireum” (Korean wrestling) and “Seodang” (a private school) capture the everyday life of Koreans in a humorous, realistic fashion. Kim made vigorous efforts to become a leading artist in the late Joseon period, and the book illustrates his life and paintings. Copyright Agent: Ha Un-ha supeseo@daum.net 82-2-540-7118 cafe.daum.net/namukids

Kim Whanki Lim Chang-seob, NAMUSOOP 2001, 48p, ISBN 9788989004066

Kim Whanki is the first Korean painter to pioneer the genre of abstract paintings in Korea. His paintings, often made up of endless, beautiful dots on canvas, come across as accessible even for those who regard abstract paintings as difficult. The book also adopts a friendly format in which a father talks with his daughter, helping readers to better appreciate Kim’s art.

Please Take Care of Our Kimchi Shin Hye-een; Illustrator: Shin Min-jae Sigongsa Co., Ltd., 2012, 32p ISBN 9788952767622

The picture book depicts the Haneul family preparing and preserving kimchi in the wintertime. Women’s laughter while working together to make large quantities of kimchi and related images such as men’s helping hands and children imitating their parents’ kimchi-making are captured in a vivid and detailed way.

Secret Numbers of Sooja

Time Shop

Ha Shin-ha; Illustrator: Jung Ji-hea Sigongsa Co., Ltd., 2012, 84p ISBN 9788952765345

Lee Na-young; Illustrator: Yoon Jeoung-joo Munhakdongne Publishing Corp., 2013, 204p, ISBN 9788954620260

Sooja is a foul-mouthed woman who curses toward the heavens on a rainy day. Young-hoon has a secret: he knows Sooja is a genius with numbers. Newly transferred to a school, Young-hoon feels lonely and thinks Sooja is a special friend. One day, she disappears after leaving a notebook filled with numbers and pictures. In the notebook, Young-hoon comes across Sooja’s last message.

Time Shop poses a question about whether primary students and their parents in Korea sacrifice the present to prepare for the university exam. Are Korean students happy about their life? Yoon-a, always on a tight schedule, comes across a shop that sells time in exchange for happy memories. When she agrees to buy extra time, things begin to spin out of control. Copyright Agent: Lee Bokee bokelee@munhak.com 82-2-3144-3237 www.munhak.com

Unstoppable Rain

5th Graders

Troublemaker Report

Black Noses

Oh Moon-se Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. 2013, 264p, ISBN 9788954620413

Yun Sook-hee, Prooni Books, Inc. 2013, 152p, ISBN 9788957983317

Park Wani, Prooni Books, Inc. 2012, 160p, ISBN 9788957983300

5th Graders depicts seven fifth-grade children in the same classroom. Each story has a complete plot; when all the episodes are put together, a bigger and balanced storyline emerges. The seven characters manage to overcome various obstacles such as poor academic scores, skin problems, and financial difficulties in an effort to move forward.

Troublemaker Report is a story about two boys who come to understand each other by writing a “Friend Report.” All the conflicts and misunderstandings of everyday life are depicted vividly. The two boys ultimately develop deeper ties in a story illustrating the essence of friendship.

Lee Rury; Illustrator: Emanuele Bertossi BOOKGOODCOME 2012, 42p, ISBN 9788997728022

A boy quits high school and suddenly goes off on a journey with no clear purpose except to try and reunite with his childhood classmate. His brother shows up in the boy’s travels as a mysterious character against a backdrop of unstoppable rain. The story moves forward with different stories told by characters the boy meets on the road. The final secret, revealed at the end of his journey, is a pleasant, moving surprise. Copyright Agent: Lee Bokee bokelee@munhak.com 82-2-3144-3237 www.munhak.com

Korean writer Lee Rury joins hands with Italian artist Emanuele Bertossi in this beautiful picture book about the environment and healing. In an Artic town, a hunter named Boba shows up, looking for polar bears with a big rifle in his hands. Boba spots a mother bear and her baby, but the clever baby bear hides the mother’s black noses with its hands and protects them from the hunter’s watchful eyes. Copyright Agent: Lee Soon-young bookgoodcome@gmail.com 82-2-359-5221 www.bookgoodcome.com

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Children’s Books

Fiction

Angela the Angel

First Day of School

Lee Rury; Illustrator: Song Eun-sil BOOKGOODCOME, 2013, 32p ISBN 9788997728329

Song Eun; Illustrator: Kim Dong-soo Borim Press 2011, 34p, ISBN 9788943308827

Korean writer Lee Rury has adapted a European folklore about a hunchback angel into a moving tale. Angela, who lost her mother, is discriminated against due to her physical handicap. But her hunchback actually hides beautiful angelic wings. She finally ascends to heaven together with angels.

First Day of School compares and contrasts two students in different periods. Gu Dong-jun lives in the 1960s and Kim Ji-yun leads life in the 2000s. Both are set to enter elementary school. The book depicts the characters’ emotions and the surrounding environment in detail with the help of a picture diary format.

Is It a Must to Feel Happy? Jeong Yong-ju, Saeum Publishing Co. 2011, 288p, ISBN 9788993964325

Jeong Yong-ju, a poet, has published a collection of essays about life, loneliness, and happiness. Real happiness, in his poems, comes only when people realize they can stay happy even if their everyday life is far from happy by conventional standards. Jeong, who sought a solitary happiness at the age of 40 in a remote village, praises the virtue of freedom from loneliness and even happiness. Copyright Agent: Choi Hana mars-princess@hanmail.net 82-2-394-1037 www.saeumbook.co.kr

80 list_ Books from Korea

MOFIA: The War Between Money and the Heart Woo Suk-hoon, Gimm-Young Publishers, Inc. 2012, 340p, ISBN 9788934960874

MOFIA, the first novel by economist Woo Suk-hoon, was one of the most talked-about titles in 2012. In the book, the administration for citizens face a whirlwind of upheavals due to the economic coup by what is called Mofia, a group of elite economic policymakers who made their careers in the Finance Ministry. The central character joins hands with the President to confront the challenges. Copyright Agent: Cha Jin-hee jinhee@gimmyoung.com 82-2-3668-3203 en.gimmyoung.com

Vol.19 Spring 2013

A Story of Three Tier Hwagak Closet Jee Hera, Borim Press 2011, 42p, ISBN 9788943308834

Hwagak (“brilliant horn” in Korean) is the traditional art of inlaying flattened oxhorn pieces onto the surfaces of furniture and household objects. This picture book illustrates the unique craft of Korea, known for vivid and intricate design patterns. The book shows the hwagakmaking process through which five professional artisans create a wonderful three tier hwagak closet. Copyright Agent: Jeong Kee-yun jebi@borimpress.com 82-31-955-3456 www.borimpress.com

Samsung Conspiracy Kim Jin-myung, Saeum Publishing Co. 2012, 480p, ISBN 9788993964479

In 1983, Samsung was the No. 1 company in South Korea, but not a noticeable presence in the global market. Chairman Lee Byung-chull staked everything on the future semiconductor business and led Samsung to international success. But things began to fall apart. Bestselling author Kim Jin-myung uncovers a massive conspiracy in a thrilling plot. Copyright Agent: Choi Hana mars-princess@hanmail.net 82-2-394-1037 www.saeumbook.co.kr

Faith (4 vols.)

