Why actor Park Jeong-min became a publisher and put audiobook first

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, copies of the audiobook were donated to the National Library for the Disabled and other institutions serving visually impaired communities. It will be officially released on the audiobook platform Welaaa April 28, followed by the print edition, April 30.

“When my company’s first book 'Saving Work' was published, my father had lost his eyesight,” he said explaining the motivation behind the project at a book talk held Thursday at the National Library of Korea in Seoul.

“It was disheartening that I couldn’t show him the book. It led me to think about what kind of books he could still enjoy. That’s how the idea of a ‘listening novel’ came about.”

"First Summer, Wanju" follows Son Yeol-mae, a voice actor, who travels to the hometown of a once-close friend who had betrayed her.

The audiobook was produced with actors participating gratis. They include Go Min-si, Yum Jung-ah, Choi Yang-rak, Kim Eui-sung, Park Joon-myeon and Ryu Hyun-kyung.

Unlike standard audiobooks, the production was structured more like a radio drama, incorporating detailed sound effects and original music by singer-songwriters MRCH and Gureumy.

Park added that the project is ongoing, with contracts already signed with additional authors.

“It felt like the characters I had written became clearer through their voices,” author Kim said. “Usually, the characters spoke in 'my voice,' but this was the first time I realized how many distinct voices were in the story.”

The Thursdy book talk was open to readers with visual impairments and their support aides.

"In the case of movies, it's difficult to enjoy them without audio descriptions, so I’ve turned to books more often," said one attendee. “This audiobook felt so special, (with the different actors and sound effects) it was like a movie to me, making visual impairments feel less like a barrier.”

Park, known for his roles in "Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet," Netflix's "The 8 Show" and Coupang Play's "Newtopia," is no stranger to books.

He has written a series of columns in a magazine, and published an essay collection titled "Useful Human" (2016). He also previously ran an independent bookstore before founding Muze and publishing its first book, "Saving Work," by journalist Park So-young in 2020.

"If there are people who want to tell stories from overlooked places, I wanted to give them the chance to speak," Park said, explaining the reason for starting the publishing company.