"Light and Melody" by Cho Hae-jin (Munhakdongne Publishing)

"Light and Melody"

By Cho Hae-jin

Munhakdongne Publishing

“Light and Melody” intertwines the stories of Kwon-eun, a documentary photographer, and Seung-joon, a journalist, whose paths cross again seven years after they rekindle their bond from cherished childhood memories.

Kwon-eun is left physically and emotionally scarred after an injury that cost her half of her left leg while reporting in war-torn Syria. Now unable to return, she rejects all commissions and barely scrapes by on intermittent royalties.

Her life takes a turn when Anna Anderson, the sister of renowned photographer Gary Anderson -- whom Kwon-eun had admired -- reaches out to her. After reading an obituary Kwon-eun wrote for her brother, Anna asks her to create a short film about Gary and their father, Colin. As she retraces their lives, she begins to question whether her photography truly helped others or if it was merely a self-serving pursuit.

Meanwhile, Seung-joon, now a new father, reconnects with Kwon-eun after interviewing Nascha, a woman living in Kharkiv, Ukraine, amid Russia’s invasion. As the story unfolds, characters from different countries and backgrounds come together, transcending borders to form connections.

Author Cho Hae-jin, acclaimed for her distinct literary voice, is best known for her works that delve into the lives of marginalized individuals, including adoptees, defectors and foreigners.

In her latest novel in five years, Cho takes readers on a journey across the globe, exploring life, death and the moral dilemmas surrounding war.

In a prereleased interview with her publisher, Cho said she “wanted to write a story that proves just how meaningless war is” in light of the current conflicts around the world.

Her previous novel “I Met Loh Ki-wan,” was adapted into the Netflix film “My Name is Loh Ki-wan” starring Song Joon-ki as a North Korean defector. "I Met Loh Ki-wan" is available in English translated by Lee Ji-eun.