Manhole

Song Jina, VICHE KOREA BOOKS 2012, 287p, ISBN 9788994343884 (Vol.1)

Park Ji-ree, Sakyejul Publishing 2012, 275p, ISBN 9788958286240

Faith is an adaptation from a serialized TV drama on SBS. General Choi Young, a respected military official of the ancient Goryeo kingdom, is transported through a mysterious time warp to Korea in 2012. Choi falls in love with female doctor Yu Eun-soo in the time travel story that also deals with the turbulent politics of Goryeo.

Park Ji-ree, whose debut won the Sakyejul Literay Award, has a new novel that revolves around a boy who becomes a murderer at the age of 19. Killing a person should not be tolerated under any circumstances, but it is difficult to blame the protagonist. The speaker’s confessions illustrate the difficult dilemmas in life.

Space Travel

Life Beyond Body

From Beach Vitex Hill

Stinging Snowflake

Hong Myung-jin, Sakyejul Publishing 2012, 268p, ISBN 9788958286301

Bok Geo-il , Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 222p, ISBN 9788932023779

A young North Korean refugee crosses the heavily fortified border to South Korea, risking his life. But Park Seunggyu struggles to adapt to the democratic society. The book describes how Park rebuilds his life in moving detail. The author draws a delicate portrait of the inner conflicts plaguing Park in connection with the murky social boundaries.

The main character Yoon Se-in is released from years of forced labor for his anti-China activities in North Korea. The story is set in 2070 where Yoon opts to exchange his body with an old man to secure the wedding costs for his beloved daughter. The novel tackles serious future issues linked to life extension and antiaging technologies.

Sae Soon-Hee; Illustrator: Kim Da-jung Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd., 2012, 232p ISBN 9788932023663

Lee Dong-ha Hyundae Munhak Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 268p, ISBN 9788972756163

The novel introduces a 16-year-old girl named Bong-hee who lives in the beautiful seaside village of Sucheongguji. She cannot walk due to childhood polio, and this largely autobiographical coming of age story relies on her particular perspective.

Stinging Snowflake is the eighth collection of short stories by Lee Dong-ha, a writer with a 50-year literary history. He published many memorable works such as Toy City and Gloomy Homecoming. In the new collection, the author talks about the poverty of the Korean War, a man who falls in love with literature, and neighbors in Gangwon Province.

Taste of Gyogun

Mother and Daughter

Talented Men

Pompon

Myeong Ji-hyun Hyundae Munhak Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, 384p, ISBN 9788972756156

Shin Dal-ja, Minumsa Publishing Group 2013, 220p, ISBN 9788937486364

Choi Min-seok, Minumsa Publishing Group 2012, 228p, ISBN 9722937426081

Shin Hye-jin, EunHaeng NaMu 2012, 260p, ISBN 9788956606415

Mother and Daughter is based on Shin Dal-ja’s own experiences. She has lived as a daughter for 70 years and a mother for 47 years. In this essay collection, poet Shin deals with the special relationship between mother and daughter. Conflicts, reconciliation, and the growth from being a daughter to a mother are all captured perfectly.

This imaginative novel generates one funny scene after another. A former boxing champion barely makes a living by selling suspicious stickers. An obscure writer, who once debuted by winning an award, makes money churning out adultonly stories. The novel revolves around the two central characters who confront challenges and fight for redemption.

The narrators in this collection of short stories sound like gum-chewing, toughlooking girls in town who are ordinary yet attractive. At once hilarious and sad, the stories introduce alienated characters who are hit by devastating incidents amid the faint yet palpable hope for a better life.

Myeong Ji-hyun’s second novel, Taste of Gyogun, is about the secret of “lethal taste,” a result of lifelong dedication by Lee Deok-eun, the founder of Gyogun. Her granddaughter Songimi takes over the restaurant once her mother dies. Alongside political developments that invade individual lives, the author concocts an irresistible literary recipe for capturing the core of human desire and life. Copyright Agent: Kim Hyun-jee laputa79@chol.com 82-2-2017-0295 www.hdmh.co.kr

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Fiction

Nonfiction

Different Goals (2 vols.)

Liberal Wife (2 vols.)

A Miner Became a Professor

Vegetable Garden (2 vols.)

Kim Si-yeon, EunHaeng NaMu 2012, 332p, ISBN 9788956606149 (Vol.1)

DENICO, SemiColon 2012, 172p, ISBN 9788983714510 (Vol. 1)

Kwon Yi-chong, Yiche Co. Publishing 2012, 326p, ISBN 9788988621929

Choi Min-ho, Gobooky Books Co., Ltd. 2012, 192p, 9788966070411 (Vol.1)

In the late Joseon period, King Cheoljong is forced to take office, leaving behind his love. What awaits him in court is a nasty power struggle involving royal family members such as Prince Heungseon. Their ambitions play out in this dramatic historical novel, with the king’s supporters and powerful regional clans staging a fierce fight.

Liberal Wife is a hybrid comic series that yokes today’s culture with premodern Korean characters. The lady and her maidservant come across novel items such as home appliances, telecom devices, and computer games. The series has all the trappings of premodern Korea, but what’s described is not of the past but the present. The lady and her servant also maintain a highly modern contract-based relationship.

In the 1960s, Korea was recovering from the brutal Korean War. Miners, nurses, and service members all flew out of the country to make money. Kwon Yi-chong worked at a German mine for three years and later became the first Korean to obtain a doctorate degree in Germany. The book describes Kwon’s dramatic life.

Vegetable Garden is largely a story-oriented comic book but is also a practical guide. Seeds, flowers, fruits, and the first snowfall are beautifully depicted, and interesting, real experiences based on the artist’s own garden are captured in detail. Readers will be given a chance to appreciate nature’s lessons learned while taking care of a vegetable garden.

The Colored Paper Princess (2 vols.)

Honest Success

Classical Physics

Library Ambler

Lee Kyung-su, Minumin 2012, 252p, ISBN 9788960174702

Lee Jong-phil, ScienceBooks 2012, 400p, ISBN 9788983714381

Kang Ye-rin, Lee Chi-hoon, Banbi 2012, 250p, ISBN 9788983714497

The comic book series on origami is tailor-made for young girls. A mix of fantasy romance and 18 origami works, the books allow young readers to easily follow the illustrated steps. The series, which come with actual colored paper for origami, offers step-by-step instructions for both beginners and advanced origami enthusiasts.

Honest Success is about a small restaurant focused on its specialty: a popular Korean snack food called “tteokbokki” (also known as “topokki”). It emerged as Korea’s largest snack food franchise, Addal. The book describes how an ordinary Korean set out to specialize in the famous street snack and achieved remarkable success, shedding light on its marketing and business know-how.

Classical Physics features 10 journal articles and 12 renowned physicists, giving a general overview of modern physics for beginners and experts. Major trends in modern physics in the 20th century are well illustrated, and students and professors majoring in physics can use the book to browse important journal articles in their field.

Library Ambler is a record about books and libraries written by two book-loving architects. They have jointly collected fascinating details and information about books and libraries, as well as interesting stories and food for thought. The authors, as professional architects, also offer their critical view of library architecture.

Min Seung-gi, Gobooky Books Co., Ltd. 2012, 144p, ISBN 9788966070473 (Vol.1)

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Ceramics of the Joseon Dynasty

The Spirits of Korean Confucian Literati

Kim Young-won Seoul National University Press 2012, 484p, ISBN 9788952112989

Keum Jang-tae Seoul National University Press 2000, 306p, ISBN 9788952102218

The book examines Joseon era’s craftsmanship embedded in bluish-grey celadon, white porcelain, and white stoneware with blue pigment that has been cherished by Koreans for more than 500 years. The book provides a general overview of the craftsmen involved and the time-honored craft.

