Actor Park Jeong-min has introduced a new initiative as the head of his publishing company Muze, aiming to make literature more accessible to readers with visual impairments. The project, titled the “Listening Novel Project,” launched with the release of Kim Keum-hee’s new full-length novel "First Summer, Wanju" as an audiobook. Departing from the conventional practice of releasing print editions first, the audiobook version was completed and distributed ahead of the print release. On April 4, c

South Korean writer Han Kang is set to release her first new book since receiving the Nobel Prize in literature. The essay collection, titled "Light and Thread," will be published later this month, available in bookstores starting April 24, according to publisher Moonji Publishing. The book takes its title from Han’s Nobel lecture, which she delivered at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm last Dec. 7. Spanning 172 pages, the collection includes around 10 essays and poems, including this Nobel lect

South Korean author Han Kang will publish her first book since receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature last December, her publisher said Thursday. The essay collection, titled "Light and Thread," will be released next Thursday by Moonji Publishing Co. It marks the ninth volume in the publisher's ongoing essay series and shares its title with Han's Nobel lecture, delivered in Stockholm, ahead of the award ceremony. The book will feature about 10 pieces, comprising Han's Nobel lecture, previously

More Koreans than ever are living alone — and choosing to stay that way. As this number climbs, so too does the number of books documenting a new way of living — one that doesn’t revolve around marriage, children, or even shared bloodlines. “Aging Solo: How Those Who Chose to Be Alone Grow Older ” by Kim Kyung-hee (Dongasia, 2023) “Two Women Are Living Together: The Birth of an Assembled Family, Neither Alone Nor Married” by Kim Ha-na and Hwang Sun-woo (Storyseller, 2019) “Life as a Two-Woman Ho

Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich has been awarded the 6th Jeju 4·3 Peace Prize. Established in 2015, the Jeju 4·3 Peace Prize honors the spirit of reconciliation and coexistence demonstrated by the people of Jeju in addressing the legacy of the April 3 Incident and the subsequent Jeju Massacre. Jeju 4·3 refers to the tragic governmental crackdown and civilian massacre that took place on the island from 1947 to 1954. Presented biennially, the prize recognizes individuals who h

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in Spain, will host a special Korean literature event series, “Stories Crossing the Night: Encountering Korean Literature,” April 25-28 in Madrid and Salamanca. Renowned Korean authors Kim Ae-ran, Bae Suah and Son Won-pyung will take part in the event, which is set to coincide with Madrid’s flagship literary festival, La Noche de los Libros (The Night of Books). Launched in 2005 and now celebrating it

Wheelchair-using author dreams of world where people with and without disabilities live together in harmony Last fall was a surreal time for children's book author Ko Jung-wook. Amid the whirlwind of his writing and lecture schedule, his nomination for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in October gave him a rare opportunity to reflect on his long and prolific career -- a journey spanning over three decades and resulting in over 350 published books. "I can certainly say I've written

Two Korean picture books have won the 2025 Prix Sorcieres, one of France’s most prestigious awards for children’s and young adult literature. The French edition of the Korean picture book "Borders" (direct translation of the Korean title) has won the award in the Nonfiction category. Written by Gudol and illustrated by Haerang, the book explores the concept of borders -- the human-made boundaries that "can appear, disappear and change suddenly." Titled "Qu'est-ce qu'une frontiere?" in French, th

For writer Jean-Baptiste Andrea, winning literary awards -- including the prestigious Goncourt Prize in 2023 -- felt like finally becoming "visible." "I've wanted to be a writer since I was 9 years old. But we live in a world that doesn't exactly encourage anyone to become a novelist. I was lucky to succeed, but before that, I was invisible. Because until we gain recognition, we are, in a sense, transparent," said Andrea at a press conference held at the French Embassy in Seoul on Monday. The wi

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea is calling for submissions to the 2025 LTI Korea Award for Aspiring Translators, aimed at discovering emerging talent in translating Korean literary and cultural content. This year’s award will be held across two categories -- literature and film/webtoon. The literature category is open to translations in nine languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indonesian. The film category covers four languages --

Here is a look at how Bong Joon-ho's SF film adapts Ashton Edwards' original novel Bong Joon-ho’s latest sci-fi satire "Mickey 17" continues to top box offices. Starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, the film explores the existential dilemmas of an expendable worker who is endlessly recreated upon death until Mickey finds himself face-to-face with an unexpected duplicate of himself. The film is based on "Mickey 7," the 2022 novel by American writer Edward Ashton, but Bong’s adaptation take

Author of 'Nexus' discusses threats to democracy, truth and equality As humanity faces unprecedented changes driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, historian and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari warns of significant potential risks. While humanity has created many impactful tools -- such as knives, the printing press and even atomic bombs -- Harari, known globally for influential books such as “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus,” which examine humanity’s past and future, stressed th

For Park Min-ha, 28, reading has always been a hobby. But in the wake of Han Kang’s historic Nobel Prize in literature win last year, her interest has deepened. Lately, she has adopted a new habit: "pilsa," the practice of writing passages from books by hand. "Just reading a book and moving on didn’t feel like I had truly absorbed it," Park said. "Writing a full review felt like too much work, so instead, I started jotting down lines that resonated with me." She finds the process meditative. "Sl

Japanese translator Saito Mariko has won the Research and Translation category at the 76th Yomiuri Literary Awards for her Japanese translation of “We Do Not Part” by 2024 Nobel Prize in literature winner Han Kang, according to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea on Thursday. Considered one of Japan’s most prestigious literary awards, the Yomiuri Literary Award is presented annually in six categories: Fiction, Play/Screenplay, Essay/Travelogue, Criticism/Biography, Poetry (including Ha

The Daesan Foundation is accepting applications for the 2025 Grants for the translation, research and publication of Korean literature.