London Korean Links

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Gong Ji-young in conversation with Grace Koh

So you thought you were done with the London Book Fair? Think again. As part of the ongoing programme which the British Council reminded us about at the Fair, it’s about more than just the three days in April. For starters, LKL hasn’t finished writing it all up yet…

But more importantly Gong Ji-young’s in the country – at Hay and in London – and Bae Suah is in Norwich. So there’s a special edition of SOAS’s Friday evening seminar this week.

Gong Ji-young in conversation with Grace Koh

Friday 23 May, 5.00-7.00pm
Room B111 (Brunei Gallery Building, 1st floor), SOAS, University of London, London WC1H 0XG.

Gong Ji-young
Gong Ji-young

Acclaimed Korean novelist Gong Ji-young will be in conversation with Grace Koh about her works, how they engage with gender, political and social issues, and the role of the writer in a rapidly changing Korean society. She will also read from her novel, Our Happy Time, the English translation of which has been recently published by Short Books. A book signing and drinks reception will follow.

Author’s Biography

Gong Ji-young is one of Korea’s most beloved and critically acclaimed novelists. Born in 1963 in Seoul, she became politically active as a student in the 1980s, a period of upheaval in Korean politics. Her experience of activism is reflected in many of her works, notably in her debut Rising Dawn. She is part of the ‘New Wave’ of Korean female writers who forged a new path for women writers in the latter part of the 20th century, and her works often focus on women’s struggles in a changing society, as well as on those who find themselves marginalised. Her works include Human Decency, Mackerel, My Sister Bong-soon, Our Happy Time, and The Crucible. She has sold over 10 million books in South Korea alone, and most of her works have been adapted into popular films. Her accolades include the 21st Century Literary Award, Oh Young-soo Literature Prize, Special Media Award from Amnesty International (for Our Happy Time), and the Yi Sang Literary Award.

As part of the London Book Fair 2014 Korea Market Focus Cultural Programme curated by The British Council, in partnership with The Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea), Gong Ji-young has been invited to appear at the Hay Festival on 25 May, where she will talk with novelist Ned Beauman and Ted Hodgkinson.

This event is free and open to all those who wish to attend, however we would ask that you register your interest in advance. [Link now removed]

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(automatically generated) Read LKL’s review of this event here.

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