Most Popular
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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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Naver Q1 net income soars 1,171.9% on growth of major businesses
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Han Kang hands over book to Norway's 'Future Library' project
Prize-winning South Korean novelist Han Kang has handed over a novel to the Norwegian public arts project "Future Library," with her writing to remain unpublished and unread for nearly a century.The 2016 winner of the Man Booker International prize for her novel "The Vegetarian" has been chosen as the fifth writer for the Norwegian project along with 99 renowned authors including English writer David Mitchell. Their works will be kept in secret and published a century later o
May 27, 2019
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[Book review] Entertainment news reporter says BTS opened up new paradigm for K-pop
A veteran entertainment news reporter with almost 20 years of experience has written a book about K-pop boy band BTS and its global success. In “BTS K-pop,” Herald Business reporter Seo Byung-ki analyzes what has come to be called BTS syndrome. “There are already around 10 books that deal with the BTS syndrome. Many of them, written by professors, take a philosophical view on BTS’ narrative structure, fandom or communication. I thought my book should have a different approach, so I did what I co
May 20, 2019
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LTI Korea invites writers to build ‘Platform for Communication, Peace’
Literature Translation Institute of Korea is to invite foreign and local writers to a three-day forum aimed at bridging the local and overseas literary scenes.. The institution will hold an event titled “A Platform for Communication and Peace” from Monday to Wednesday at Ara Art Center in Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, central Seoul. During the festival, five discussion sessions will take place, covering the subjects of diaspora, the division of Korea, writing, Korean literature and culture, and minoriti
May 19, 2019
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17th century novel 'Hong Gil-dong jeon' written in Chinese characters discovered
A 17th century manuscript of "Hong Gil-dong jeon" written in Chinese characters has been found in a literary collection left by a civil official of the middle Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), a scholar said Wednesday."The Story of Hong Gil-dong," the first Chinese-character version that has been ever found, is different from the novel of the same name written in the Korean language, whose authorship is generally attributed to Heo Gyun (1569-1618), a radical intellectual. (Yonhap)Lee Yoon-suk, a forme
April 24, 2019
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Man Booker Prize drops Korean writer from shortlist
“At Dusk” by novelist Hwang Sok-yong, a prominent Korean writer, failed to make the final cut of six for this year’s Man Booker International Prize.Though the novel was included in the longlist of 13 books announced last month, it was excluded from the shortlist, the award’s website showed Wednesday. Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect looking back on his life and a young theater actor who works part-time jobs to make a living. The English-l
April 10, 2019
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[Eye Plus] Warehouse of used books
The aroma of books is sure to excite any bibliophile -- whether emanating from freshly printed titles or tomes that have sat on shelves for many years. A new establishment perfectly suited for such enjoyment has just opened in the capital city: Seoul Book Bogo, a huge warehouse of 132,730 used books, run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Filling 1,465 square meters of space in a once abandoned warehouse are endless rows of volumes collected from 25 small secondhand bookstores in central Seou
April 5, 2019
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130,000 copies of Korean feminist novel 'Kim Ji-young' printed in Japan
US than 130,000 times since its release more than three months ago, the book's South Korean publisher said Tuesday.The translated version of the book by Cho Nan-joo hit the Japanese market on Dec. 8 and immediately went into a second printing the next day.On the fourth day of its release, the novel went into its third printing, and it has since surpassed 130,000 copies in three months, its Korean publisher Minumsa said, quoting data from Chikuma Shobo, the Japanese publisher. This photo provided
April 2, 2019
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Learning from our forebears
Learning from history is important, we say. For Pyo Jae-du, the word “history” here is not limited to major historical events. It includes our forebears’ attitude toward life. Pyo, a former reporter of The Korea Herald, released a book titled “Historical Stories from Forebears” (unofficial translation) in March. “Historical Stories from Forbearers” Writer Pyo Jae-duIn the 302-page book, Pyo looks into life of our forbears from Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) to Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Rather than
March 14, 2019
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Korean writer on long list for Man Booker Int’l Prize
Novelist Hwang Sok-yong, one of the most acclaimed writers in South Korea today, has been long-listed for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize for “At Dusk.”On Wednesday, the Man Booker International Prize released the list of contenders for 2019. This year, a panel of five judges considered 108 novels and selected 12. Novelist Hwang Sok-yong (Yonhap)Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect looking back on his life and a young theater actor w
March 13, 2019
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New guidebook to help tourists ‘live like a local’ in Seoul
If you are an Airbnb-style traveler, up for living like a Seoulite while in the city, new guidebook “A Curated Guide: Seoul” (Seoul Selection) may be the right choice.If you have a local friend who knows the latest trends, you may not need this book. But not every tourist visits Seoul with such connections. That‘s when the book comes in handy.The book’s two authors, Robert Koehler and Hahna Yoon, went beyond the traditional tourist destinations that typical Seoul guidebooks suggest and recommend
