Study tips aimed at helping Korean adults to restart learning process

“Let’s Study for 1 Hour Today”By Yang Sung-jin(Memento) In one Simpsons episode, Homer is confronted by a stack of homework that Bart has failed to complete. When Homer is assured he doesn’t have to help his kid to do it, his reaction evokes a mix of pride and awkwardness for many Koreans: “I say this boy needs more homework. … Pile it on! I want him to be Korean by the time he’s done.”Homer’s playful reference to Korea reflects the widespre

July 5, 2019

‘Autobiography of Death,’ about deaths of people who are still alive, takes poetry prize

With her poetry collection “Autobiography of Death,” Kim Hye-soon brought Asian women’s voices to the forefront of the international literary scene by winning the 2019 International Griffin Poetry Prize earlier this month.It marked the first time the Canadian prize, founded in 2000, had ever gone to two Asian women -- Kim shared the honor with Choi Don-mee, who translated the book into English.  Kim and Choi were not expecting the prize. “At the ceremony, the transla

June 25, 2019

[Herald interview] Behind making of Baek Hee-na’s latest picture book

“I am a dog. Humans call me ‘Guseul.’” That is the opening line in the latest picture book of beloved children’s book writer and illustrator Baek Hee-na, released in mid-April. A tale of a not-so-special, stay-at-home dog whose life is pretty much all about waiting for the two-legged housemates to return and take it for a walk, “I Am a Dog” is a typical Baek book: witty, fun-to-read and visually enthralling. And as in her previous books, it does not fail

June 14, 2019

Han Kang hands over book to Norway's 'Future Library' project

Prize-winning South Korean novelist Han Kang has handed over a novel to the Norwegian public arts project "Future Library," with her writing to remain unpublished and unread for nearly a century.The 2016 winner of the Man Booker International prize for her novel "The Vegetarian" has been chosen as the fifth writer for the Norwegian project along with 99 renowned authors including English writer David Mitchell. Their works will be kept in secret and published a century later o

May 27, 2019

[Book review] Entertainment news reporter says BTS opened up new paradigm for K-pop

A veteran entertainment news reporter with almost 20 years of experience has written a book about K-pop boy band BTS and its global success. In “BTS K-pop,” Herald Business reporter Seo Byung-ki analyzes what has come to be called BTS syndrome. “There are already around 10 books that deal with the BTS syndrome. Many of them, written by professors, take a philosophical view on BTS’ narrative structure, fandom or communication. I thought my book should have a different approach, so I did what I co

May 20, 2019

LTI Korea invites writers to build ‘Platform for Communication, Peace’

Literature Translation Institute of Korea is to invite foreign and local writers to a three-day forum aimed at bridging the local and overseas literary scenes.. The institution will hold an event titled “A Platform for Communication and Peace” from Monday to Wednesday at Ara Art Center in Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, central Seoul. During the festival, five discussion sessions will take place, covering the subjects of diaspora, the division of Korea, writing, Korean literature and culture, and minoriti

May 19, 2019

17th century novel 'Hong Gil-dong jeon' written in Chinese characters discovered

A 17th century manuscript of "Hong Gil-dong jeon" written in Chinese characters has been found in a literary collection left by a civil official of the middle Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), a scholar said Wednesday."The Story of Hong Gil-dong," the first Chinese-character version that has been ever found, is different from the novel of the same name written in the Korean language, whose authorship is generally attributed to Heo Gyun (1569-1618), a radical intellectual. (Yonhap)Lee Yoon-suk, a forme

April 24, 2019

Man Booker Prize drops Korean writer from shortlist

“At Dusk” by novelist Hwang Sok-yong, a prominent Korean writer, failed to make the final cut of six for this year’s Man Booker International Prize.Though the novel was included in the longlist of 13 books announced last month, it was excluded from the shortlist, the award’s website showed Wednesday. Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect looking back on his life and a young theater actor who works part-time jobs to make a living. The English-l

April 10, 2019

[Eye Plus] Warehouse of used books

The aroma of books is sure to excite any bibliophile -- whether emanating from freshly printed titles or tomes that have sat on shelves for many years. A new establishment perfectly suited for such enjoyment has just opened in the capital city: Seoul Book Bogo, a huge warehouse of 132,730 used books, run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Filling 1,465 square meters of space in a once abandoned warehouse are endless rows of volumes collected from 25 small secondhand bookstores in central Seou

April 5, 2019

130,000 copies of Korean feminist novel 'Kim Ji-young' printed in Japan

US than 130,000 times since its release more than three months ago, the book's South Korean publisher said Tuesday.The translated version of the book by Cho Nan-joo hit the Japanese market on Dec. 8 and immediately went into a second printing the next day.On the fourth day of its release, the novel went into its third printing, and it has since surpassed 130,000 copies in three months, its Korean publisher Minumsa said, quoting data from Chikuma Shobo, the Japanese publisher. This photo provided