Seonbi refers to the literati class of the Joseon Period, who played a central role in society. The spirit of the Confucian literati is widely viewed as the yardstick for values and justice; it is also the symbol of an unwavering fight against injustice and evil. The book explains this cherished culture by outlining its background and related historical details.

Thank You for Living Ryu Hai-jin, Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. 2012, 284p, ISBN 9788954619318

Thank You for Living is a collection of essays about heroic people who overcame great difficulties. Televison producer Ryu Hai-jin has earned the nickname “Love PD” thanks to his documentaries featuring ordinary Koreans. Ryu describes the people he met while directing Human Documentary Love, MBC Special, and Kim Hye-soo’s W. Copyright Agent: Kate Han rights@munhak.com 82-31-955-2635 www.munhak.com

Ancient Wisdom Kim Seon-ja, Across Publishing Company 2012, 292p, ISBN 9788997379125

The author, one of the most famous mythologists in South Korea, has been uncovering hidden myths in East Asian ethnic groups for the past 10 years, capturing their images with her own camera. The underlying message that is shared by all the different stories is none other than coexistence. Copyright Agent: Lee Kyeong-ran seizethedaykr@hanmail.net 82-70-8724-5871 www.acrossbook.com

Economic Adventures in Wonderland Lee Won-jae, Across Publishing Company 2012, 312p, ISBN 9788997379019

Economic Adventures in Wonderland is an intriguing introduction to economics by Lee Won-jae, a leading economist. Why do people feel less affluent even though their country’s gross national product continues to rise? Lee presents the answer to this and other global and local, and concrete and abstract questions about how the economy works. Copyright Agent: Kim Rumee rumeeek@gmail.com 82-70-8724-0876 www.acrossbook.com

21 Sentences Parents Should Not Say to Their Children

World of Desires and Fantasy: Psychoanalysis

Modern Psychotherapy and Counseling Theory

Lee Sung-ho, Hakjisa Publishers, Inc. 2011, 264p, ISBN 9788992654449

Lee Byung-uk, Hakjisa Publishers, Inc. 2012, 512p, ISBN 9788963309316

Kwon Seok-man, Hakjisa Publishers, Inc. 2012, 552p, ISBN 9788963309262

The author, a professor of education at Yonsei University in Seoul, argues that Korean parents should refrain from saying these 21 sentences to their children. Instead, he proposes seven positive sentences. From a child’s perspective, the author’s argument about the impact of such negative statements will be easily understood. Parents, on their part, will certainly think before criticizing their children on the spot.

The book covers many famous figures: Italian adventurer Giacomo Casanova, German dictator Adolf Hitler, thinker and leader Mahatma Gandhi, Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara, pioneering filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, and others. The author, a professional psychotherapist, delves into their traumas, passions, and desires using psychoanalysis.

Twelve psychotherapy practices, all based on theories that have been adopted across the world, are introduced. The author describes the life of the founders of psychotherapy techniques in detail and how they developed their own theories, proving that the founders’ personal experience is important in shaping their psychotherapy theories.

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Meet the Publishers

Segyesa

Publishing Co., Ltd.

Thd Complete Works of Park Wansuh (22 vols.) Park Wansuh, Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. 2012, ISBN 9788933801734 (set)

Like other thriving publishers of the digital era, Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. has constantly innovated to adapt and survive. Since its establishment as a literary publisher, it has responded to the decline of literature by expanding to other fields and converting to e-books.

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Vol.19 Spring 2013

Seg yesa was born towards the end of the 1980s. It was a time when literary works served as a tool of indirect resistance against the authoritarian regime. Reminiscing of the early days, the founder Choi Sun-ho says, “The first edition of any book, regardless of author, would sell at least 3,000 copies.” At that time, most titles went beyond the break-even point in sales. Based on its solid foundation, Seg yesa released a captivating selection of books and enriched the Korean literary market. While not a major publishing company, it accounts for a significant share of publications in Korea. Readers turned to Seg yesa when the stands of major publishers offered little variety. However, Segyesa was hardly flourishing at the start of the 21st century. Kevin Choi, the current CEO who first joined his father’s company as an editor in 2006, revealed that they “had accumulated a significant deficit back then.”

To keep the company in business, Choi boldly ventured into non-literary fields. New genres introduced by Choi include prose as an attempt to appeal to readers’ emotions, and self-help books, which have become popular in the face of modern competition. He went on to launch Eight Point, a publisher specializing in books on business management and personal development. Eight Point has been highly successful with “a few hundred percent increase in annual sales and consistent profits for the past two to three years.” “It doesn’t make sense to classif y books as literature or business. All books are good reads. I even see opportunities outside of book s as long as there is good content.” The above statement ref lects Choi’s publishing philosophy. He says, “Instead of limiting content to publications, I plan on expanding the business to various forms.” While specific details are yet to be revealed, the company will be “releasing a novel to coincide with the first airing of its TV drama.” This project “has been planned with a public TV broadcaster and will be unveiled within the year.” Furthermore, as an early player in the e-book market, Segyesa has produced more than 140 poetry e-books. Despite his vision of crossing over to other media, Choi declares that he will “continue to publish literary works.” He says, “I’m interested in business and selfhelp books, but literature will remain the central identity of any publisher.” Having majored in film production at the University of Southern California, the young CEO will bring a fresh perspective to the evolving publishing industry. Choi has selected some major titles that are representative of Segyesa. There is the 22-volume series of works by Park Wansuh, one of Korea’s most prominent

writers. Her stories enjoy popular success while retaining the respect of the literary establishment. This notable collection is an indicator of Segyesa’s integrity and history. Lee In-hwa’s The Last Empire broke new ground in the genre of faction, which weaves historical facts into fiction. This mystery novel surrounding the death of King Jeongjo during the Joseon period has sold more than a million copies and spawned a film of the same title. Built on a TV documentary, The Era of God and Darwin deals with the age-old but still controversial issue of creation versus evolution. Thoughts on Drinking contains original and intelligent essays on the reasons behind drinking. What Makes Me Different from Others is a self-help book that has been written with American readers in mind. Readers are encouraged to stand out by being different and to be unafraid of making mistakes. It has sold more than 30,000 copies in Korea. by Shin Junebong

the quarterly magazine Writer's World

1. The Last Empire Lee In-hwa, Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. 2008, 339p, ISBN 9788933801536 4

2. The Era of God and Darwin EBS Docuprime Production Team Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. 2010, 251p, ISBN 9788933840795 3. Thoughts on Drinking Park Ki Won; Illustrator: Kim Eun Ha, Page One 2010, 388p, ISBN 9788933840818

