VOL.69/2024.04

 

#Winter

KPIPA Introduces K-Books for Global Publishing Markets through K-Book Platform

2024.01.02

 

Snow

1. Publication Details

 

Title | Snow
Author | Yoon Jane, Oh Seungmin
Publisher | NURIMBO
Publication Date | 2018-01-17
ISBN | 9788958762157
No. of pages | 36
Dimensions | 210 * 260

 

2. Book Intro

 

One snowy day, kids hurriedly run outside with excitement. But the main character from Snow only looks out the window. She has a disability and cannot walk. The grandmother in the story empathizes with her granddaughter and relays a story from her childhood about what she did on a snowy day.
After the opening in Snow, we are immediately taken to the Grandmother’s childhood days; a story of one snowy day in the 1950s unfolds with beautiful pictures and text. As the granddaughter listens to her grandmother’s story, she slowly opens up her heart. She says she wants to go outside and play with her friends. Snow tells a story as if the reader is going through pictures in an album.
The grandmother simply tells her granddaughter a memory from her childhood. The grandmother does not pity or try to console her granddaughter. Just the fact that she recounts a story full of nostalgia is comforting to her granddaughter. And after listening to the story, the granddaughter gets the courage and hope to want to go outside herself.
Snow allows the reader to become absorbed in the grandmother’s story while at the same time showing a child overcoming feelings of loss and alienation. Snow is an encouraging and heartwarming picture book for any child that feels alone.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2873

 

 

Little Mole’s Wish

1. Publication Details

 

Title | Little Mole’s Wish
Author | Kim Sangkeun
Publisher | SAKYEJUL PUBLISHING LTD.
Publication Date | 2017-01-26
ISBN | 9791160940046
No. of pages | 52
Dimensions | 225 * 250

 

2. Book Intro

 

On the first snowy day of the year, the little mole, who is going home, meets a small white snowball. The little mole quietly speaks to the lump of snow. The lump of snow listens to him without words. The little mole waits for the bus to go home with his friend.
He naturally becomes friends with the lump of snow. At the same time, the children who are reading the book break down the boundary between reality and fantasy and enter the world of the little mole where the first snow has fallen.
When he says the snowball is his friend, the bear, the bus driver, says, “It’s just a snowball. It’ll melt anyway.” Listening to this, the little mole tactfully turns the snowball into what looks like a bear. But the fox, the next bus driver, looks at the bear-looking lump of snow and says, “A bear? Are you talking about that big lump of snow?” The little mole just thinks he should downsize his friend and does so.
At the center of the whole narrative, there is the little mole’s faith that the snowball is his friend, from the beginning to the end. His faith communicates with the imagination of children who freely cross the boundary between fantasy and reality. The bear and the fox talk like adults in the real world, but rather than offering disappointment, they make the pure heart of the little mole stand out, so the reader learns what is inside.
Soon, the night comes. We now feel sorry for looking at the little mole and his friend still waiting for the bus in the snow. And a bus arrives. The deer driving the bus says, “Oh, dear, you are freezing.” He worries and tells them to get in. The deer is the only character who acknowledges the world of the little mole. He could be a metaphor for an adult who protects the world of a child. There is another adult who recognizes the world of the little mole. It is his grandmother who welcomes him at home. She, as always, carefully listens to him. The narrative in this picture book is completed when the stable adults who protect the world of the little mole are added to it. In fact, the imagination of a child grows richer when an adult participates in it because the child feels secure when the adult acknowledges his or her imaginary world.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=218

 

 

In Gyeongnyeolbiyeoldo Island of My Youth, Snow Still Falls Like Music

1. Publication Details

 

Title | In Gyeongnyeolbiyeoldo Island of My Youth, Snow Still Falls Like Music
Author | Park Jung-dae
Publisher | Minumsa Publishing
Publication Date | 2001-10-06
ISBN | 9788937406973
No. of pages | 176

 

2. Book Intro

 

