A great choice of titles for you to review for the 2021 Korean Literature Review content: 2021 UCLan IKSU Korean Literature Review Contest The International Institute of Korean Studies (IKSU) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is hosting the “2021 Korean Literature Review Contest” in the UK. Korean Literature Review Contest is a new … [Read More]
Books and literature (page 8)
Grass: Keum Suk Gendry-Kim in conversation with Janet Hong
July’s literature event organised by the KCCUK features a well-received graphic novel. Author Keum Suk Gendry-Kim and translator Janet Hong will give a live virtual talk about her novel ‘Grass’. Following the talk, author Kim will respond to questions from the audience. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated by Janet Hong Wednesday 28 July 2021 … [Read More]
Two recent resources on Korean literature in translation
First, very hot off the press — uploaded to the Taylor & Francis website yesterday — is the Translation Review Korea special. As with most academic publications, this title is phenomenally expensive, so best to consult it via your university library online resources. Here’s the table of contents: Introduction: They Like to Sing and Dance … [Read More]
I’m Waiting For You: Kim Bo-Young in conversation with Sophie Bowman and Sung Ryu
This is the third speculative fiction title to be featured at a KCC literature event this year: I’m Waiting For You by Kim Bo-Young, translated by Sophie Bowman and Sung Ryu Wednesday 23rd June 2021 12:00 noon – 1:30pm Registration required by 8 June In the title story, an engaged couple working in distant corners … [Read More]
To the Warm Horizon: Choi Jin-young in conversation with Soje
May’s literature event in partnership with the KCC celebrates Honford Star’s latest Korean translation: To the Warm Horizon by Choi Jin-young, translated by Soje Wednesday 26th May 12:30PM-2PM @ Honford Star Youtube Channel Apply to [email protected] with your name and contact details by 15th May 2021. The event is free of charge. The first thirty … [Read More]
Book review: Kim Soom – One Left
When the issue of comfort women has been with us since the Pacific War, to re-emerge in 1991 when Kim Haksun came forward as the first to announce herself as victim, it is astonishing that we had to wait until 2016 for what is, according to Bonnie Oh’s introduction (p ix), “the first Korean novel … [Read More]
Yi Sang: Selected Works – Jack Jung in conversation with Steven J Fowler
April’s literature event at the KCC looks at last year’s translation of selected works of Yi Sang. I personally find Yi pretty hard going, so I’m hoping this session will give me a way of looking at his work that will encourage me to give him another go. Yi Sang: Selected Works Wednesday 28th April … [Read More]
Bluebeard’s First Wife: Ha Seong-nan in conversation with Janet Hong
March’s literature event sponsored by the KCC features Ha Seong-nan and her translator Janet Hong. As always, pre-registration is required. Bluebeard’s First Wife Wednesday 24 March 2021 12 noon -1:30pm (GMT) Venue: ZOOM (Online) Entrance Free – Booking Essential Apply to [email protected] with your name and contact details by 15th March. Disasters, accidents, and deaths … [Read More]
Michael Gibb’s Korean Odyssey: a great way to enjoy Korea without the the visa and quarantine
If I were to win an insane amount of money on the lottery, here’s how I might spend it. I’d charter a boat (and crew – I’m no sailor), and maybe a guide / interpreter, and go on a slow sea voyage for a couple of months from Busan to Mokpo, taking in some of … [Read More]
Bae Myung-hoon’s Tower could be the most fun thing you read this year
Bae Myung-hoon’s Tower is the first of several science fiction books to reach us this year, and if the rest are as good as this we’re in for an enjoyable time. It’s his first full-length work to be translated into English, and also translator Sung Ryu’s first book. She has two further titles coming out … [Read More]
Tower: Bae Myung-hoon in conversation with Stella Kim
The KCC’s literature events for 2021 kick off in February with a feature on Honford Star’s publication of Bae Myung-hoon’s Tower. Text below is from the KCC website. Tower Tuesday 23 February 2021, 12noon-1:30pm Venue: Honford Star Youtube Channel Entrance Free – Booking Essential. Apply to [email protected] with your name and contact details by 5 … [Read More]
Eighteen non-fiction titles we’re hoping to enjoy this year [updated]
![Thumbnail for post: Eighteen non-fiction titles we’re hoping to enjoy this year [updated]](https://londonkoreanlinks.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/non-fiction-120x120.jpg)
Here are some of the books we’re looking forward to in 2021. For the first time in one of these posts we’re flagging the indicative cost of the titles listed here. For me, I have a psychological barrier at around £30: a book has to be offering something pretty special for me to be prepared … [Read More]
Book review: Yi In-hwa’s Everlasting Empire
Some time ago I watched Park Chong-wan’s 1995 historical mystery movie Eternal Empire on DVD, having purchased it on the strength of its inclusion in Darcy Paquet’s list of top films from the 1990s. I must have been tired when I watched it: I simply have no recollection of what I thought of it, though … [Read More]
Literature and poetry in translation titles for 2021: more than a dozen to look forward to!
This is now LKL’s fifth annual post that looks at the literature and fiction titles we’re looking forward to over the coming twelve months. Since last year we’ve made things easier for ourselves by investing some time building a book database that aims to catalogue all physical publications of Korean literature in translation, as well … [Read More]
Interview with Bora Chung in Korea Times
There’s a nice interview with writer Bora Chung in yesterday’s Korea Times. Coming later this year from Honford Star is her short story collection Cursed Bunny, translated by Anton Hur. According to the article, Many of her recent works can be defined as a gripping amalgamation of absurdist, unrealistic stories that draw on science fiction, … [Read More]
A look back at our 2020 reading diary
Like many readers, we started the year with good intention of blitzing through the pile of new titles that were promised for the coming months, as well as making inroads into the backlog. And we genuinely got off to a good start with a string of fun K-thrillers, some of them new, some not: The … [Read More]