4. What Makes Me Different From Others Jung Chul-yoon, Eight Point 2012, 268p, ISBN 9788996947417

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Afterword

A Big Mug of Coffee or a Good Cup of Tea? Korea, like many other countries, is increasingly drowning in oceans of coffee. New coffee shops seem to be opening every day and in the areas where young people gather, every third shop seems to be offering coffee. Usually the shop next door is selling beauty products and make-up; it is a mystery how they can all make a profit. Even the entrance to Insadong, supposedly a “cultural street,” is more and more filled up with stores selling cosmetics. The popularity of coffee is more puzzling than the quantity of cosmetics being bought. Everyone dreams of becoming more beautiful, more attractive, and the idea that it only takes a few applications of the right magic ointment to have the complexion of a movie star is understandably beguiling. But coffee? Of course, much of the attraction of a coffee shop is that it offers a warm (or in summer, cool) space, chairs and a table, and music. One problem in a large city is that it is tiring to walk around, you sometimes need to rest, and then if you meet someone you want to talk to, where do you go? Obviously, a coffee shop. In fact I wonder if the coffee is really necessary? Quite a few people might be content just to pay for 20-30 minutes’ use of a chair and table, without drinking anything. The table is necessary as a resting place for a smartphone, laptop, iPad, and the various other essential pieces of urban communications equipment. There was a time when it might have supported a book, but those seem to be one of the world’s endangered species. Of course, many coffee shops also sell tea, which is good, only that it is mostly sold as though it were just a variety of coffee, in a large cup, rather weak and with no clearly defined taste. Green tea latte seems popular. Korea produces tea, though not in large quantities, but there is no suggestion that the green tea served in coffee shops might be Korean in origin. English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Darjeeling dominate. Coffee is traditionally drunk to keep you awake before an examination; the caffeine punch is its main justification. In northern countries, such as those of Scandinavia, coffee is an antidote to the gloom caused by endless gloomy autumn, winter, and spring days, and a necessary means of keeping awake for days on end during the nightless summer days. Fifteen cups of coffee a day is considered normal. Now that much coffee is surely not good for you? Tea, by contrast, is good in so many ways, especially when it is Korean home-grown tea. Tea in Korea is never mass-produced, even by the largest companies. It is grown and processed on a small scale and never in such a way that

you might feel obliged to look for fair trade products. Where coffee beans are roasted vigorously, tea leaves are dried gently; they must never smoke, and barely even emit steam. Until recently, all Korean tea was what is known as green tea, although the liquid is rather yellow in color, unlike the Japanese variety. Green tea is made from leaves that are quickly dried over fairly intense heat before the leaves have time to wilt, and before the essential oils that contain the flavor have time to oxidize and change their chemical qualities. Nowadays many tea drinkers in Korea prefer what is called balhyo (fermented) or hwang (yellow) tea. Instead of being quickly dried after picking, the leaves are allowed to rest and wilt for a day. The resulting tea is brown, or red, not green or pale yellow. Its taste is strong, sweet and nutty. It leaves the body feeling warmer, while green tea seems to cool the body. And it is delicious. The shift from coffee to tea, from K-pop to gayageum, from soju to wine is a growth of pleasure and a discovery of beauty. Some of us might add that the last step is the discovery that beyond Korean movies lies Korean fiction and then, the real summit, beyond Korean fiction there is Korean poetry, which is equal to the finest hand-crafted green tea drunk in a quiet room in a Jiri Mountain temple on a May morning, made with the fresh spring water welling from a nearby rock. True beauty, true happiness. by Brother Anthony of Taizé (An Sonjae)

* Born in England, Brother Anthony has lived in Korea since 1980. He has been translating Korean literature for over 20 years, and has published some 30 volumes, mostly of modern poetry. He is department chair at Dankook University and Professor Emeritus at Sogang University and currently president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. He has published two books about Korean tea, its culture, and history.

86 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Contributors

Bae No-pil is a reporter with the JoongAng Ilbo. Cho Kang-sok is a literary critic. He has written such works as The Constellations of Aporia and The Empiricist’s Clock. Choi Sungmin is a literary critic. His works include Modern Narrative Text and Media Technologies, and Writing and Storytelling. E o m Hy e - s u k d o e s r e s e a r c h i n children’s literature and is an illustrated book critic who also works as a translator. Her most well-known work is Reading My Delightful Illustrated Books. Han Eun-hyeong is a writer and literary editor. Han Mihwa is a book columnist. Her works include Bestsellers of Our Time and This Is How Bestsellers Are Made. Jang Dongseok is a book columnist and critic in the publishing industry. He is the author of The Living Library. Joseph Lee is a literary agent and president of KL Management. His main interest lies in selling Korean literature to overseas markets. He is the author of A Man Selling Novels. Jung Eunkyoung is a literary critic and professor of creative writing at Wonkwang University. She is the author of The Darkroom of the Map, Literature of Diaspora, and The Representation of Evil in Korean Literature. Jung Yeo-ul is a literary critic. Jung lectures at Seoul National University and the Korean National University of Arts. She is the author of a collection of critical essays, A Small Antenna in My Study. Kim Beomsoo is a reporter with the Hankook Ilbo. Kim Dongshik is a literary critic and a professor of Korean language and literature at Inha University. He has published Cynicism and Fascination and Memory and Vestige. He is on the editorial board of list_Books from Korea.

Kim Inae is a children’s story writer, critic, and the president of the KBBY (Korean Board on Books for Young People). She is the author of children’s stories, Across the Duroke River, The Brave Little Mouse, and a collection of critical essays, Why Children’s Stories Are Fun to Read. She is also the recipient of Today’s Young Artist Award. Kim Ji-eun is a children’s book writer and children’s literature critic. She currently lectures on theories of children's fiction writing in the Department of Creative Writing at Hanshin University. Kim Min-ryoung is a children’s book critic. She won in the children’s writing category of the Munhwa Ilbo New Writer’s Award in 2006 and in the criticism category of the Changbi New Children’s Writer Award in 2010. Kim Youngwook is a writer and researcher of children’s literature. Her books include Picture Book Meets Music and Picture Book Meets Film. Lee Soong-won is a literary critic and is currently a professor at Seoul Women’s University. He has won the Kim DalJin Literature Award and the Kim Hwan-tae Literature Award. His major works include Becoming Acquainted with Baek Seok, In-Depth Study of the Poems of Jung Ji-yong, and Sanctuary in the Secular World. Oh Seran is a critic of literature for children and young adults. She is the co-author of Kwon Jungsaeng’s Life and Literature. Park Hyekyung is a literary critic. Her works include A Man Hiding Behind Ideology, The Wound and the Gaze, The Mysterious and Melancholy of Literature, and Within Orpheus's Eyes. Park Inha is a critic, director, and writer of comic books. He has published The Comic Book Artists of Korea 3: Cartoon, and The History of Comic Books in Korea: 1945-2009. Pa r k J e o n g j u n i s m a j o r i n g i n comparative literature in graduate school and also working as an art critic.

Pyo Jeonghun is a book reviewer, columnist, translator, and freelance writer. He has translated 10 books into Korean and written Books Have Their Own Destiny, A Short Introduction to Chinese Philosophy, and An Interview with My Teacher: What Is Philosophy? Richard Hong is a book columnist and the head of BC Agency. He translated 13: The Story of the World’s Most Notorious Superstitions, has appeared on KBS 1 Radio’s “Global Today,” and writes columns for The Korea Economic Daily and Posco News. Shin Junebong is a reporter for the JoongAng Ilbo. Uh Soo-woong is editor-in-chief of the Chosun Ilbo Weekly Magazine. Won Jongwon is a professor of the Department of Mass Communication at Soonchunhyang University and a musical critic. He has translated a dozen musicals into Korean, including The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Jesus Christ Superstar, and contributed musical reviews and columns to various media. Yi Myung-suk is a columnist. He has published such books as Yi Myung-suk’s Japanese Comics, Manhwa, Finding the Critical Point, and A Cafe for Every Day. Yi Soo-hyung is a literary critic. He has written the collection of essays What Remains of Literature. He is currently a research professor at the Center for Teaching & Learning at Seoul National University. Yoon So-hee is a children’s book writer. She has written such works as Prejudice, Aram’s Secret, and 7 Stories to Help You Study. She is the winner of the 13th MBC Children’s Writing Prize. She is on the editorial board of list_Books from Korea. Yu Youngjin is a children’s literature critic and a teacher at Jaun Elementary School. He is the author of The Body’s Imagination and Fairy Tale.