Park’s recent poetry collection, divided into four chapters, resonates “like a passage sung by soulful gypsies” (by Literary Critic Heo Hyejeong).
Park writes his poems in a way that sometimes babbles without limit and sometimes extremely restricts the use of language. His poetic interpretation sufficiently depicts the world seen and revealed by the poet himself. Yet, he does not follow the grammar of existence observed by images and motifs. Heo says, “Park breaks the linearity of chronicle order and builds a small passage in the psychological landscape undisturbed by the present or past.” The images of candlelight, tears, music, Peru, the boundaries of butterfly, moon, flame, liquor, cigarette, and moonlight are repeated, go through various transformations, and gain new meanings. In this way, Park portrays the unreachable eternity and the stuffiness of the moment.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=1163

 

 

So Much Snow

 

Title | So Much Snow
Author | Park Hyunmin
Publisher | Dalgrimm
Publication Date | 2020-11-27
ISBN | 9791197092398
No. of pages | 46
Dimensions | 240 * 240

 

2. Book Intro

 

An amazing illustration book that allows readers to imagine a world beyond the pages with its vast white landscapes. On a day when heavy snowfall turns the entire world white, two children manage to pry open their front door and start clearing the snow with shovels, and even bring in a bulldozer to aid their efforts later on. The children then have a snowball fight, roll in the snow, and make an enormous snowman. While the snow and the snowman isn’t shown explicitly in the book, the authors help the readers imagine them with the use of white spaces and the movement of the characters. Experience the joy of using your imagination to complete this illustration book.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=5513

 

 

Cort String’s Winter

1. Publication Details

 

Title | Cort String’s Winter
Author | Lee Sangsil
Publisher | windflower_books
Publication Date | 2019-09-25
ISBN | 9791196270674
No. of pages | 268
Dimensions | 128 * 188

 

2. Book Intro

 

The titular story “Cort String’s Winter” presents a protagonist who has been fired from his job. The laborers fight to get back to work, get depressed, and become homeless. As neo-liberalism intensifies, capital, as a separate entity with a will of its own, enjoys its freedom to seek profit, eventually taking away the humanity of humans. This story depicts how laborers experience loneliness and sadness together in the midst of a reality wrought with despair. It also illustrates hope by showing how these laborers gather in solidarity and fight against injustice on the streets.
“Dereliction of Duty” talks about the moral decisions people can make when they face everyday conflicts. “Bucket List 1 - Palmunjuk” delivers the message that people can overcome sadness by sharing their feelings and emotions with others. “The Student Record Book of Paul Academy” illustrates the historical awareness and social ideas we should pursue. Several stories by the author illustrate the violence caused by ideology and capital’s violent pursuit of profit. “The Three Generations Who Went to School” depicts a family that has experienced state violence in North and South Korea. They were kidnapped and jailed in the midst of the military and ideological conflict between the two nations. The state has set the people against each other, but they communicate, understand, and gather in solidarity with each other. “Charlotte and Leffin’s Women” and “Should Mr. Gooksang Leave?” convey the belief that people can understand and love one another whether they are blood-related family or complete strangers.
This collection deals with heavy and sensitive social problems, including the political opposition between conservatives and liberals and families that have been kidnapped and brought to North Korea. The overarching theme of this collection is the joys and sorrows of the people who live harsh everyday lives, which it covers in a way that provides hope and comfort. In the end, the main characters gain a positive view on life and find love.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=4383

 

 

Winter Vacation in Seoul

1. Publication Details

 

Title | Winter Vacation in Seoul
Author | Jeon Jung-im, 225
Publisher | Hellorobin
Publication Date | 2022-01-25
ISBN | 9791191942026
No. of pages | 174
Dimensions | 152 * 205

 

2. Book Intro

 

