K-Book Trends -

Search word : "Choi Jin-Young", Search result : 12

[TREND / TOPIC]

“Book of the Year” Suggests the “Direction” of the Era

Topic “Book of the Year” Suggests the “Direction” of the Era 2024 Books of the Year in Korea 2025.02.17 2024 Books of the Year selected by different media outlets The act of recommending a book to another person may seem like a simple and easy thing to do, but it can also be a very complex and thought-provoking act, depending on how you think about it. A straightforward question, “Why this book to me?” is all it takes to understand this: sometimes a book given to a lover can be a declaration of love, a confession of one’s whole soul, or, a book given by a parent to a child who is moving out on his or her own as an adult is meant to be taken to heart as a life lesson. The act of recommending a book can also convey disdain or mockery. A person might suggest a childish or poorly written book to convey the message, “I consider you to be of this intellectual level,” or they might mock an expert by suggesting something like a basic introduction to...

VOL.79 / 2025.02

[TREND / KNOWLEDGE]

Korean Publishing Market’s Trends in 2024 and Outlook for 2025

Knowledge Korean Publishing Market’s Trends in 2024 and Outlook for 2025 2024.12.02 Trends in 2024: Questioning life, fandoms, and Nobel Prize in Literature Philosophy and psychology books have dominated the Korean publishing market, with Reading Schopenhauer at Forty (Uknowbooks) topping the overall bestseller list through August. Also, 11 of the 30 bestselling fiction titles in the first half of the year were “rebound” titles, meaning they were published more than 10 years ago. In addition, the nonfiction category returned to growth after 4 years of decline, and the cases of books becoming bestsellers after being recommended by celebrities increased.Reading Schopenhauer at Forty has continued to grow in popularity this year after being featured on a TV entertainment series last year. The autho...

VOL.77 / 2024.12

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

Literary Awards: A Message of the Times

Special Project [Award-winning Korean Books ①] Literary Awards: A Message of the Times Major Korean literary award-winning books in 2024 2024.11.04 Writer Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024 Where does the authority of the Nobel Prize in Literature derive from? Is it the huge prize of 1.3 billion won, or the long history of 124 years? Or is it the exceptional life stories of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite? Well, it’s probably a combination of all of these elements, but more than that, it’s the message that holds the secret to its long-standing authority. The Nobel Prize in Literature has always pointed out exactly what we, as a species, need to think about right now, and where we should be headed together. Each year, hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of people around the world share the same curiosity when the Prize is announced. They ask themsel...

VOL.76 / 2024.11

[TREND / TOPIC]

Korean Readers’ Picks in the First Half of 2024

Topic Korean Readers’ Picks in the First Half of 2024 2024.09.02 According to the “2023 National Reading Survey” announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in Korea, the overall reading rate was observed to be 43.0%, the lowest since the survey was initiated in 1994. This means that 6 out of 10 adults don’t even read a single e-book or audiobook, let alone a paper book. The shrinking of the reading population, which forms the foundation for the publishing market, and the aging population have been issues in Korea for quite a long time. However, it was indeed a shocking figure for the publishing industry as it expected to see a steady increase in the reading population since it enjoyed a boom during the pandemic compared to other industries.In the first half of the year, the reduction in newly published titles, driven by a contracting publishing market, alongside the enduring popularity of long-time bestsellers, played a si...

VOL.74 / 2024.09

[TREND / EXPORT CASE]

Current Status and Prospects of Korean Literature in Arab Countries

Export Case Current Status and Prospects ofKorean Literature in Arab Countries 2023.09.04 Participating in the 65th Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) in June 2023, Sharjah showcased the literature, music, arts, and crafts of the United Arab Emirates through fascinating and extensive cultural programs, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the rich diversity of Arab culture. In particular, this year’s fair laid the groundwork for a more mature cultural understanding between the two countries through conferences and events where prominent authors, creators, and scholars from the UAE and Korean authors actively exchanged their ideas, experiences, and expertise.1 Korean readers have also shown interest in Arab literature, which was translated from Korean, throughout the fair. This raised expectations for how much Arabs will be interested in Korean literature showcased by Korea, the guest of honor, at the Sharjah International Book Fair scheduled to ...