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Contributors

Featured Authors

Translators Cho Yoonna is a freelance interpreter and translator.

Choi Inyoung is an artist and translator specializing in Korean literature and the arts. She has been translating for over 20 years.

E. K. DuBois is a freelance translator. She currently resides in Seoul.

Yang Sung-jin is a staff reporter and

editor at The Korea Herald. Yang wrote a Korean history book in English, Click into the Hermit Kingdom, and a newsbased English vocabulary book, News English Power Dictionary. She has also taught English as a fulltime lecturer at Hongik University.

Yi Jeong-hyeon is a freelance

Eugene Lee is a freelance translator.

H. Jamie Chang is a Bostonian/

Editors

Busanian freelance translator.

Janet Poole is a professor of University

of Toronto. She has published several literary translations, including Eastern Sentiments and Burning Mountain.

Jung Yewon is a freelance interpreter

and translator. She received the Daesan Foundation Translation Grant in 2009, the LTI Translation Grant in 2010, and the Korea Times Translation Award in 2011. She is currently working on the translation of Vaseline Buddha, a novel by Jung Young-moon.

Kari Schenk was the co-recipient of

the commendation award in the 2006 Korea Times Literature Translation Awards, and in 2010 she attended a special course in translation at LTI Korea. She lectures in English at Korea University.

Kim Soyoung is currently working

on translating fiction and nonfiction from Korean into English.

Kim Ungsan is a freelance translator.

He has worked as a lecturer in English literature at Seoul National University as well as at Korea National Open University.

Kim Yoo Jin (Liliana) is a Spanish translator and interpreter.

Park Kyoung-lee is a graduate

student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. She won the 9th Korean Literature Translation Contest for New Translators in 2010.

88 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

pp. 42-44, 57-58

Heidi Shon is a freelance translator.

translator. She has translated several books and papers, including Korean Traditional Landscape Architecture and Atlas of Korean History.

He teaches in the English literature department of Hankuk University at Foreign Studies.

Fiction

Kim Stoker is an editor and part-

time lecturer at the Ewha Womans Un i v e r s i t y Gr a d u a t e S c h o o l o f Translation and Interpretation.

Krys Lee is an editor, translator, and fiction writer. Her short story collection Drifting House was published by Viking/Penguin in the U.S. and Faber and Faber in the U.K., in 2012.

Lee Seung-u is a writer and professor

of creative writing at Chosun University. He made his literary debut in 1981 when his novella “A Portrait of Erysichton” won the Korean Literature New Writer’s Award. He is the author of several short story collections including Mysteries of the Labyrinth and T h e Ol d D i a r y , and novels including Two Sides of Life, The Private Lives of Plants, Wherever That May Be, Their Eyes at Midday, and Songs on Earth. He is also the recipient the Yi Sang Literary Award, Daesan Literary Award, and the Hyundae Munhak Award.

Cover Art Kim Byeong-ha is an illustrator. To

accurately recreate a visual image of history, he modeled the book Hwaseong Fortress after traditional Korean folding screens in order to bring the unique castle structure to life.

Hwang Sok-yong wrote and

published the short stories “The Land of Strangers,” “Han’s Chronicle,” and “The Road to Sampo,” and the novels The Shadow of Arms and Jang Gilsan, masterpieces that marked an era in the history of Korean literature. His great novels published in the 2000s that period include: An Old Garden; The Guest; Shimcheong, the Road of Lotus; Baridaegi; The Evening Star; The Gangnam Dream; The Familiar World; and The Sound of the Shallow Water. He is the recipient of the Manhae Literature Prize, Danjae Literature Prize, and Daesan Literature Prize. Almost all of his works have been translated and published in 13 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Lee Dong-ha made his literary debut

in 1966 when his short story “The War and the Squirrel” won the Seoul Shinmun New Writer’s Contest. He is the author of short-story collections including The Valley after Nightfall; A Study on Violence; Samhakdo; Before the Door; Does the Lady Snail Know?; Stinging Snowflake, and novels including Urban Swamp; Hard Tongue; and Toy City. He is also the recipient of Korea Creative Literature Award and Hyundae Munhak Award.

short story collections including Love in Yeosu; The Fruit of My Woman; and Fire Salamander, and novels including Black Deer; Your Cold Hands; The Vegetarian; Leave Now, The Wind Is Blowing; and Greek Lessons. She is also the recipient of the Yi Sang Literary Award and Today's Young Artist Award.

pp. 60-67

Park Suk-ja was born in 1970.

Ahn Gwang-bok has a doctorate

Bae Myung-hoon began writing

fiction in earnest in 2005 when his short story “Smart D” won the SF Creative Writing Contest. His works have continued to appear in the fantastic literature webzine Mirror. He is the author of the short story series Tower and Sir Chancellor, the short story collection Hello, The Artificial Being!, and the novels Divine Orbit and Decoy.

Choi Suchol is a writer and professor

o f c re a t i v e w r i t i n g a t H a n s h i n University. He made his literary debut in 1981 when his short story “Blind Spot” won the Chosun Ilbo New Writer’s Contest. He is the author of short story collections including A Castle in the Air; Topics, Records, Fossils; The Last Day of My Mind; and A Short Nap by the Roadside, and novels including In the Stomach of a Whale; An Anarchist’s Love; A Man Who Paints Frescoes; Cicada; Pest; and Bed. He is also the recipient of the Yi Sang Literary Award.

Nonfiction

degree in philosophy and also teaches philosophy in high school. He is the author of books including Philosophy Meets Histor y, Introduction to Philosophers for Young Readers, and The Persuasion of Philosophers. He writes on adolescent philosophy and critical thinking for various media.

Venerable Pomnyun Sunim is a

Ju Hyun-sung is a publisher who

Chang Kang-myoung is a writer

has planned and published a number of humanities books. He is the author of The Humanities, Starting Now, a systematically organized introduction to the most popular topics of the humanities, including psychology, p a i n t i n g , m y t h o l o g y, h i s t o r y, philosophy, and global issues.

and newspaper reporter. He joined the SF Club on the PC communication portal HiTel in 1994, and founded and ran The Monthly SF Webzine. He is the author of The Bleached, the novel that won the 16th Hankyoreh Literary Award, and of Lumière People, his first short story collection.

creative writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. She debuted with a poem in the winter volume of the quarterly Literature and Society in 1993 and her short story “Red Anchor” won the Seoul Shinmun New Writer’s Contest the following year. She is the author of

monk and social activist. He leads the practice of asceticism and conducts social activities through Jungto Society (www.jungto.org), the community of asceticism he founded in 1988. He is the author of many books including My Happy Way to Work; Happy Family; Wedding Speeches By a Monk; and Ending the Polemic.

