The Swedish Embassy’s Seoul Literary Society hosted its 29th meeting in an intimate discussion with novelist Jung Young-moon on Jan. 29.

Swedish Ambassador to Korea Lars Danielsson entertained Jung, foreign envoys, expatriates and literary enthusiasts at his official residence in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul.

Jung’s repertoire includes five novels and five collections of short stories. In Korea, he is seen as a successor to the tradition of avant-garde writers of the 20th century such as Franz Kafka and Samuel Beckett. He has furthered their experiments both in subject and in style.

His first novel, “A Man Who Barely Exists,” was published in 1996. It depicts a man who feels the utmost ennui and in this state of inertia, contemplates the meaning of life.

“Black Chain Stories” (1998) is a collection of Kafkaesque short stories that probe the concepts of being and nothingness. The book was translated into French in 2007 and published by XYZ Editeur, a notable publisher in Quebec, where it was well received.

The SLS’ mission is to provide an intimate and supportive space where Korea’s literati can mingle with expatriates and foreign envoys.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)