My somewhat meaty post on Monday was prompted by a request for recommendations from a new acquaintance who knew of my Korean interests. He initially asked for three recommendations, which I found completely impossible – hence Monday’s list of ten authors, with a favoured title by each, plus ten additional titles. But now, having thought […]
Authors: Kim Young-ha (김영하)
Where to start in Korean translated literature
As a lot of us are likely to be spending more time at home over the next few weeks, I thought it would be a good opportunity to set out a list of recommendations for Korean literature in translation to keep you entertained while you’re unable to go out much. This was prompted in part […]
What have we been reading in 2019? Here are the highs and lows of our reading diary
I alternate my reading, on no systematic basis, between fiction and non-fiction, trying to maintain a balance between keeping up to date with the most important new publications and working through the guilt pile of past publications that I failed to read when they came out. I don’t have time to read much apart from […]
July Literature Night: Diary of a Murderer by Kim Young-ha
The Korean Literature Night is a monthly discussion group that explores various themes and topics relating to that month’s chosen book. This month’s book is a good one (LKL review here). Kim Young-ha: Diary of A Murderer Wednesday 31 July 2019, 7pm @KCCUK Entrance Free – Booking Essential Apply to info@kccuk.org.uk or call 020 7004 […]
Book review: Kim Young-ha – Diary of a Murderer
Kim Young-ha: Diary of a Murderer and other stories Translated by Krys Lee Mariner Books, 2019, 200pp Originally published as 살인자의 기억법, Munhakdongne, 2013 Somewhat rashly, I approach Kim Young-ha’s novels with a keen sense of anticipation, particularly when translated by Krys Lee. Rashly, because with high expectations you usually set yourself up for a […]
Upcoming literature and fiction titles for 2019
Here’s my first attempt at compiling a list of fiction and poetry titles coming up in 2019. Let me know what I’ve missed. Unlike my separate list of non-fiction I have not exercised any editorial control here: this is everything I have been able to find. The list is in four parts: Modern and contemporary […]
July Literature Night: Kim Young-ha’s I Hear Your Voice
You probably won’t find a better-translated Korean novel than this one, courtesy of Krys Lee: July Literature Night: Kim Young-ha’s I Hear Your Voice 25 July, 19.00-21.00 Venue: Korean Cultural Centre UK Entrance Free – Booking Essential. Apply to info@kccuk.org.uk or call 020 7004 2600 with your name and contact details by Thursday 12th July. […]
LKFF 2018 Teaser Screening #2: Memoir of a Murderer
The second LKFF2018 Teaser screening is Won Shin-yeon’s adaptation of Kim Young-ha’s Memoir of a Murderer: Memoir of a Murderer (살인자의 기억법) Dir Won Shin-yeon (2017, 118min) With Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, Kim Seol-hyun Monday 21 May 2018, 7pm | Regent Street Cinema | Book tickets Serial killers are popular figures in South Korean cinema, […]
A look back at some of the books of 2017
This year, I haven’t even come close to keeping up with the volume of newly-published literature in translation, let alone the plethora of new non-fiction. Perhaps to balance my feelings of guilt at falling behind the pace of new publications, I’ve tried to make inroads into my guilt pile in respect of previous years – […]
On reading Han Kang’s White Book by the pool
In general, I tend not to read much literary fiction. If I’m reading stuff which is unrelated to Korea, it’s likely to be either non-fiction or easy reading – a detective story or something reasonably lightweight. When it comes to Korea-related reading, until relatively recently the balance has again been in favour of non-fiction. But […]
Film review: Memoir of a Murderer
Memoir of a Murderer asks us to step inside the mind of someone who is losing his memory, a sufferer of Alzheimer’s disease. The movie opens with a scene focusing on the face of a gaunt and aged-looking Sol Kyung-gu as single dad Kim Byung-soo. As we watch, his face begins to twitch. At first […]
Book review: Waxen Wings
Waxen Wings: The ACTA Koreana Anthology of Short Fiction from Korea Edited by Bruce Fulton Koryo Press, 2011, 238pp There are plenty of anthologies of Korean translated fiction available, and many of them are edited and / or translated by Bruce Fulton, usually with Ju-Chan Fulton involved in the project too. I recently enjoyed the […]
2014 Travel Diary day 2: Orchids for the altar
In which we make our way to Sancheong County via a literary lunch. Haeundae Beach, Busan, Saturday 7 June, 8am. The buskers must have been singing until later than 3am. Even though my room was somewhere higher than the 10th floor, the sound insulation was so poor that they might just as well have been […]
English PEN video: Kim Young-ha in conversation with Krys Lee
Here is English PEN’s video of Kim Young-ha in conversation with Krys Lee on the first day of the London Book Fair: Links: English PEN YouTube channel
LBF sketch: Kim In-suk and Kim Young-ha on Migrant Literature and the motivations for writing
A write-up of a fascinating panel session at the London Book Fair with the title Writing Home: Migrant Literature. The write-up below focuses on the part of the session which focused on the work of Kim In-suk. The Long Road is Kim In-suk’s first book, and is one of the only Korean language book on […]
LBF sketch: Kim Young-ha at the London Book Fair: always adapting to a new environment
Kim Young-ha attended three London events during the this year’s London Book Fair: a conversation with writer Krys Lee on 8 April, a panel session with Kim In-suk and others on 9 April entitled Writing Home: Migrant Literature, and a discussion with Daniel Hahn at the London Review Bookshop on 11 April. The below is a digest of those sessions. Introduction, themes, […]
Kim Young-ha rounds off the Korea Market Focus events in London
The final event of the Korea Market Focus of London Book Fair 2014 took place last night at the London Review Bookshop near the British Museum – a fascinating and engaging conversation between Kim Young-ha and young British writer, editor and translator Daniel Hahn. Kim is off to Brasilia this weekend for another book event […]