Song Ho-keun is a sociologist and Do h - o l K i m Yo u n g - o a k i s a

Han Kang is a writer and professor of

Currently, she is studying the cultural history of the canon at the Humanities Research Institute of Sogang University. Her research interests lie in the cultural history during and after the modern colonial period surrounding the classics which she has read and been inspired by for a long time. She is the author of The Birth of Philistinism.

professor, scholar, philosopher, journalist, and Oriental medicine d o c t o r. H i s r e s e a r c h i n t o t h e issues of our time through an interdisciplinary approach has resulted in the publication of nearly 60 books, including Lao Tzu and the 21st Century and Do Not Love One Anoher.

columnist widely known at home and abroad for his broad insight and sharp analysis in subjects ranging from politics and economy to society. He is the author of many books including Overcoming Societal Division. Currently, he is a professor of sociology at Seoul National University.

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Children's Books pp. 68-72

An Jae-sung writes novels dealing

with social and historical issues and reconstructing the hidden aspects of modern and contemporary history of Korea. He is the author of the novels Strike, Golden Ears, and Gyeongseong Troika, and Magazines, Window into an Era, a book featuring old magazines and newspapers that offer a glimpse into when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule to after the country gained independence.

Kim Young-se is a world-renowned

industrial designer and the president of Inno Design, the professional design consulting group that he established in Silicon Valley in 1986. He is the recipient of a number of prestigious awards worldwide, including the IDEA Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, the design community’s equivalent of the Academy Awards, and the red dot Award, the most prestigious award in the European design community. He is the author of Innovation and Purple People.

Kim Su-yeon . Currently, she is

working on prints and planning new picture books. She is the author of A Day at the Beach, winner of the V&A Illustration Awards in the Student Category.

Yoon Yea-il is a social science

researcher. Afterwards, he stayed in Japan as a foreign researcher at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He is the author of Five Essays on the Ethics of Knowledge and Reflections on Travel.

in 2005 when her children’s story won the Seoul Shinmun New Writer’s Contest. She is the author of The Cracked Mirror, When Nails Grow, and Let’s Wear Good Clothes.

Ko Jae-hyun studied literature

K i m Ji n - s o n g i s a c a r p e n t e r,

bestselling author, and art critic. His creative efforts on woodcraft have resulted in nine “Carpenter Kim” exhibitions. He also wrote books on woodcraft, including A Carpenter’s Journal, The Carpenter’s Shop of Imagination, and Storymachine.

90 list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Kim Min-ryoung is a children’s

story writer who also studies children’s literature. She made her literary debut in 2006 when her children’s story won the Munwha Ilbo New Writer’s Contest. She is the author of My Cousin Sera.

Bang Mi-jin made her literary debut

Im Jin-mo is a popular music critic

and pop columnist. He is now in his 21st year as a critic, the career path that he followed once he began working as a newspaper reporter because he wanted to write articles on pop songs. He is the author of The Great Stars of Korean Popular Music and Speaking of Singers.

Changbi Children. She is the author of Dear Mrs. Astrid Lindgren; The Boy Who Knows the Names of Countries by Heart; Lee Yujeong, the Perfect (which made the IBBY Honor List); The Last Event; and My Hair Smells Like Sunshine.

Yoon Tae-ho is a cartoonist. He

debuted with Emergency Landing in 1993. His representative works include: Yahoo; Moss; and Incomplete Life. Yahoo earned him the Ministry of Culture & Tourism Today’s Cartoon Award, and Moss, his first webtoon serial, which was made into a movie, earned him the Ministry of Culture & Tourism Republic of Korea Cartoon Grand Prize Excellence Award and the Bucheon Cartoon Grand Prize General Cartoon Award. Currently, he is a professor in the Department of Cartoon & Animation at Sejong University.

Jeong Chang-guen is a historical

storyteller specialized in reconstructing in detail the lives of marginalized people in history, such as women, the handicapped, or the lower class, and telling them as compelling stories. He is the author of No One Should Be Left Behind, How the Handicapped Live in History, and Immortal Cho, the Wandering Bookseller. He currently teaches at Korea University.

in college, and worked as a script writer for nearly a decade. She began writing children’s stories after studying children’s literature. She is the author of The Dreaming Planet and The Kitty Watch That Takes You Back in Time.

Cheon Hyo-jeong studied children's

literature in college, and received a creative writing grant from the Arts Council Korea in 2009. She is the author of The Grand Arrival of Dokkaebi Neuti in Seoul.

Yoo Eunsil became a children’s story writer in 2004 when her children’s stor y appeared in the quar terly

INDEX Title Original Title Publishers/Agent Copyright Agent E-mail Phone Homepage

4p Respond 1997 (Eungdaphara 1997) Book 21 publishing Group Jung Young-joo jyjbest@book21.co.kr 82-31-955-2117 www.book21.com

Sunny (Sunny) Kayun Kim Sung-yong 2000-nov@hanmail.net 82-2-858-2217

Pieta (Pieta) Kayun Kim Sung-yong 2000-nov@hanmail.net 82-2-858-2217

Love 911 (Banchangkko) Kayun Kim Sung-yong 2000-nov@hanmail.net 82-2-858-2217

PSY, Gangnam Style (PSY Gangnamseutail) KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

The Things We Can See Only After We Stop (Meomchumyeon Biroso Boineun Geotdeul) KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

The Bad Boy Stickers (Nappeun Eorinipyo) KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

The Boy Who Can't Read (Kkamangnun Samdigi) Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. Kim Yun-kyung ykkim0702@wjbooks.co.kr 82-2-3670-1016 www.wjbooks.co.kr

6p If the Waves Belong to the Sea (Padoga Badaui Iriramyeon)

Faith (Sinui)

The Store That Sells Time (Siganeul Paneun Sangjeom)

Hello, Junwoochi? (Annyeong, Jeonuchi)

VICHE KOREA BOOKS Cha Jin-hee jinhee@gimmyoung.com 82-2-3668-3203 www.gimmyoung.com

Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. Kim Young-lan jamoglobal@jamobook.com 82-70-8656-9583 www.jamo21.net

Bori Publishing Company Jeon Beom-jun saltjbj@boribook.com 82-31-950-9511 www.boribook.com

A Werewolf Boy (Neukdaesonyeon)

The Thirteenth Child (Yeolse Beonjjae Ai)

Mom’s Dinner Table (Eommaui Bapsang)

ESOOPE Kim Moon-young esoope@naver.com 82-2-2235-5580 www.esoope.com

Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Lee Bokee bokelee@munhak.com 82-2-3144-3237 www.munhak.com

GCKBOOK Park Kwan-hyong halim@paran.com 82-2-3667-2654 www.imageframe.kr

Only Love (Dan Han Beonui Yeonae)

How to Use Mom (Eomma Sayongbeop)

Human & Books Ha Eung-baek hbooks@empal.com 82-2-6327-3535 www.humanb.co.kr

Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Plant Detective PEA, Find the Offenders in Our Town (Singmultamjeong Wandu, Uri Dongne Beomineul Chajara)

Scathing Advice for Women in Their 30s (Eonniui Dokseol) Book 21 publishing Group Jung Young-joo jyjbest@book21.co.kr 82-31-955-2117 www.book21.com

Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. Choi Ji-in jiin@moonji.com 82-2-338-7224 www.moonji.com

The Book of Love (Sarangoejeon) Hainaim Publishing Co., Ltd. Lee Jin-suk rainpoet@naver.com 82-2-326-1600 (Ext.206) www.hainaim.com

Wedding Speeches by a Monk (Seunimui Juryesa) Hankyoreh Publishing Company Lee Sun-hee sunny@hanibook.co.kr 82-2-6383-6721 www.hanibook.co.kr

7p Overcoming Societal Division (Ibunbeop Sahoereul Neomeoseo) Dasan Books Kim Mi-young miyoung@dasanbooks.com 82-70-7606-7446 www.dasanbooks.com

