Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh wins W100m Park Kyongni Award

Amitav Ghosh, an acclaimed Indian novelist known for his explorations of colonialism, ecological themes and global histories, is the winner of the 14th Park Kyongni Award. The award committee said it recognized Ghosh for “broadening the horizons of postcolonial and ecological literature, and for amplifying the voices of marginalized subjects, including nature itself, with seriousness and depth.” Born in Kolkata, India, in 1956, Ghosh made his literary debut in 1986 with the Prix Medicis-winning

Sept. 22, 2025

Why Koreans keep buying books they admit are shallow

When "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki" appeared in 2018, it opened up something rare in Korean publishing. Part memoir, part therapeutic dialogue, the book was grounded in the author’s experience of clinical depression. Classified as a “Korean Essay” by local bookstores, it stood out because it offered a vulnerable personal narrative. Seven years on, the same category looks very different. Bookstores across South Korea showcase row after row of pastel-colored volumes repeating variati

Sept. 22, 2025

Lee Geum-yi completes trilogy on Korean women's diaspora with 'Gap of Sorrow'

One of Korea's most prominent writers of children's and young adult books, Lee Geum-yi, has brought a 10-year literary passion to a close with her latest novel, “The Gap of Sorrow.” The book completes a trilogy on the Korean women’s diaspora under Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945), following “Can’t I Go Instead” (2016) and “The Picture Bride” (2020). Together, the three novels trace the overlooked lives of Koreans through the eyes of young female characters scattered across the Pacific and Eura

Sept. 15, 2025

After Death trilogy, Kim Hye-soon turns to life in 'Synchronized Sea Anemone'

Kim Hye-soon, one of Korea’s most celebrated poets, has released her 15th collection of poetry, "Synchronized Sea Anemone," her first in three years. Since debuting in 1979, Kim, 69, has pushed the boundaries of Korean poetry with a voice at once visceral and experimental. Her latest collection gathers 65 poems divided into eight sections, along with a short letter to readers and an English translation of the title poem, "Synchronized Sea Anemone" (translated by Mia You). In the title work, the

Sept. 13, 2025

Yan Lianke, Hyun Ki-young confront unspoken wounds of nations

Every nation has its dark chapters and scars. But Chinese novelist Yan Lianke noted that Korea's writers are able to face those shadows openly. "In China, there are certain wounds left unspoken, something a writer cannot face,” Yan said on Thursday during a press conference in Seoul ahead of the Seoul International Writers’ Festival, which kicks off Friday at Ground Seoul. “So Chinese literature is under certain constraints. To write in China demands tremendous effort and sacrifice," the Beijing

Sept. 12, 2025

Jang Ryu-jin sprinkles sugar on upbeat office tale in ‘To the Moon’

The first sprinkle came from the cryptocurrency craze of 2017 and 2018, when Bitcoin became a national obsession and the country was swept into a speculative frenzy. Television screens filled with news reports, documentaries and fiery debates over whether the boom promised easy fortune or certain disaster. Whenever Jang Ryu-jin stumbled across those programs while flipping channels, she couldn’t look away. The coins themselves were intriguing, but what captivated her more was the collective exci

Sept. 11, 2025

Seoul celebrates writers, readings and performances in a literary September

A sweeping literary celebration, bringing together the Seoul International Writers’ Festival, Literature Week and the National Museum of Korean Literature's special exhibition, will unfold this fall. The Culture Ministry announced that, together with the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, Arts Council Korea, the National Museum of Korean Literature and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, it will host the inaugural Korean Literature Festival from Friday to Sept. 25. Events

Sept. 10, 2025

Han Kang’s 'We Do Not Part' longlisted for US National Book Award

The English edition of Han Kang's "We Do Not Part" has been longlisted in the translated literature category for the 2025 National Book Award in the United States, the National Book Foundation announced Tuesday. Among the 10 works announced on this year’s longlist, finalists are set to be revealed on Oct. 7, with the winner to be announced on Nov. 19. The novel is the Nobel laureate’s most recent work of fiction, first published in Korean in September 2021. Han, the first Asian woman to win the

Sept. 10, 2025

Ex-Constitutional Court Chief becomes bestseller; Bill Gates sends 3 favorites soaring

A collection of essays by Moon Hyung-bae, the former acting chief justice of Korea’s Constitutional Court who presided over the impeachment trial of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol in April, has become an unexpected literary hit. Moon’s debut essay collection, "On Kindness," has sold 50,000 copies in the 10 days since its release, according to publisher Gimmyoung on Thursday. Riding that momentum, the publisher has gone back to press with an additional 50,000 copies. The book currently tops the weekl

Sept. 5, 2025

Dystopian novel 'All About 247,' immigration-themed 'This Is Your Country' selected for English translation

The Daesan Foundation announced Tuesday that it has selected 15 projects in seven languages for this year’s grants for the translation, research and publication of Korean literary works, with 200 million won in funding. Launched in 2010, the initiative aims to introduce Korean literature to global audiences by supporting translations and international publication. This year’s selection includes four English-language projects, one in French, two in German, two in Spanish, two in Japanese, three i

Aug. 20, 2025

Yes24 down again after cyberattack, restored by afternoon

Yes24, the country’s largest online bookseller and a major ticketing platform, experienced another cyberattack early Monday, causing its website and app to go offline just two months after a major ransomware attack. Service was restored by the afternoon. A Yes24 official confirmed that the early-morning ransomware attack disabled user access. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the external ransomware attack that occurred around 4:40 a.m.," the official said. "We have been wo

Aug. 11, 2025

Seoul Int'l Writers' Festival to explore stories that go beyond what meets the eye

Writers from around the world will gather in Seoul next month for the 2025 Seoul International Writers' Festival, a six-day event designed to foster dialogue between authors and readers. The Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) announced Monday that the festival will take place Sept. 12-17 at Ground Seoul in Jongno District, under the theme "( ) Meets the Eye." Ten international authors from eight countries and 19 Korean writers are slated to participate. This year’s theme, "( )

Aug. 11, 2025

In ‘Hunger,’ love so deep it crosses death — and consumes what's left behind

At its core, “Hunger” is a love story — visceral, tender and almost unbearably devoted — that dares to push the boundaries of what it means to love someone beyond death. The macabre romance follows Gu and Dam, two lovers who grew up in the same neighborhood and remained obsessive and inseparable into adulthood, until Gu is murdered in the street by loan sharks. In a moment when time seems to stop, Dam cradles his body, carries it home and cleanses him in a ritualistic act. Then, slowly, she cons

Aug. 9, 2025

Which Korean books are winning over readers abroad?

Sales of Korean literature abroad more than doubled in 2024, driven by a wave of international enthusiasm and a historic Nobel Prize win by Han Kang, according to new data released by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) on Wednesday. Books supported by LTI Korea’s translation and publication grants sold about 1.2 million copies abroad last year, a jump of more than 130 percent from 520,000 in 2023. The survey also showed that between 2020 and 2024, 942 titles across 40 lang

Aug. 6, 2025

Actor Cha In-pyo proves it's never too late to become a writer

Cha In-pyo, long beloved as an actor, is proving that it’s never too late to chase new dreams. At 57, he has been named the winner of the Newcomer Award at the 14th Hwang Sun-won Literary Awards, honoring his transition from screen to page and his growing voice as a novelist. “It is already more than I deserve that people read my novels, and now receiving an award fills me with a sense of apology and responsibility toward the many who walk the path of literature,” Cha wrote on Instagram after th

Aug. 5, 2025