Reflecting on the literary landscape of 2023, The Korea Herald explores a selection of translated Korean books that have earned recognition on prestigious lists, or received recommendations from major newspapers. These works stand as a testament to the diverse voices and compelling stories emerging from the vibrant Korean literary scene. Fiction Building on the momentum from the previous year, a Korean novel secured its place as a finalist for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the mo

"Seasons Are Short, Memories Last" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Lee Ju-hye Changbi Publishers The story begins with a woman choosing the cathartic path of writing as a means of navigating and overcoming the painful reality that life has thrust upon her. Approaching her 50s, the narrator's world shatters when she discovers that her husband is stalking a female colleague. But her husband says he is not ashamed of his actions because they were sincere. Deeply hurt,

"I'll Have the Night" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By An Bo-yun Munhakdongne Publishing In her latest collection, "I’ll Have the Night,” An Bo-yun explores the theme of school violence in "A Way of Mourning," where the protagonist, Dong-joo, witnesses the death of his school bully, Seung-kyu. Dong-joo has endured relentless bullying from Seung-kyu since elementary school. But when Seung-kyu dies in an abandoned building, Dong-joo, the only

"The Voices" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Lee Seung-u Moonji Publishing In Lee Seung-u's award-winning "The Buoyancy of the Heart," featured in his latest short story collection "The Voices," the narrator grapples with an increasing emotional distance from his mother. The mother consistently mistakes her sons’ voices and calls the narrator by his brother’s name every time they talk on the phone, even though the brother passed away

Annual "Book of the Year from 50 Writers" list from Kyobo Book Center compiles 100 favorite books chosen by authors

Bulgarian writer Ivan Vozov's "Under the Yoke," one of the best-known works of classic Bulgarian literature, is among five foreign literary works selected for the 2023 Grants for Translation of World Classics, the Dasan Foundation said Wednesday. The works selected have yet to be released in Korean due to difficulty in translation or lack of commercial interest. “The Torch in My Ear” by Elias Canetti, “Virgin Soil” by Ivan Turgenev, an essay collection from

Comedian Yang Se-hyung has ventured into the realm of literature with his newly published poetry collection, "Path of the Stars" (Storyseller). Prior to this, he touched the viewers' hearts when he spontaneously composed and recited "Path of the Stars" on the episode of SBS’s variety show "Master in the House” which aired in June 2018. More recently, a video of Yang’s congratulatory verses for fellow comedians' weddings garnered attention on

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea announced the winners of the 2023 Korea Translation Award on Wednesday, with four translators clinching the grand prizes this year. This year’s grand prizes were awarded to Kim Hye-gyeong and Jean-Claude de Crescenzo for their French translation of Lee Seung-u’s “Cantant”; Oh Young-a for her Japanese translation of Cho Hae-jin’s “Simple Sincerity”; and Lia Iovenitti for her Italian translation of Kim Hye-jin&

A dark comedy about creature comforts and an exploration of tightrope walking were announced as the winners of the inaugural 2023 Korea Picture Book Award, jointly granted by the Culture Ministry and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA), on Monday. Kwon Jung-min's fiction piece, "The Disappeared Dinner," and Minha's non-fiction, "A Round of Tightrope Walking," won top honors in their respective categories. "The Disappeared Dinner" (Ch

"Break Up Care Insurance" By Lee Hee-young Giant Books We have insurance for our bodies, properties, cars and medical expenses, but a new novel asks: why don’t we have insurance for our emotions? Young adult fiction author Lee Hee-young, in her 10th novel, introduces the concept of BU Care Insurance, or breakup care insurance. This insurance involves a breakup consultant who helps clients with their emotional (and at times, physical) well-being and recovery after breakups. The na

"Passing Through Winter" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Cho Hae-jin Jakka Publishing Author Cho Hae-jin has unveiled her latest novel, “Passing Through Winter," marking her return to the literary scene after two years. Known for consistently narrating the stories of marginalized individuals, Cho takes readers on yet another poignant journey. The narrative revolves around the protagonist, who, after the heartbreaking loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer, mo

"Mars and I" By Bae Myung-hoon Rabbit Hole In Bae Myung-hoon’s latest adventure into the world of science fiction, the red planet Mars takes center stage. The author of the bestselling novels, “Tower,” “Launch Something!” and “Future Past Tense” has been at the vanguard of the science fiction genre in Korea for the past decade amid its growing popularity. In the compilation of short stories titled, "Mars and I," Bae weaves six tales,

“The World to Protect” is a poignant narrative of a Korean language teacher interwoven with the history of South Korea’s labor movement and pressing issues in public education, written by Moon Kyung-min, a 22-year veteran elementary school teacher. "As a teacher and a novelist, this was a story I had with me for a long time. It was the one I could best tell,” said Moon at a recent press conference in Seoul. “The World to Protect” won the 13th Honbul Liter

Korean American author Ilyon Woo’s nonfiction work has been recognized as one of the New York Times' 10 Best Books of 2023. “Deeply, deeply honored for this recognition from the (New York Times), on the eve of the 175th anniversary of Ellen and William Craft’s heroic escape from slavery,” Woo wrote on her Instagram. "Master Slave Husband Wife" follows the true story of Ellen and William Craft, an enslaved couple in Georgia. In 1848, the couple made a daring

Bestseller series "My Cultural Heritage Exploration" celebrates 30th anniversary