Here is LTI Korea’s video of Shin Kyung-sook in conversation with The Independent‘s Arifa Akbar on the first day of the London Book Fair. The topic is mainly Please Look After Mother, but also we talk about I’ll be Right There, and we learn about what Shin is working on right now. LKL’s question comes … [Read More]
London Book Fair 2014: Korea Market Focus (page 2)
Podcast: Kim Hyesoon reads at the Poetry Library
For those who decided to go to see Shin Kyung-sook and Krys Lee at Asia House rather than Kim Hyesoon at the Poetry Library, MPT Magazine has kindly recorded the latter event and put it on Soundcloud. “They’re poems that really change your life … completely visceral,” says the moderator, among other things. The event … [Read More]
New phase of Shin Meekyoung project launched at BAFTA
On the second evening of the London Book Fair there were no author events. No panel sessions, no “conversations with…” And that was because all the Korean authors, along with interpreters, LTI Korea representatives, British Council, Ministry of Culture folks and sundry hangers-on such as myself, were at BAFTA for a reception. It was at … [Read More]
Lee Jung-myung in London to promote The Investigation
Unannounced to any apart from the Korean press, Lee Jung-myung was in town this week with his agent, signing copies of his novel The Investigation (another Kim Chi-young translation). He appeared at Goldsboro Books on Monday night, 7 April – the day before the Book Fair opened. The man behind the counter described the book … [Read More]
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 … [Read More]
In pictures: London Book Fair, day 3 – looking forward, looking back
The London Book Fair is over now, but the collaboration with Korea continues, for which a huge thank-you is due to the British Council and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. One thing I forgot to mention yesterday is that Britain (or was it the UK?) is invited as guest country at the Seoul Book … [Read More]
In pictures: London Book Fair, day 2
Day 2 of the London Book Fair, in which: Han Kang said very nice things about her translator (Deborah Smith) and Shin Kyung-sook called hers her “twin soul”; We discovered that Kim Young-ha was about to start writing a historical novel set in the Joseon dynasty, only to find out that Kim Insuk had already … [Read More]
LBF 9 April events at Earls Court: your conflict-checker
Take your pick. Here are the choices you have on the second day of the fair at Earls Court. Thankfully, there are no diary conflicts in the evening. Click on the graphic for a more legible version, and click on the various hyperlinks in this post for more details of the different events. You can … [Read More]
In pictures: London Book Fair, day 1
Hwang Sok-yong, Kim Young-ha, Lee Seung-u, Kim Hyesoon, Shin Kyoung-sook, Yi Mun-yol, Krys Lee… and those were just the Korean literary figures that we got to see today. There were plenty more talks – mainly focusing on the Korean publishing industry – that we didn’t get to, thanks to unfortunate scheduling clashes, and writers from … [Read More]
LBF 8 April events at Earls Court: your conflict-checker
Take your pick. Here are the choices you have on the first day of the fair at Earls Court. And of course you have to choose between Yi Mun-yol at the British Library and Yoon Tae-ho at the KCC in the evening too. Click on the graphic for a more legible version, and click on … [Read More]
10 things to read before the London Book Fair
The London Book Fair is nearly upon us, and as you well know: the more you put into something, the more you get out. So here is your preparatory reading (and listening) list: The April edition of Words without Borders: a Korea special, including works by Shin Kyung-sook, Kim Young-ha and Han Kang (all present … [Read More]
LBF event, 11 Apr 7pm: In conversation with Kim Young-ha
The last of six evening events during London Book Fair week at the London Review bookshop: In conversation with Kim Young-ha April 11, 19.00-20.00 Kim Young-ha will be in conversation about his novels, their translation into other languages and adaptation into film. He’ll also be talking about his literary influences, and how his writing reflects … [Read More]
LBF event (Aberystwyth) 11 Apr: Reading Korea, Translating Wales
The London Book Fair comes to Wales: Reading Korea, Translating Wales Friday 11 April, 18.00-19.00 Lee Seung-U in conversation with Francesca Rhydderch On her return from East Asia, Dr Francesca Rhydderch, author of The Rice Paper Diaries (Seren 2013) interviews Korean writer Lee Seung-U. Lee is a novelist and professor of Korean literature at Chosun … [Read More]
LBF Event, 10 Apr 8pm: Reading and Discussion with Kim Hyesoon
The fifth of six evening events during London Book Fair week, which unfortunately overlaps with a session with Shin Kyung-sook, Krys Lee and Quaisra Shahraz at Asia House. Reading and Discussion with Kim Hyesoon 10 April, 20.00-21.00 Join us for an evening of poetry by one of South Korea’s most important contemporary poets, Kim Hyesoon. … [Read More]
LBF event (Edinburgh) 10 Apr: Edinburgh Reads
The London Book Fair comes to Edinburgh: Edinburgh Reads with Kim Insuk and Han Kang Thursday 10 April, 19.00-20.00 Edinburgh Libraries are delighted to welcome Korean writers Kim Insuk and Han Kang, and Scottish writer Karen Campbell to our Edinburgh Reads programme. Kim Insuk is unique amongst Korean writers as her works often centre on … [Read More]
LBF event, 10 Apr 6:45pm: Separations, at Asia House
The fourth of six evening events during London Book Fair week, which unfortunately overlaps with a session with Kim Hyesoon at the Festival Hall. Separations 10 April, 18.45-20.00 Authors from Korea, Pakistan and Singapore discuss their work and the question: How does the partition of a country and divisions of families affect its society and … [Read More]