The Seoul International Book Fair, the country’s largest book event, kicked off Wednesday at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. A total of 530 companies, including 170 foreign companies from 36 countries, are participating in this year's book fair, the first since the complete lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. The number of participating companies nearly tripled compared to last year’s 195 companies from just 15 countries. “The power of culture is truly remarkable. And th

Books June 14, 2023

Celebrated Canadian author Yann Martel, renowned for his acclaimed international bestseller, “Life of Pi,” which won the Man Booker Prize in 2002, among other prizes, emphasized the importance of reading novels and works of literature. Martel, who is visiting Korea for the first time, as one of the special guests at the Seoul International Book Fair, which runs Wednesday to Sunday, shared his insights, stories on his books, and hints about his upcoming novels. "It's not for

Books June 13, 2023

Singer-songwriter Lee Juck, is celebrated for his lyrics filled with introspective questions and comforting messages, and for his ability to weave profound, poetic narratives into his songs. Following the publication of his short story collection “Fingerprint Hunter” (2005), picture books “One Day” and “I Will Wait, You Wait for Me,” Lee has recently published his debut essay collection titled “Lee Juck’s Words” (working title), published by

Books June 12, 2023

The Seoul International Book Fair, the country’s largest book event, will kick off on Wednesday at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southeastern Seoul. Under the theme of “Nonhuman,” the five-day annual book fair aims to break away from anthropocentric perspectives, inviting engagement with and participation of the nonhuman, said the Korean Publishers Association. Talks, exhibitions and events will take place to explore the multiple human-caused crises we find ourselves amidst -- including

Books June 11, 2023

"Forest of Moss" (working title) By Cheon Seon-ran Giant Books With its dark fairy tale-like atmosphere and poignant narrative, the three interconnected stories featured in “Forest of Moss” depict the love, friendship and adventure of six friends set in the near future of mankind, exiled to the underground city after the destruction of Earth. Hope remains despite their current generation merely serving as a “bridge” to sustain civilization for the next. The firs

Books June 10, 2023

"The Way We Have Passed the Winter" (working title) By Moon Mi-soon Namu Bench The first full-length novel from the award-winning writer Moon Mi-soon captures the challenges of caregiving and the burdens of tending to sick loved ones. The novel vividly portrays the mental, physical and economic hardships faced by families in this role. The narrative revolves around Myung-joo, a woman in her 50s who dedicates herself to caring for her mother, who suffers from severe dementia. Joon-seong

Books June 10, 2023

"Seasons of Its Own" By Kwon Yeo-sun Munhakdongne Publishing Several years ago, Kwon Yeo-sun, residing at a writers’ residence in Wonju, Gangwon Province, overheard a memorable dialogue between a fellow writer and the residence’s security guard. “Where could such a large bug (referring to a deer beetle) possibly come in?” After contemplating for a moment, the security guard said, “Bugs can come in from anywhere.” The exchange amused Kwon so much that

Books June 9, 2023

Four international writers, including Cormac McCarthy of the US and Canada's Margaret Atwood, have been nominated for the 12th Pak Kyongni Prize, according to the award’s organizers on Wednesday. Antonio Lobo Antunes from Portugal and Christoph Ransmayr from Austria are the other two foreign nominees. A novelist and retired medical doctor, Antunes has long been considered a strong contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is widely recognized for “The Land at the End of th

Books June 8, 2023

French modern ballet choreographer Angelin Preljocaj brings his new take on the canonical classical ballet “Swan Lake” to the LG Arts Center from June 22-25. Preljocaj’s rendition of “Swan Lake” premiered in France in October 2020 as the visionary choreographer’s third production of narrative ballet, following “Romeo and Juliet” (1996) and “Snow White” (2008). Dancer-choreographer Preljocaj has been at the forefront of contemporary ball

Performance June 7, 2023

The National Dance Company of Korea is set to perform “Sanjo” at Haeoreum Theater from June 23-25. “Sanjo” reinterprets the beauty of “sanjo” -- traditional Korean music involving an instrumental solo -- in a modern perspective, expressing melody through dance and mise-en-scenes. Sanjo music is characterized by a blend of formal beauty and spontaneity, as the melody is crafted freely within a structured framework. Similar to Western jazz, the genre allows for

Performance June 6, 2023

Celebrated graphic novelist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim has returned with “Tomorrow is Another Day,” a story of a couple grappling with infertility. Garnering global acclaim, her works -- most notably “Grass” (2017) and “The Waiting” (2020) -- have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Harvey Award in 2020 for "Grass." She is the first Korean to have won the prestigious award. Gendry-Kim's latest work centers on Bada, a 34-year-old cartoon

Books June 6, 2023

The Italian AsLiCo Competition for Young Opera Singers is breaking new ground as it opens its borders to Asia for the very first time in Seoul, in November, the AsLiCo Asia Department announced Friday. Dominique Meyer, chairman and director of La Scala Opera House, which has been affiliated with the AsLiCo association, will visit Seoul for the final competition in Asia. Established in 1949, the AsLiCo Opera Competition will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2024. Over the years, the competition

Performance June 3, 2023

The National Theater of Korea is set to premiere its production of the heartwarming play “Our Town” at the Daloreum Theater from June 22-25. The Korean adaption of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by American playwright Thornton Wilder explores the beauty and significance of everyday life, weaving a narrative around a family with a disabled member. Im Do-wan, who directed the National Theater Company of Korea’s production of “Scarpin,” took the helm of the adaptation

Performance June 2, 2023

Changbi Publishers, a leading publisher, marked a milestone with the release of the 200th issue of the Quarterly Changbi, its highly regarded quarterly magazine of literature, critique and discourse. Lee Nam-ju, the editor-in-chief, summarized the magazine’s motto as “beopgochangsin” which can be translated as “to create something new by taking inspiration from the old.” “We will continue to adhere to our original direction while adapting to the changes in the

Books May 30, 2023

The English edition of acclaimed poet Kim Hye-soon's 2019 collection of poems, "Phantom Pain Wings," translated by Don Mee Choi, was published in the US in May. The book of 72 poems “depicts the memory or war trauma and the collective grief of parting through what (Kim) calls an ‘I-do-bird-sequence,’ where ‘Bird-human is the ‘I,’” said New Directions Publishing about its latest release by Kim. The publishing company also published Kim&rsqu

Books May 30, 2023