What Is Your Dream? (Dangsinui Kkumeun Mueonnimnikka?) Woongjin Think Big Co., Ltd. Kim Yun-kyung ykkim0702@wjbooks.co.kr 82-2-3670-1016 www.wjbooks.co.kr

A Mountain of Encouragement (Chingchan Meogeureo Gayo) GILBUTChildren Publishing Yie Ho-gyun gilbut_kid@naver.com 82-31-955-3270 www.gilbutkid.co.kr

The Sound of the Shallow Water (Yeoulmul Sori)

The Bath Fairy (Jangsutang Seonnyeonim)

Seven Years of Darkness (7Nyeonui Bam) KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

BIR Publishing Co., Ltd. Sujin Lena Park sujinpark@bir.co.kr 82-2-515-2000 (Ext.350) www.bir.co.kr

My Exploration of Cultural Heritage (Vol. 7) (Naui Munhwayusan Dapsagi)

KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. Kim Young-lan jamoglobal@jamobook.com 82-70-8656-9583 www.jamo21.net

Witch Capsule's Abracadabra Pharmacy (Kaepsyulmanyeoui Surisuri Yakguk)

Bear Books Choi Hyun-kyoung bearbooks@naver.com 82-2-332-2672 www.bearbooks.co.kr

Thorny Confession (Gasi Gobaek) BIR Publishing Co., Ltd. Sujin Lena Park sujinpark@bir.co.kr 82-2-515-2000 (Ext.350) www.bir.co.kr

A Contrived World (Eotteon Jagwiui Segye)

Descendent of the Change King (Cheinjikingui Huye) Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Kate Han rights@munhak.com 82-31-955-2635 www.munhak.com

Inferno IX (Jiokseolgyedo) Hainaim Publishing Co., Ltd. Lee Jin-suk rainpoet@naver.com 82-2-326-1600 (Ext.206) www.hainaim.com

9p My Exploration of Cultural Heritage (Vol. 7) (Naui Munhwayusan Dapsagi 7) Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Japan I Read and Met (Naega Ikgo Mannan Ilbon) Greenbee Publishing Company Park Teha tehada@greenbee.co.kr 82-2-702-2717 www.greenbee.co.kr

Twelve Birds (Yeoldu Mari Sae) Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

The Bath Fairy (Jangsutang Seonnyeonim) Bear Books Choi Hyun-kyoung bearbooks@naver.com 82-2-332-2672 www.bearbooks.co.kr

11p Peter Historia (Peter Historia) Bookinthegap Ahn Beong-ryeul mokdong70@paran.com 82-31-901-8268 bookinthegap.com

16p Body Book: from Girl to Woman (Sonyeo 10.5Se Yeojaga Doeda) VOOZFIRM Um Hanna editor@voozfirm.com 82-2-564-6006 www.voozfirm.com

17p How to Write a Math Diary (Suhagilgi Sseugi) Gimm-Young Publishers Park Sun-ha shpark@gimmyoung.com 82-31-955-3162 www.gimmyoung.com/english

I Grow My Own Tasty Vegetables! (Naega Kiun Chaesoneun Manniseo)

Gilbutschool Kim Eon-su onssu@gilbut.co.kr 82-2-330-9864 www.gilbutschool.co.kr

Hollym Corp. Lee Hyo-jin gohj@hollym.co.kr 82-2-734-5087 www.hollym.co.kr

12p Not Enough to Cry (Ulgien Jom Aemaehan)

The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (Eoriniga Eorinireul Domneunda)

Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Kang Hyun-joo kanghjoo@sakyejul.co.kr 82-31-955-8600 www.sakyejul.co.kr

Gilbutschool Kim Eon-su onssu@gilbut.co.kr 82-2-330-9864 www.gilbutschool.co.kr

Chany, the Character Cartoonist (Goejja Manhwaga Chani)

18p

Gobooky Books Jung Sun-woo togobook2@naver.com 82-32-323-8895 www.gobook2.com

What Is Happening at the Foreshore? (Gaetbeol, Museun Iri Ireonago Iseulkka?) Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Kang Hyun-joo kanghjoo@sakyejul.co.kr 82-31-955-8600 www.sakyejul.co.kr

My Mother's Story (Nae Eomeoni Iyagi) Sai Comics Kim Dae-joong mayseoul@naver.com 82-11-741-7194 blog.naver.com/saicomics

The Little Detectives In Search of Cultural Heritage! (Myeongtamjeong, Illyumuhyeongyusaneul Chajara!)

13p

Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Semo Knowledge Museum (Semo Jisik Bangmulgwan) Hyeonamsa Publishing Co., Ltd. Cho Eun-mi fish@hyeonamsa.com 82-2-365-5051 (Ext.300) www.hyeonamsa.com

19p

14p Getting Close to Society (Sahoewa Chinhaejineun Chaek) Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Seeing Eye to Eye: World History Class (Maju Boneun Segyesagyosil) Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. Kim Yun-kyung ykkim0702@wjbooks.co.kr 82-2-3670-1016 www.wjbooks.co.kr

15p Korean Culture (Jeontongmunhwa Jeulgigi) Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Lee Bokee rights@munhak.com 82-3144-3237 www.munhak.com

People and Work (Ilgwa Saram) Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Kang Hyun-joo kanghjoo@sakyejul.co.kr 82-31-955-8600 www.sakyejul.co.kr

Whitlow Grass Blossoms Below the Street Trees (Garosu Michi Kkotdajiga Pieoseoyo) Urikyoyuk Co., Ltd. Joe Myung-suk msjoe@uriedu.co.kr 82-2-3142-6770 (Ext.323) www.uriedu.co.kr

Gazing at Each Other: Talks Among Animals (Seororeul Boda- Dongmuldeuri Nanuneun Iyagi) Little Mountain Publishing Co. Choi Do-yeon cham-ed@daum.net 82-2-335-7365 www.littlemt.com

20p Hwaseong Fortress: The Dream of King Jeongjo (Suwonhwaseong-Jeongjoui Kkumeul Pumeun Seonggwak) Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. Kim Yun-kyung ykkim0702@wjbooks.co.kr 82-2-3670-1016 www.wjbooks.co.kr

Gomanye: a Story of North Gando One Century Ago (Gomannye- Baek Nyeon Jeon Bukgando Iyagi) Borim Press Jeong Kee-yun jebi@borimpress.com 82-31-955-3456 (Ext.153) www.borimpress.com

list_ Books from Korea

Vol.19 Spring 2013

21p I Want To Be a Star (Byeori Doego Sipeo) Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

Lumière People (Lumière People) Hankyoreh Publishing Company Kim Yun-jeong simple@hanibook.co.kr 82-2-6373-6713 www.hanibook.co.kr

Vaseline Buddha (Vaselline Buddha) Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. Kim Young-lan jamoglobal@jamobook.com 82-70-8656-9583 www.jamo21.net

59p Who Ate All the Sing-ah? (Geu Manteon Singaneun Nuga Da Meogeoseulkka?)

