Many Koreans may think of “sijo” as a thing of the past. Some may recall learning the sijo of “yangban,” or aristocrats of Joseon, in textbooks or know by heart Hwang Jin-yi’s famous sijo poems. Occasionally, sijo is recited in historical dramas. But the traditional Korean poetic form that emerged in the Goryeo period and flourished during the Joseon period is still being written today. A new collection of sijo poems has been published in Korean and English by Seoul

Since ChatGPT was first released in November 2022, many have expressed concerns, though some believe that creativity remains a uniquely human domain. Amid the flood of writing now out related to ChatGPT, a collection of short stories co-authored by the chatbot and seven sci-fi writers -- Kim Dal-young, Nappelganger, Shin Jo-ha, Oh So-young, Yoon Y. K., Jeon Yun-ho and Chae Kang D. -- hit the shelves last month. “Manifesto” published by Neofiction, an SF/mystery literature imprint of

“A World Without Gyeong-wu” (working title) By Baek Ohn-yu Changbi Publishers In-soo sees ghosts floating like shadows in the corner of his room and every time he sees them, a bone-chilling cold seems to cling to his skin, even though it’s midsummer. He is still suffering from hallucinations and nightmares caused by “the accident” that happened with his gang when he ran away from home 12 years ago. One day, In-soo meets a boy named Yi-ho who extorts money from drive

“Aoi Garden” By Pyun Hye-young Moonji Publishing Pyun Hye-young, who went on to win the 2017 Shirley Jackson Award for her psychological thriller “The Hole,” has returned to her very first novel, “Aoi Garden.” She has revised her debut collection of nine short stories, which she published 18 years ago in 2005, and invites readers on a literary journey back to where she began. The title piece, “Aoi Garden,” evokes a more intense sense of horror as i

“You Can't Measure a Meter” By Yang Jee-ye Munhakdongne Publishing The Munhakdongne New Writer Award, a prestigious platform for outstanding new writers’ first full-length novels, released its 28th winning novel in late March. Past winners have included the International Booker shortlisted “Whale” by Cheon Myeong-kwan. The judges described the winning title “You Can't Measure a Meter” by Yang Jee-ye as “overwhelmingly interesting and inno

South Korean novelist Han Kang of “The Vegetarian” will meet readers in the UK ahead of the publication of the English edition of the author's novel "Greek Lessons," the Korean Cultural Center in England said. Han is scheduled to attend a book talk event on Sunday at the 295-seat Purcell Room at the Southbank Center, in London. Writer and broadcaster Octavia Bright will moderate the event. The English edition of “Greek Lessons,” translated by Deborah Smith

  South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world along with the Nobel Prize in literature and the French Goncourt Prize. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-Young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan. 19, was among six other

South Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan's "Whale" has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize, one of the three most prestigious literary awards in the world. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The novel, translated by Chi-young Kim and published by Europa Editions on Jan 19, was among six other works that made it to the shortlist, announced by the organizer on T

Although the reading population of Korean adults is less than half the total -- meaning over half of adults do not read a single book in a year -- unique independent bookstores are enjoying growing popularity. There were 815 independent bookstores nationwide in 2022, according to Dongneseojeom (Bookstores in Neighborhood), an independent bookstore recommendation service. It has been keeping track of the number of bookstores since 2015 in its annual trend report. The number has been steadily incr

"Becoming Wind to Survive" (working title) By Yu Ga-young Darun On April 16, 2014, Yu Ga-young, a 17-year-old student at Danwon High School recalls the day that shook the nation nine years ago. Yu is one of the 75 who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. The other 325 students did not return. “Everyone was at the cafeteria that morning, and suddenly we realized that the plates and desks were tilted,” she writes in her essay. One of her friends said, maybe it’s because t

"Hello Baby" By Kim Eui-kyung EunHaengNaMu Publishing Korea had the lowest birth rate among the OECD member states with a total fertility rate of 0.78 births in 2022, marking the lowest rate since 1970 when it was 4.53. The country continues to report more deaths than births due to its aging population in January. The government has allocated a large budget to address the issue but there is little attention given to infertile couples who desperately want children. “Hello Baby,&rd

"Takoyaki in the Undersea City" By Kim Chung-gyul Rabbit Hole What will happen when all the glaciers melt and lands are submerged? Will we be able to survive on water, or in water? A series of six short stories, titled “Takoyaki in the Undersea City,” depicts mankind who survive on water or underwater in a future dystopian world where all the lands have submerged and disappeared. “Adults were afraid of the sea,” the book says in the second story “A Dance w

Renowned biology professor speaks with 12 fellow Darwinian scholars including Richard Dawkins

“Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better” By Ahn Woo-kyoung, translated by Kim Bo-ram Next Wave Media Step one: Watch a dance clip of BTS’ 2019 megahit “Boy with Luv” -- just six seconds of the easiest choreography moves over and over again. You can watch a slowed down version if you want. Step two: Now it’s your turn to do it. Do you think you have the dance down to do it yourself? In one of her classes at Yale, psychology professor Ahn Woo-kyoung c

“Shatter” By Gu Byeong-mo Wisdom House In Gu Byeong-mo’s bestseller “The Old Woman with the Knife,” a 65-year-old female assassin named Hornclaw struggles to accept that she is past her prime -- she remains a ruthless and efficient killer. But everyone must have a beginning. In this short story, “Shatter,” a prequel to the thriller-action, readers get a glimpse of Hornclaw’s past and how she was trained in her teens by an unnamed man to become the