"Art on Fire" By Yun Ko-eun EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Author Yun Ko-eun, the winner of the prestigious CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger in 2021 for the novel "The Disaster Tourist” (translated by Lizzie Buehler), returns with the black comedy "Art on Fire." The story follows an artist named Ahn Yi-ji, who once aspired to be a painter but now makes a living as a delivery rider. One day, she receives an interesting offer from a foundation called the Robert Foun

If literature has one pivotal purpose, it is the very act of imagining what lies beyond our own life and language, and the attempt to think about the lives of others, according to Austrian novelist Christoph Ransmayr, winner of the 12th Pak Kyongni Prize. “It's not possible to define what literature is. But the attempt to understand unfamiliar environments and people through literature, at the very least, helps eliminate biases towards others and encourages an attempt to bring about c

Acclaimed South Korean author Han Kang’s latest novel, “I Do Not Bid Farewell,” has earned a spot on the shortlists for two prestigious literary awards in France, according to the book's Korean publisher. “I Do Not Bid Farewell,” translated to French by Kyungran Choi and Pierre Bisiou, has so far been shortlisted for the Prix Femina for foreign literature and Prix Medicis for foreign literature -- on Oct. 24 and Oct. 18, respectively -- according to Munhakdongn

On the night of Oct. 29, 2022, 159 young lives were lost in a packed alley in Itaewon, Seoul. The book "We Are in Itaewon Now," (a literal translation of the Korean title) (Changbi Publishers), released ahead of the first anniversary of the tragedy, is the first published collection of interviews of the survivors and the bereaved families. "I trust ordinary people. If they are given the right information and the facts, even those who cursed and criticized (the victims) will change

Naver Webtoon’s action series “Teenage Mercenary” has achieved the highest transaction volume in the history of Naver Webtoon Japan. According to the South Korean tech giant’s digital comics platform, the series generated monthly sales of 1.6 billion won ($1.18 million) in September, and garnered more than 300 million accumulated reads from Japanese fans. Helmed by webtoon creators YC and Rakyeon, “Teenage Mercenary” revolves around Yu Ijin, who lost his paren

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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