People are now living longer, well up to the age of 100. Many things have changed compared to 100 years ago, but the pursuit of happiness remains a constant thread. Rhee Kun-hoo was in his 70s and retired from a prestigious career in psychiatry when he took up writing. Born in 1935, the 88-year-old lived in a pastoral society in his youth, survived the Korean War (1950-1953), witnessed turbulent events in Korean history and even served time in prison for opposing the country’s totalitarian ..read more

A nonfiction book by a renowned Korean American author won this year's Pulitzer Prize in the biography category Monday, according to Columbia University, which administers the prestigious annual award. "Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom" by Ilyon Woo was announced as the winner of the prize. The book is based on the story of a young enslaved couple that made their escape together from Georgia to the free states of the North in 1848. Woo holds a BA ..read more

Hong Se-hwa, a journalist, a social activist, and the author of "I'm a Taxi Driver in Paris," died Thursday at the age of 77. He died at Wonjin Green Hospital in Jungnang-gu, Seoul, surrounded by family members. Hong had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in February of last year. Hong graduated from Seoul National University, majoring in political science and international relations. While working at a trading company's overseas office, Hong became associated with the South ..read more

The Seoul Outdoor Library, an annual open-air event launched by the city library, has reopened on Thursdays after a winter break. This year, Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul has been added, joining Seoul Plaza and Gwanghwamun Plaza in offering outdoor reading experiences. The "Read at Seoul Plaza" event in front of City Hall will operate four times a week from Thursday to Sunday, while the "Gwanghwamun Book Yard" at Gwanghwamun Plaza will open three times a week from Friday to ..read more

"Kakadu" By Park Seol-yeon Anonbooks A Western-style cafe called Kakadu opens in the bustling heart of Gyeongseong, as present-day Seoul was called during the Japanese colonial era. The city is evolving with the echoes of the March 1st Movement still lingering in the air. The cafe is owned by filmmaker Lee Kyung-son, who experiences fleeting triumphs and frequent failures alongside his enigmatic cousin, Alice Hyun. Kakadu becomes a gathering place for young artists who discuss literatu ..read more

"Lost Property Returns" By Kim Hye-jung Originals Books YA writer Kim Hye-jung returns with her first work for adult readers, "Lost Property Returns." The novel, which has been serialized on Millie's Library, one of South Korea's largest e-book subscription platforms, since November, received favorable reviews and was released as an e-book in January. It rose to the top of the platform's bestseller list just a month after its release. In response to readers ..read more

South Korean novelist Hwang Sok-yong's "Mater 2-10" has been shortlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, along with the Nobel Prize in literature and the French Goncourt Prize. The British prize was established in 2005 to honor an author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English, selected from entries published in the UK or Ireland. The novel, co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and ..read more

South Korean literary giant Hwang Sok-yong's "Mater 2-10" has been shortlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize, the organizers of the British literary awards announced Tuesday. "Mater 2-10," co-translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae, and published by Scribe Publications, is among the six books on the shortlist for one of the world's most prestigious literary awards. The five other titles shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024 are: &ldqu ..read more

For quite some time, celebrated picture book artist Lee Suzy has been writing on her blog as if it were a personal diary. However, when the blog platform shut down last year, all of her writing was at risk of disappearing into thin air. "We often believe records in the digital realm will be there forever, but that was not the case. I realized then that what I've been doing with my books was gathering those fleeting thoughts and words into tangible forms," said Lee. Her latest book ..read more

One of the finalists for this year’s International Booker Prize, Hwang Sok-yong has vowed to continue until the end, asserting his commitment to the art of writing. Speaking at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, a week after named to the International Booker shortlist with his novel “Mater 2-10” on April 10, the 81-year-old writer revealed his plan to write three to four more novels by the time he turns 90, in addition to completing his book project of completing a 50-vo ..read more