April 2, 2019

Learning from our forebears

Learning from history is important, we say. For Pyo Jae-du, the word “history” here is not limited to major historical events. It includes our forebears’ attitude toward life. Pyo, a former reporter of The Korea Herald, released a book titled “Historical Stories from Forebears” (unofficial translation) in March.  “Historical Stories from Forbearers” Writer Pyo Jae-duIn the 302-page book, Pyo looks into life of our forbears from Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) to Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Rather than

March 14, 2019

Korean writer on long list for Man Booker Int’l Prize

Novelist Hwang Sok-yong, one of the most acclaimed writers in South Korea today, has been long-listed for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize for “At Dusk.”On Wednesday, the Man Booker International Prize released the list of contenders for 2019. This year, a panel of five judges considered 108 novels and selected 12.  Novelist Hwang Sok-yong (Yonhap)Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect looking back on his life and a young theater actor w

March 13, 2019

New guidebook to help tourists ‘live like a local’ in Seoul

If you are an Airbnb-style traveler, up for living like a Seoulite while in the city, new guidebook “A Curated Guide: Seoul” (Seoul Selection) may be the right choice.If you have a local friend who knows the latest trends, you may not need this book. But not every tourist visits Seoul with such connections. That‘s when the book comes in handy.The book’s two authors, Robert Koehler and Hahna Yoon, went beyond the traditional tourist destinations that typical Seoul guidebooks suggest and recommend

Jan. 17, 2019

Remembering titan of compassionate conservatism, passionate progress

Late South Korean economic policymaker Kim Ip-sam (left) sits next to the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung at an international conference in the late 1970s, when they worked as the vice chairman and chairman, respectively, of the Federation of Korean Industries. (Kim So-im)Many South Koreans take the nation’s prosperity for granted nowadays, but it wasn’t always the case. Unlike countries blessed with abundant natural resources, Korea’s freedom and wealth were forged by the blood and swe

Dec. 20, 2018

Margaret Atwood to release 'Handmaid's Tale' sequel

Canadian author Margaret Atwood said Wednesday she will publish a sequel to her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" next year, taking readers deeper into her vision of a dystopian America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy.Atwood said the new book, "The Testaments," will pursue unresolved narratives in the original 1985 novel, delving into the "inner workings" of the fictional nation of Gilead. Activists in favor of the legalization of abortion don costumes inspired by Canadian author Margaret Atwood`s f

Nov. 29, 2018

[Newsmaker] Feminist book ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ becomes million seller

Though she’s a fictional character, Kim Ji-young is a symbolic figure in Korea. It seems her status will be even more elevated as novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” recently became a million seller. The novel, written by Cho Nam-joo in 2016, has sold more than 1 million copies, publisher Minumsa announced Tuesday. It is now the first million-selling Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look After Mom” in 2009. Writer Cho Nam-joo (Minumsa)Since its publication, “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” has

Nov. 28, 2018

Korea’s archaeological research presented in English

Non-Korean speakers will now have easier access to the Paleolithic-era archaeological findings in Korea with the publication of an English-language book on research related to the field. The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, affiliated with the Cultural Heritage Administration, has published the “Dictionary of Korean Archaeology–The Paleolithic,” an English-language version of the book of the same title that was published in Korean in 2013. It also includes research conducted aft

Nov. 1, 2018

Embracing Korean diaspora through literature

Farming the icy land of Siberia with bare hands, running away from the enemy on the windy plain of Manchuria, working at a sugar cane farm under the burning sun in California: though the phrases may sound foreign, they are Korean, by means of the writers’ ethnicity. While Korea has been working on promoting its literature to the rest of the world, the definition of Korean literature remains unclear. Typically, works created by Korean writers in the Korean language are considered Korean literatur

Sept. 27, 2018

Film adaptation boosts sales for feminist novel

With the novel “Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982” set to be adapted for the big screen, the book’s sales have seen a significant bump in sales. According to Kyobo Bookstore, the novel took the No. 10 spot on its best-seller list for the third week of September, jumping 22 spots. (Mineumsa)The bookstore said sales volume increased by almost three times. Women in their 20s and 30s accounted for 60.9 percent of purchasers. The novel, written by Cho Nam-ju, depicts the life of an ordinary woman named Kim

Sept. 21, 2018

[Herald interview] Like BTS, can Korean literature be globally embraced?

Korean literature can appeal to a broad audience overseas with the proper investment and support, according to Kim Sa-in, president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. The state-funded institute’s mission is to globalize Korean literature through systematized translation and networking. In other words, it strives to link Korean literature to foreign readership. Kim, who took up the post in March, met The Korea Herald on Tuesday at the institute’s office in southern Seoul.  Kim Sa-i

Sept. 6, 2018