K-Book Trends -

Search word : "Earth", Search result : 128

[TREND / KNOWLEDGE]

A Thriving Metamorphosis of Queer Literature

Knowledge A Thriving Metamorphosis of Queer Literature The growth and prospects of Korean queer literature 2025.09.04 Refreshing history: joining hands with feminism The queerness of Korean literature continues to reach new heights. Recent works published in literary magazines, almost without exception, embody a feminist consciousness and a queer-friendly stance. Novels that feature gay, lesbian, and transgender characters as central figures are also steadily on the rise. Of course, whether a work can be called “queer literature” simply because its characters are named and categorized as queer remains a question that requires ongoing reflection. Over the past ten years, however, the demographic composition of the literary world created by Korean literature has gradually shifted from cisgender heterosexuals to characters where queerness, disability, and feminism intersect. Given that the visibility of queer identities begins wit...

VOL.86 / 2025.09

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

The Center of the World Behind High Walls: Beijing

Special Project [New Ways of Walking Through Cities ⑥] The Center of the World Behind High Walls: Beijing 2025.06.02 China is the fourth largest country on Earth. Its coastline spans more than 18,000 kilometers, and it borders 18 countries, including North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, and India. So, it’s impossible to summarize China in a few words or even a few sentences. This is what makes Beijing so special. Unlike Shanghai, Chongqing, Hong Kong, and other international cities, it has the symbolism of being a city that was built by only Chinese people under meticulous planning. It’s also in Beijing that fossils of Beijing Man (北京原人), a subspecies of Homo erectus, the first hominid to use fire, were discovered?no wonder the city has such historical significance.Perhaps this is why, among the Chinese, it’s been labeled “the place for those who care more about their dignity than a...

VOL.83 / 2025.06

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

Experiencing Nature’s Great Epic on the Paradise Island of Hawaii

Special Project [New Ways of Walking Through Cities ⑤] Experiencing Nature’s Great Epic on the Paradise Island of Hawaii 2025.05.07 Whether it’s surfing the waves at Waikiki Beach, hiking Diamond Head to feel the earth’s vitality, or snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, a beautiful volcanic crater, Hawaii’s great nature is an art in itself. Moreover, you can enjoy sensational artwork in Kaka’ako, a former factory turned art village, or spend peaceful time exploring the National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai, a pristine island home to many natural wonders. In particular, Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” offers a deeply relaxing experience with the majesty of nature.Hawaii is a heavenly paradise that is considered a favorite vacation spot of the gods. In addition to the magnificent nature, you can also enjoy shopping at various shopping malls and culinary delights, such as Kona coffee, which is only grown in H...

VOL.82 / 2025.05

[TREND / EXPORT CASE]

Bringing Korean Voices to French Readers

Export Case Bringing Korean Voices to French Readers 2024.12.02 Korean literature and Editions Picquier have a long story. We began publishing books from Asia nearly 40 years ago: Korea and its literature, virtually unknown in France at the time, have fascinated us from our earliest days. The first works we published - Kim Won Il’s Mr Lee’s Travel, KIM Song Dong’s Mandala, Yun Hung Kil’s The Mother - almost went unnoticed; it was challenging to bring readers into contact with a literature that was far removed from the habits and preoccupations of French readers. It was a literature that gave pride of place to cultural traditions, to the earth, to history. We thus decided to publish anthologies of short stories and essays to give French readers some reference points. This had a pedagogical purpose, establishing a foothold in Korean literature and presenting a more organized history to readers. More than 30 years ago, what was being published in France wa...