Ms. Yangi has opened the doors of her hanok-style hotel in Seoul’s Bukchon Village to guests for the winter season. The story features a hotel employee called Mingyeong who becomes friends with a guest at the hotel called Lini. Although the friendship between the two young girls is off to a good start, it isn’t long before things begin to turn sour due to their differing personalities and difficulty understanding each other. How will Lini, the hotel guest, and Mingyeong, who acts as her guide, come to remember their time spent together in Seoul? Will they make any lasting memories of the big city? This travel guide introduces readers to the best family-friendly attractions in Seoul.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=7814

 

 

That Winter in Sontag Hotel

1. Publication Details

 

Title | That Winter in Sontag Hotel
Author | Djuna
Publisher | Purplerain
Publication Date | 2022-08-01
ISBN | 9791191842241
No. of pages | 272
Dimensions | 128 * 195

 

2. Book Intro

 

Djuna’s mystery fiction intentionally hides characters’ stories to add mysteriousness.
“Uncle Seongho’s Crime”
Actor Yang Seongho kills his childhood friend and disguises it as an accident. Investigators have doubts about the death and try to prove that Seongho is the culprit. However, they never find out the motive for murder and the crucial assistant.
“To the Last Drop of Blood”
Two men were found brutally murdered. The fingerprints found on the scene belonged to someone they’d known for more than ten years. The police try to find the owner of the fingerprints, but his trace is wiped from this world. Why were the two men murdered by the untraceable fingerprints?
“That Winter in Sontag Hotel”
The body of the leading role is found hanging at a filming location. Then come revelations of his sexual assault. What was the man who had yearned for the authority of the director so afraid of enough to choose death? Perhaps it was a homicide, not suicide. The shooting goes on even after his death.
“Pig Feed”
A private detective in America gets requested to retrieve the diamond stolen by a woman. He traces his steps all the way to Korea, but both the diamond and the woman turn out to be fictional. Who lured him into Korea with false information?
“Protect Baby Bean”
Ji Hyejeong and her husband are producers of the children’s animation “Baby Bean’s Adventures.” One night a woman kills Hyejeong’s husband, and the two women plan to hide the body in his vacation home. In the process, they end up killing a friend of the husband as well. Get rid of the guilty husband, and Hyejeong can protect Baby Bean.
“Who Killed Chunbae?”
Ji Minjeong gets invited to a film premiere. The film involves finding out who murdered Chunbae of his five mutual friends. Minjeong realizes that it’s based on the death of Yun Seolhui from a long time ago. Who does the director think killed Seolhui?
“That Was Your Blood”
The detective receives a letter that confesses the murder of Lee Jangsu. The culprit committed a murder and then let the clues subtly slip to the police. The case is related to the identity of Lee Jangsu as a teenager.
“The Hamlet Case”
Prince Hamlet kills King Claudius according to the testimony of the deceased former king. However, the ghost could well be an actor who resembles the former king, and no one other than Prince Hamlet has talked to the ghost. Did Prince Hamlet take revenge for his father?

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=7107

 

 

A Solitary Death is a Social Murder

1. Publication Details

 

Title | A Solitary Death is a Social Murder
Subtitle | The scene of a solitary death seen through the eyes of a police officer
Author | Gwon Jong-ho
Publisher | SANZINI
Publication Date | 2023-02-20
ISBN | 9791168611337
No. of pages | 192
Dimensions | 135 * 200

 

2. Book Intro

 