A Contrived World (Eotteon Jagwiui Segye) Moonji Publishing Co., Ltd. Choi Ji-in jiin@moonji.com 82-2-338-7224 www.moonji.com

Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

An Afternoon of the Faun (Moksinui Eotteonohu)

61p The Persuasion of Philosophers (Cheolhakjaui Seoldeukbeop)

Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Kate Han rights@munhak.com 82-31-955-2635 www.munhak.com

31p Nobinson series (Sinnaneun Nobinson Gwahak) Danielstone Co. Hong Shin-hye givemekey@ddstone.com 82-2-337-3681 http://www.ddstone.com

33p Following Robinson Crusoe (Robinson Crusoe Ttarajapgi) Danielstone Co. Hong Shin-hye givemekey@ddstone.com 82-2-337-3681 www.ddstone.com

Jaeum & Moeum Publishing Co. Kim Young-lan jamoglobal@jamobook.com 82-70-8656-9583 www.jamo21.net

Many Stars Drifted to One Place (Maneun Byeoldeuri Hangoseuro Heuleogatta)

Reflections on Travel (Yeohaengui Sago) Dolbegae Publishers Kwon Young-min inboil@dolbegae.co.kr 82-31-955-5038 www.dolbegae.co.kr

Incomplete Life (Misaeng)

A Day at the Beach (Eoneu Badatgaui Haru)

Do Not Love One Another (Saranghajimalja)

70p

Hankyoreh Publishing Company Chung Hoe-yup yuptopia@hanibook.co.kr 82-2-6383-6712 www.hanibook.co.kr

Dasan Books Kim Mi-young miyoung@dasanbooks.com 82-70-7606-7446 www.dasanbooks.com

55p

67p

Borim Press Jeong Kee-yun jebi@borimpress.com 82-31-955-3456 (Ext.153) www.borimpress.com

Overcoming Societal Division (Ibunbeop Sahoereul Neomeoseo)

KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

Kyobo Book Centre Co., Ltd. Cho Hannah hcho@kyobobook.co.kr 82-2-3156-3827 www.kyobobook.co.kr

BetterBooks Jeong Ji-hyun bookstory@naver.com 82-32-325-5281 www.ebookstory.co.kr

64p

Stinging Snowflake (Maeun Nunkkot)

92 list_ Books from Korea

The Humanities, Starting Now (Jigeum Sijakhaneun Inmunhak)

Ending the Polemic (Jaengjeomeul Pahada)

The Sound of the Shallow Water (Yeoulmul Sori)

Purple People (Purple People)

69p

Purnyoksa Publishing Company Shin Sang-mee rolieca@hotmail.com 82-2-720-8920 www.bluehistory.net

44p

Amoeba Yu Sun yusun@amoeba.co.kr 82-2-3449-0397 www.amoeba.co.kr

62p

The Birth of Philistinism (Songmul Gyoyangui Tansaeng)

Minumsa Publishing Group Michelle Nam michellenam@minumsa.com 82-2-515-2000 (Ext.206) www.minumsa.com

Hello Jeju, Happy Daum (Jeulgeoun Daeum Seolleneun Jeju)

Wisdomhouse Publishing Co., Ltd. Kwon Min-kyung ohappyday@wisdomhouse.co.kr 82-31-936-4199 www.wisdomhouse.co.kr

63p

Songs on Earth (Jisangui Norae)

66p

Across Publishing Company Lee Kyeong-ran seizethedaykr@hanmail.net 82-70-8724-5871 www.acrossbook.com

Tongnamu Publishing Co. Sin Sugi tongnamu.pc@gmail.com 82-2-744-7992

43p

Moonji Publishing Co,.Ltd. Choi Ji-in jiin@moonji.com 82-2-338-7224 www.moonji.com

Nanda Kim Min-jeong blackinana@hanmail.net 82-31-955-2656 www.munhak.com

Bookhouse Publishers Lee Eun-jung ej01@bookhouse.co.kr 82-2-3144-2706 www.bookhouse.co.kr

24p

A Short Nap by the Roadside (Gatgireseoui Jjalbeun Jam)

KL Management Joseph Lee josephlee705@gmail.com 82-10-6239-9154

Sir Chancellor (Chongtonggakha)

Sigongsa Co., Ltd. Amelie Choi amelie@sigongsa.com 82-2-2046-2855 www.sigongjunior.com

57p

Storymachine (Iyagireul Mandeuneun Gigye)

58p

The Stories Shouldn’t Be True (Geojinmal Gachin Iyagi)

Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Kate Han rights@munhak.com 82-31-955-2635 www.munhak.com

Fire Salamander (Norangmunuiyeongwon)

Magazines, Window into an Era (Japji, Sidaereul Cheolhada) Dolbegae Publishers Kwon Young-min inboil@dolbegae.co.kr 82-31-955-5038 www.dolbegae.co.kr

65p Speaking of Singers (Gasureul Malhada) BIGHOUSE Kang Chan-gyu big@bigh.kr 82-31-904-2265

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Let’s Wear Good Clothes (Chakhan Oseul Ibeoyo) Wisdomhouse Publishing Co., Ltd. Kwon Min-kyung ohappyday@wisdomhouse.co.kr 82-31-936-4199 www.wisdomhouse.co.kr

The Kitty Watch That Takes You Back in Time (Geokkuro Ganeun Goyangi Sigye) Bear Books Choi Hyun-kyoung bearbooks@naver.com 82-2-332-2672 www.bearbooks.co.kr

71p My Hair Smells Like Sunshine (Nae Meorie Haetsal Naemsae) BIR Publishing Co., Ltd. Sujin Lena Park sujinpark@bir.co.kr 82-2-515-2000 (Ext.350) www.bir.co.kr

My Cousin Sera (Naui Sachon Sera) Changbi Publishers, Inc. Choi Ko-eun copyright2@changbi.com 82-31-955-4359 www.changbi.com/english

72p Immortal Cho, the Wandering Bookseller (Giihan Chaekjangsu Josinseon) Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Kang Hyun-joo kanghjoo@sakyejul.co.kr 82-31-955-8600 www.sakyejul.co.kr

The Grand Arrival of Dokkaebi Neuti in Seoul (Dokkaebi Neuti Seoul Ipseonggi) Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Lee Bokee bokeelee@munhak.com 82-2-3144-3237 www.munhak.com

75p The Man Who Was Left as Nine Pairs of Shoes (Ahop Kyeolleui Guduro Nameun Sanae) Moonji Publishing Co,. Ltd. Choi Ji-in jiin@moonji.com 82-2-338-7224 www.moonji.com

84p The Complete Works of Park Wansuh (Park Wansuh Soseol Jeonjip) Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

85p The Last Empire (Yeongwonhan Jeguk) Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

The Era of God and Darwin (Singwa Darwinui Sidae) Segyesa Publishing Co., Ltd. Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

Thoughts on Drinking (Eumjusayu) Page One Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

What Makes Me Different From Others (Naneun Namdeulgwa Mueonni Dareunga) Eight Point Heo Yun-jung 314yj@naver.com 82-2-6332-8082 www.segyesa.co.kr

About the Program

FAQ What is list_Books from Korea, and where can I find it? list is a quarterly magazine packed with information about Korean books. Register online at www.list.or.kr to receive a free subscription.

Can I get it in English?

The printed edition of list is available in English and Chinese. The webzine (www.list.or.kr) is available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

▪ Faculty: Professors of literature and translation ▪ Duration: September 2013 to June 2014 - Fall Semester: September ~ December 2013 - Spring Semester: March ~ June 2014

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list_Books from Korea App (iPad only) now available for download

with Korean writers and cultural excursions.

Vol.19 Spring 2013

Special Section

Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books Interviews

Jung Young Moon Cartoonist Lee Woo-il Writer

Spotlight on Fiction

“The Walk of Light” by Yun Dae-nyeong Theme Lounge

Korea’s Musicals

ISSN 2005-2790