When it comes to fiction, 2023 was a year that defied my expectations. Those novels that I hoped or expected to enjoy turned out to be disappointments; those that I thought might be heavy going turned out to be enjoyable. It was a reminder to try better to abide by the maxim of approaching a … [Read More]
Author: Gong Ji-young (공지영 1963-)
Selected publications by Gong Ji-young
- Togani (도가니, 2009) tr Bruce Fulton, Ju-chan Fulton, University of Hawai'i Press 2023
- Our Happy Time (우리들의 행복한 시간, 2005) tr Sora Kim-Russell, Short Books 2014
- Human Decency (Bi-lingual, Vol 14 – Women) (인간에 대한 예의, 1994) tr Bruce Fulton, Ju-chan Fulton, Asia Publishers 2012
- My Sister Bongsoon ( 봉순이 언니, 1998) tr Park Jung-eun, Mosaic 2008
- Human Decency tr Bruce Fulton, Ju-chan Fulton, Jimoondang 2006
Short stories in anthologies
- Dreams (꿈, 1993) in:
- What’s to be done? in:
- The Unbearable Sadness of Being in:
- Human Decency (인간에 대한 예의, 1994) in:
A look back at our 2022 reading diary
It was a busy year outside of my Korean interests, with the result that I didn’t read as much as I would like. And of the titles that I did read, I haven’t had a chance yet formally to write up my thoughts – though there are several half-written reviews which may eventually see the … [Read More]
Gong Ji-young on tuna sandwiches, Jane Eyre and manual labour
Gong Ji-young was passing through London on her way to the Hay Literary Festival. Saturday would involve dinner with Stephen Fry as president of the Festival, together with other authors. Sunday morning, hopefully without a hangover, she would be sharing the stage with British author Ned Beauman in a conversation with Granta online poetry editor … [Read More]
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 … [Read More]
Book Review: Gong Ji-young — Our Happy Time
Our Happy Time is not the obvious title for a novel in which a three-times attempted suicide goes reluctantly to visit a convicted murderer awaiting execution on death row. But strangely, as the relationship between the well-off former pop star and the prisoner from a poor and broken family gradually builds, the connection between them … [Read More]
You’ve seen the film, now read the book
The Korean Film Council recently publicised on its website the new “Book to Film” initiative aimed at bringing together the film and the publishing industries. Of course, the practice adapting a book for the big screen is almost as old as the movie industry itself, and some of South Korea’s most successful movies have been … [Read More]
The Crucible aka Silenced (도가니, 2011) review: silenced voices and the struggle for justice
Based on the true story of innocent children physically and sexually abused at a school for the deaf, The Crucible is a brutal, visceral and ultimately heartbreaking tale serving as proof (if proof were needed) that real life can be far more cruel than fiction. [Read More]