Living alone, dying alone
The number of solitary deaths is increasing every year due to changes in the family structure, with a growing number of one-person households and the level of disconnection among people. According to the first survey published in 2022, the number of solitary deaths increased by an average of 8.8% per year from 2017 to 2021. However, compared to the increasing number of solitary deaths, social awareness is extremely lacking, and no effective countermeasures have been developed. The standard for solitary death is also ambiguous. The current law defines it as “a death discovered only after a certain period of time has elapsed.” Here, “a certain amount of time” is determined by the arbitrary interpretation of the bureaucrat in charge of public welfare.
Korean society is facing the challenges of living and dying alone. A Solitary Death is a Social Murder is a book that relates the horrors of the scenes that the author, a serving police officer, has dealt with and also the methods to prevent dying alone that have been devised by the author. In addition, an interview with the author summarizes the current policy and status quo related to solitary death. The author claims that all of us are responsible for this phenomenon, and visited his local community center, ward office, and city hall to publicize the disaster that is solitary death. Let’s face up to this reality with a person who claims to be an ambassador for those who die alone.
How much do we know about solitary death?
This book deals with vivid examples of the solitary death of both the elderly and of the young. It reveals the stark reality of the scene where someone has died alone. Through this, readers will accept the victims of solitary death as separate individuals, not as a collective term that lumps together members of a socially vulnerable class.
In fact, people who die alone are more likely to have social networks than not. Nevertheless, 70% of the bereaved families refuse to claim the body of the deceased for various reasons, such as economic problems. The end of a lonely life becomes a death that no one remembers.
Death comes to everyone equally, but the manner of dying is extremely discriminatory. The author lays bare this reality and claims that everyone has the right to die with dignity, in the way that they want. We should all be able to become the subject of our own death.
The experience-based way to prevent a solitary death
The author devised his own prevention method using his experience in the field. It involves the rebirth of the family through a pre-death contract and a living community. A pre-death contract is one with the government or an organization entrusted by the government for the support and follow-up procedures desired by the pre-deceased. This includes living, nursing, care, property management, and funeral arrangements. A living community seeks to prevent a solitary life by providing a place where many people can gather or live together.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=7811

 

 

Love Replica

1. Publication Details

 

Title | Love Replica
Author | Yoon Yihyung
Publisher | Munhakdongne Publishing Group
Publication Date | 2016-01-13
ISBN | 9788954639255
No. of pages | 360

 

2. Book Intro

 

This is the third collection of stories by Yun I-hyeong, the winner of the 5th Young Writer Award, 6th Young Writer Award, and 5th Moonji Literary Award. It includes a total of eight works published from 2011 to 2014, such as Kun’s Travels, the winner of the 5th Young Writer Award, and Luca, the winner of the 6th Young Writer Award and 5th Moonji Literary Award.
With this collection, Yun brings readers fresh stories that only she can. Love Replica is an interesting story about I-yeon, an anorexic patient dealing with self-hatred, and Kyeong, a mythomaniac who attempts to replicate I-yeon’s experience as his own. Pip tells the story of a teenager wandering in a world without adults, where even the smallest details are so realistic that it’s difficult to consider virtual.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=722

 

 

European Cities in 7 Keywords

1. Publication Details

 

Title | European Cities in 7 Keywords
Subtitle | stone, water, blood, money, fire, feet, dreams
Author | Yoon Hye-Jun
Publisher | GEULDAM
Publication Date | 2021-01-07
ISBN | 9791187147671
No. of pages | 348
Dimensions | 152 * 210

 

2. Book Intro

 

This book looks at the past and present of European cities from a unique perspective. Readers are invited to travel across Europe guided by seven keywords: stone, water, blood, money, fire, feet, and dreams. The tour starts from a meaningful place and time and dives into the history of each city as a whole. The author, a professor of English literature, throws light on past memories hidden inside European cities and weaves them into a total of 49 self-contained stories, seven for each keyword. Although memories are harder to excavate in some places, where new buildings rise all the time, remnants of the past survive in every European city and testify to its history. This book is a journey in search of such marks and traces scattered across European cities, from the 5th-century BCE to the present. The tour stops at the mosaics of Basilica San Vitale to recount the love story of Justinian and Theodora; it takes a moment at a beautiful public square in Budapest to remember the bloodshed by protestors; it walks through Barri Gotic for a sight of well-preserved medieval Barcelona. This book vividly recaptures 49 different city landscapes, each shaped by glory and shame, pleasure and pain, beauty and ugliness, construction and destruction, and civilization and barbarism.

* k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=5447

 

 

 

 

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