Jan. 17, 2019
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Remembering titan of compassionate conservatism, passionate progress
Late South Korean economic policymaker Kim Ip-sam (left) sits next to the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung at an international conference in the late 1970s, when they worked as the vice chairman and chairman, respectively, of the Federation of Korean Industries. (Kim So-im)Many South Koreans take the nation’s prosperity for granted nowadays, but it wasn’t always the case. Unlike countries blessed with abundant natural resources, Korea’s freedom and wealth were forged by the blood and swe
Dec. 20, 2018
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Margaret Atwood to release 'Handmaid's Tale' sequel
Canadian author Margaret Atwood said Wednesday she will publish a sequel to her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" next year, taking readers deeper into her vision of a dystopian America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy.Atwood said the new book, "The Testaments," will pursue unresolved narratives in the original 1985 novel, delving into the "inner workings" of the fictional nation of Gilead. Activists in favor of the legalization of abortion don costumes inspired by Canadian author Margaret Atwood`s f
Nov. 29, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Feminist book ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ becomes million seller
Though she’s a fictional character, Kim Ji-young is a symbolic figure in Korea. It seems her status will be even more elevated as novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” recently became a million seller. The novel, written by Cho Nam-joo in 2016, has sold more than 1 million copies, publisher Minumsa announced Tuesday. It is now the first million-selling Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look After Mom” in 2009. Writer Cho Nam-joo (Minumsa)Since its publication, “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” has
Nov. 28, 2018
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Korea’s archaeological research presented in English
Non-Korean speakers will now have easier access to the Paleolithic-era archaeological findings in Korea with the publication of an English-language book on research related to the field. The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, affiliated with the Cultural Heritage Administration, has published the “Dictionary of Korean Archaeology–The Paleolithic,” an English-language version of the book of the same title that was published in Korean in 2013. It also includes research conducted aft
Nov. 1, 2018
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Embracing Korean diaspora through literature
Farming the icy land of Siberia with bare hands, running away from the enemy on the windy plain of Manchuria, working at a sugar cane farm under the burning sun in California: though the phrases may sound foreign, they are Korean, by means of the writers’ ethnicity. While Korea has been working on promoting its literature to the rest of the world, the definition of Korean literature remains unclear. Typically, works created by Korean writers in the Korean language are considered Korean literatur
Sept. 27, 2018
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Film adaptation boosts sales for feminist novel
With the novel “Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982” set to be adapted for the big screen, the book’s sales have seen a significant bump in sales. According to Kyobo Bookstore, the novel took the No. 10 spot on its best-seller list for the third week of September, jumping 22 spots. (Mineumsa)The bookstore said sales volume increased by almost three times. Women in their 20s and 30s accounted for 60.9 percent of purchasers. The novel, written by Cho Nam-ju, depicts the life of an ordinary woman named Kim
Sept. 21, 2018
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[Herald interview] Like BTS, can Korean literature be globally embraced?
Korean literature can appeal to a broad audience overseas with the proper investment and support, according to Kim Sa-in, president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. The state-funded institute’s mission is to globalize Korean literature through systematized translation and networking. In other words, it strives to link Korean literature to foreign readership. Kim, who took up the post in March, met The Korea Herald on Tuesday at the institute’s office in southern Seoul. Kim Sa-i
Sept. 6, 2018
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'Panmunjom and DMZ’ highlights history of divided peninsula
‘Scenes of National Division: Panmunjom and DMZ’By Kim Nyung-man Yoonjin (288 pages, 45,000 won) Friday marks the 65th year since the two Koreas signed the armistice that brought the 1950-1953 Korean War to a halt. Photographer Kim Nyung-man’s “Scenes of National Division: Panmunjom and DMZ” is a 288-page book that was released on July 15 amid hope that the current warming of relations between South and North Korea would lead to lasting peace. Documentary photographer Kim Nyung-man‘s 2017 photo
July 26, 2018
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Christian couple’s yearlong honeymoon is investment for future
“About Marriage: the 357-day honeymoon” is a collection of writings by a Christian couple who went on a 357-day-long honeymoon to places like Yanbian, Cambodia and India. Like Japanese female writer Kaori Ekuni’s famous novel “Between Calm and Passion-Rosso,” “About Marriage” comes in two separate books, one written by the wife, Lee Sa-rang, and the other by the husband, Chung Chae-hun. Very different from Ekuni’s novel is that “About Marriage” is not romance fiction. "About Marriage" by Lee Sa-
July 24, 2018
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‘In Praise of Death’ won’t come to life for modern readers
Han So-jin’s “In Praise of Death” seems equipped with the enticing elements of a best-seller: a femme-fatale artist misunderstood by her generation and a tragic affair with a married man. Unfortunately, whether the novel lives up to its potential is as elusive as the unfulfilled love story. “In Praise of Death” by Han So-jin (Hainiam)Yun Sim-deok (1897-1926) was Korea’s first soprano and an early Korean pop figure. Her biography is often scandalized by her relationship with playwright Kim Woo-ji
July 19, 2018