VOL.77 / 2024.12

[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 / EXPORT CASE]

New Trends in Korean Literature

Export Case New Trends in Korean Literature 2024.10.07 It’s important to be ahead of the pack in global publishing; to find the new trends and to be future looking in order to be successful. I have always been an explorer, a seeker of the new, while travelling professionally and personally, and that has led me to discover Korean literature more than a decade ago. The first books to break through were literary masterpieces Please Look After Mom (Changbi Publishers) by Shin Kyung-Sook and The Vegetarian (Changbi Publishers) by Han Kang. After the initial introduction of Korean books to global readers who had never heard of them, let alone read them, I introduced mysteries and thrillers which are already super popular in the World English and global markets. So, readers of Steig Larrsen’s mega-bestseller, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, devoured Jeong You-Jeong’s The Good Son (EunHaeng NaMu Publishing). J.M. Lee’s The Investigation (EunHae...

VOL.75 / 2024.10

[TREND / TOPIC]

Development and Transformation of Korean Young Adult Fiction

Topic Development and Transformation of Korean Young Adult Fiction 2024.06.03 “Young Adult (YA)” is a keyword that can’t be left out when discussing Korean literature in recent years. In fact, “recent” might not be the right word. It was in 2021 when the first article on the topic of “young adult fiction” appeared in K-Book Trends, and Sohn Won-Pyung’s Almond (Dazzling Publishers), which was mentioned as a work that led the young adult market at that time, was published in 2017. However, the term “young adult” appears in the submission guidelines of new fiction contests, in the names and intentions of newly conceived novel series, and in the introductions of young adult SF or fantasy novels. As such, young adult fiction is expanding and changing at a remarkably rapid pace. This growth can be attributed to the steady improvement of Korean young adult fiction, the changes in general fiction, and readers’ enthusiasm for new genres. S...

VOL.71 / 2024.06

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

Korea Today and the Charm of Korean Culture

Special Project [English Books in Korea ①] Korea Today and the Charm of Korean Culture 2024.06.03 I’m pleased to be able to introduce the English edition of my book about Korea through this interview. This is because such an opportunity does not come around often, and because through this, I can draw the attention of the industry and readers in this harsh climate where the number of English books about Korea is decreasing rather than increasing.One keyword that automatically comes to mind when you think of English books about Korea is “Kinokuniya” bookstores in Japan. I was literally overwhelmed by the number of English books about Japan that I saw at Kinokuniya Bookstore in Japantown, San Francisco, US. On the other hand, the number of English books published in Korea is far too little, and the fields are focused on culture and language, with very few on economics, society, practical skills, and people. What’s more, the number of titles is shrinking.M...

VOL.71 / 2024.06

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

For Planet Earth, Where We Coexist

Special Project [Book × Animal] For Planet Earth, Where We Coexist 2024.03.11 By their very nature, books are vessels of knowledge encompassing all fields. Endless topics can be written about depending on the material and message. In the [Book × _____ ] series, experts recommend Korean books in their respective fields that you’ve been curious about but had trouble discovering more about. Now, let’s jump into the infinite world of books through the collaboration of books with various fields. The vegetarian diet is a decision for animal rights and the environment Vegetarian Diet and Animal Rightsfor Future Generation It doesn’t seem that long ago that the curriculum for students in Korea started covering animal rights. Especially in a country that went through a period of famine, animals were just a source of foo...

VOL.68 / 2024.03

[INFORMATION / K-BOOK MAP]

Pohang: The Landmarks That Inspired the Life and Literature of Bora Chung

K-Book Map Pohang: The Landmarks That Inspired the Life and Literature of Bora Chung 2026.03 Pohang, the City Beloved by a Master of Sci-Fi Bora Chung is one of Korea’s most prominent science fiction writers. Her short story collection, Cursed Bunny, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022, and her work Your Utopia reached the finals of the Philip K. Dick Award in 2025. Pohang is the city dearest to Chung’s heart. It provides her with abundant sci-fi imagination and a vibrant energy for life. Originally a lifelong resident of Seoul, the author moved to Pohang five years ago following her marriage. Now, Pohang has become her new sanctuary, a space of both life and art where she continues to craft her brilliant science fiction works. 〈What happens when Pohang and science f...

VOL.92 / 2026.03

VOL.92/2026.03

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