This volume makes available in English the seminal treatises in Korea’s greatest interreligious debate of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. On Mind, Material Force, and Principle and An Array of Critiques of Buddhism by Confucian statesman Chŏng Tojŏn (1342–1398) and Exposition of Orthodoxy by Sŏn monk Kihwa (1376–1433) are presented here with extensive annotation. A substantial introduction provides a summary and … [Read More]
Archives: Books (page 101)
Death, Mourning, and the Afterlife in Korea: Ancient to Contemporary Times
From the publisher’s website: Death and the activities and beliefs surrounding it can teach us much about the ideals and cultures of the living. While biologically death is an end to physical life, this break is not quite so apparent in its mental and spiritual aspects. Indeed, the influence of the dead over the living … [Read More]
Catholics and Anti-Catholicism in Chosŏn Korea
Korea’s first significant encounter with the West occurred in the last quarter of the eighteenth century when a Korean Catholic community emerged on the peninsula. Decades of persecution followed, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Korean Catholics. Don Baker provides an invaluable analysis of late-Chosŏn (1392–1897) thought, politics, and society to help readers understand … [Read More]
Magic Candies
A quirky story about finding your voice, from internationally acclaimed author Heena Baek. Tong Tong could never have imagined what everyone around him was thinking. But when he gets hold of some magic candies, suddenly there are voices everywhere. He can hear how his couch feels, what upsets his dog, that his demanding dad loves … [Read More]
Nanjung Ilgi: war diary of admiral Yi Sun-sin
The text of Korea’s 76th national treasure, listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World registry. Second-hand copies are occasionally available, for a price (eg, at the time of writing Amazon has a copy available at over £1,000); and you can find it in specialist libraries. LTI Korea advertise the title as being available to purchase … [Read More]
Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea
A fascinating work, dating from the late 1200s. This book (Yusa), is not just a story but a collection of histories, anecdotes and memorabilia, covering the origins of Korea’s three monarchies: Silla, Paekche and Koguryo, offering an account of the latter nation that differs quite a bit from what you’ll read in Chinese history books. … [Read More]
James Scarth Gale and His History of the Korean People
A new edition of the classic English-language history of Korea first published in 1927. It has been extensively annotated by Bishop Rutt with reference to sources and including commentary and bibiography. It is introduced by an extensive and, to date, the only biography of Dr. Gale, a towering scholar in the early days of Western … [Read More]
The Bamboo Grove: An Introduction to Sijo
From the publisher’s website: Series: Ann Arbor Paperbacks The sijo is the most popular and most Korean of all traditional Korean poetic forms, originating with the old songs of the Hyangka of the Sylla Empire (668-936) and the prose songs of the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392). Sometimes likened to haiku for its brevity, a typical sijo poem follows … [Read More]
A Ghost Poet (K-Poet 09)
From the Kyobo bookstore website via Papago translate: The first Korean-English translation of a Korean poet A new collection of poems by poet Kim Joong-il “K-Poet” series, which aims to select the essence of Korean poetry and translate it into English and serve it to domestic and foreign markets. It represents the only Korean-English translation … [Read More]
We, At the End of the World (K-Poet 12)
From the Kyobo bookstore website, fed through Papago Translate: Me and you holding hands in the end of the world. a new collection of poems by Yang An-da, “We, At the End of the World” “K-Poet” series introduces the essence of Korean poetry that you always want to read next to you. Over time, Korean … [Read More]
Holiday Home (K-Fiction 028)
As this is an Asia Publishers title, it’s pretty difficult to obtain outside of Korea. Text from the listing on the Kyobo website, fed through the Papago translation engine: Pyeon Hye-young’s short novel captures the touch of a catastrophe. It is the 28th K-fiction film. A Korean-English version of “Holiday Home” by Pyun Hye-young, a … [Read More]
Maya in Tokyo (K-Fiction 027)
As this is an Asia Publishers title, it’s pretty difficult to obtain outside of Korea. Text from the listing on the Kyobo website, fed through the Papago translation engine: Nothing. Just grow into Maya. In July 2020, Jang Ryu-jin’s “Maya in Tokyo” was published as the 27th installment of K-fiction. Jang Ryu-jin’s new short novel, … [Read More]
The Black Room (K-Fiction 026)
As this is an Asia Publishers title, it’s pretty difficult to obtain outside of Korea. Text from the listing on the Kyobo website, fed through the Papago translation engine: 99 Years of Life, Unfinished Battle In January 2020, Jeong Ji-ah’s “Black Room” was published as the 26th installment of K-fiction. Jung Ji-ah was born in … [Read More]
Chang-mo (K-Fiction 025)
As this is an Asia Publishers title, it’s pretty difficult to obtain outside of Korea. Text from the listing on Kyobo website, fed through the Papago translation engine: An inner crevice, a subtle look in between In April 2019, Woo Da-young’s “Changmo” was published as the 25th work of K-fiction. Woo Da-young began her work … [Read More]
ChaRyong’s Kiss
Bilingual edition, only available in Korea. According to Brother Anthony, the volume contains “poems for children about his [Ko Un’s] daughter” [Read More]
Deep Work (K-Poet 11)
As this is a recent publication by Asia Publishers, it’s hard to find outside of Korea. The following description is from the Korean listing on the Kyobo website, fed through the Google translation engine: Remembering the sadness of that day that will never be forgotten Ahn Hyun-mi’s new poetry collection Deep Work The ‘K-Poet’ series … [Read More]