VOL.62 / 2023.09

[TREND / TOPIC]

“Restructuring of Family” Becoming Inevitable

Topic “Restructuring of Family” Becoming Inevitable 2023.04.03 Korea has risen from a poor country to a rich country with a per capita income of 30 thousand dollars in just half a century. With such an astonishing economic development upfront, many parts of society have been transforming rapidly. It’s no exception for families. Recently, there have been voices from parts of Korean society that the structure of the “family” should be re-engineered from the bottom. More books in the publishing market have begun to discuss the “restructuring of family.” Changes in Gender Norms in Korean Society Korean society has undergone rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 1960s and 70s. This spurred a fast transition from the traditional way of having big patriarchal families to nuclear families. However, nuclear families still had some patriarchal elements left, and men-focused gender roles were maintained. Also, while there was no sturdy s...

VOL.57 / 2023.04

[TREND / EXPORT CASE]

Successful Import Case of Korean Literature in the U.K.

Export Case Successful Import Case of Korean Literature in the U.K. Publishing the best literature from East Asia, be it classic or contemporary 2022.09.05 When we started Honford Star, our original plan was to publish the short stories of Yi Sang, the tragic poet of early modern Korean literature. His bizarre imagery and youthful exuberance attracted us, even though the difference in language and decades between him and us. Unfortunately, we were never able to publish Yi, but our love of offbeat Korean literature continued.At Honford Star, we aim to translate books right at the edge between genre fiction and literary fiction. So when Anton Hur sent us the first two stories in the Cursed Bunny (Arzak) short story collection, we bought the rights as fast as we could. The stories were absurdist masterpieces that showcased author Bora Chung’s ability to mix the fantastical with social critique. Her stories fit in perfectly with our other Korean b...

VOL.50 / 2022.09

[INFORMATION / NEW BOOKS]

The Only One

New Books The Only One 2023.11.06 A new full-length novel by Choi Jin-Young, winner of the 2023 Yi Sang Literary Award. The Only OneThe story of a “life broker,” who borrows the lifespan of a single leaf from a millennia-old tree to save just one person.If you could save just “one” of the many deaths around you, which would you choose? Suicide, homicide, accidental and natural deaths... The realistic moments of death that appear in the dreams of 16-year-old Mokhwa.And then a voice. “The one you choose gets to live.” Mokhwa must now make a choice that has been passed down through generations.There is only one person that Mokhwa can save. Is this mission for Mokhwa a miraculous gift from God, or a wicked trick of the devil? “Only humans pray for another’s life. They are in need of God. They hope for a mir...

VOL.64 / 2023.11

[INTERVIEW / KOREAN AUTHORS]

Writer Choi Jin-Young

Korean Authors Writer Choi Jin-Young An Endearing Exploration of Life and Love 2025.03.10 When taking a path, a person who constantly asks questions and seeks answers gains deeper and broader insights as they go. The same is true for fiction. A story finds its direction through questions about people, love, and ourselves, and it is only when it resonates with a wider audience that it gains literary and popular recognition. Since her debut, Choi Jin-Young has continued to pursue her own literary direction and creative writing style, and has developed a rich world of works. Writing fiction for her is a journey to find answers to life’s questions while giving love to readers and, most importantly, to herself. It’s an honor to have you with us on K-Book Trends. Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers. Hello, everyone. I’m writer Choi Jin-Young. I have written full-length stories such as The Name...

VOL.80 / 2025.03

[TOPIC / TRENDS]

South Korea’s Literary Awards

South Korea’s Literary Awards 2018.07.31 Authors of South Korea usually start their careers by writing short stories. Every January 1st, South Korea’s key newspapers print literary works that have snagged awards, like short novels, poems, reviews and fairy tales. These contests by the papers are called “sinchunmunye”, which would translate into “spring literary contest”. This tradition began in 1925 by DongA Ilbo newspaper and for the next near century, South Korea’s key writers would first meet readers through this method. South Korea’s literary editors read these works at the beginning of the year, assess the literary potential the writers have and start contacting the new authors. The writers usually win around 5 million won per prize and winning an award at these annual competitions is considered a great honor. For many, a long time is spent honing their craft.Prominent literary magazines like Literature and Society, Munhakdongne (Literary Neighborhood), Creat...

VOL.11 / 2018.07

VOL.97/2026.08

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