VOL.75/2024.10

#Feminism

KPIPA introduces K-Books for global publishing markets through K-Book Platform

 

2020.11.02

 

Feminism at the Crossroads

1. Publication Details

Title | Feminism at the Crossroads
Subtitle | 28,800 Seconds to Stop Misogyny
Author | Korean Women Link
Publisher | Kungree Press
Publication Date | 2018-11-18
ISBN | 9788958204169
No. of pages | 212
Dimensions | 135 * 205

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Byun Hyohyun
Email | kungree@kungree.com
Phone | +82-31-955-9818

 

3. Book Intro

In 2016, a misogynistic murder occurred in Gangnam Station, South Korea. Afterward, heated discourse erupted in the middle of a street in Sinchon, Seoul. This book is an account of the eight hours of tranquility and intensity that followed. More than 40 women tell their tales of fear and anxiety (including some by proxy) as women living in Korea, from experiences of sexual harassment and assault to pressures regarding appearance and clothing, problems when using public transportation, and discrimination within their respective families. Readers of this book will reflect on the realities of Korean society, a society that does not listen to the experiences of women, as well as the meaning and role of feminism, which is closely tied to our lives.

“Women have long struggled with how to speak out as victims of sexual assault. We are now moving forward from survivors of sexual assault to activists and leaders of gender politics. We can only move forward into the future when everyone listens to, reads, and learns about what women have to say.” - Kim Hyeon-mi, a professor of the Department of Cultural Anthropology of Yonsei University

“Readers of this book will realize that they’re not the only victims and that not only some men have problems. What should we do now? We need change so that men can no longer victimize women. We cannot allow future generations of women to get hurt in this society. The first step to change is enlightenment, and this book provides it.” - Seo Min, a professor of the Department of Parasitology of Dankook University

“‘I survived by chance.’ I cannot forget the shock of reading this phrase. One by one, people gathered in commemoration. Some even grabbed the microphone, and the everyday discrimination and violence against women started to be exposed. I was moved at the unfiltered surfacing of these age-old problems. This book contains moments of our history.” - Hong Seong-su, a professor of the School of Law of Sookmyung Women’s Universit

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=299

 

 

The Fiercely Independent Kang Suha

1. Publication Details

Title | The Fiercely Independent Kang Suha
Subtitle | A story about protecting yourself with cold fury
Author | Kang Suha
Publisher | Bulkwang Media
Publication Date | 2019-12-06
ISBN | 9791190136068
No. of pages | 240
Dimensions | 122 * 188

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Yang Minho
Email | 21cyanggun@gmail.com
Phone | +82-2-420-3200

 

3. Book Intro

Kang Suha has been sharing empathy and consolation with people through the journal entries she has been posting on her blog since long ago. This is Kang’s story as she advances step by step without giving up her dream of becoming independent and protects herself with cold fury in a society unconducive to female independence. Entries in the book like “First Choice for a Bride: The Teacher Daughter-In-Law,” which deals with her first encounter with her prospective in-laws, and “A Debtless Debtor: The Daughter-In-Law,” which is a review of the second traditional festival she celebrates post-marriage, each recorded over 300,000 views and over 200 reshares at the time of their serialization on the Brunch website and garnered the sympathy, encouragement, and support of numerous women.
This essay collection, which is the story of one person but not necessarily only that person’s story, contains within it a desire to get out of unfair relationships that try to crush one’s spirit and to actively seek out and create relationships with people who respect one another. We hope the wish for “us all to be okay just being ourselves in solidarity without really having to strive for independence” reaches the readers of this book.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2901

 

 

I Am Not Sorry That I Am Sick

1. Publication Details

Title | I Am Not Sorry That I Am Sick
Subtitle | A Feminist’s Chronicle of Illness
Author | Jo Han Jin-hui
Publisher | Dongnyok Publishers
Publication Date | 2019-05-27
ISBN | 9788972979357
No. of pages | 396
Dimensions | 148 * 210

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Gyeong-yoon, Jeong
Email | yoon@dongmyok.com
Phone | +82-31-955-3005

 

3. Book Intro

The book tells the stories of a person with a sick body in a society where good health is a must. The author is a feminist, human rights activist, and a single person householder, and she was brimming with enough energy to prepare herself for triathlon sports. But after her trip to Palestine on a peace mission, she began suffering from an unexplainable dizziness, hemorrhage, and cancer. From then on, she chronicles her difficult and grueling struggle to come to terms with her sick self.
Even though we are all subject to minor and more serious illnesses, we view the hours of our sickness as a waste of time while struggling to overcome the condition. So then, do sick people have nothing to resort to but to get well? Do they have to give up a “holistic” life” until they regain good health? Such a limited opinion not only alienates sick people but also healthy ones as well.
This book confronts the “sick body” up front. It starts off with the author’s detailed evaluation of the changes that took place when her body fell ill and presents her sharp and penetrating insight into the biases and discriminatory problems revolving around illnesses. She also provides a concrete analysis of the social structure and medical system, thereby offering a new idea for change while challenging the very notion of “health” and what is “normal.” All in all, it is an exploration of how to be ill in a “preferably” way.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2749

 

 

Curious about My Body, not the Baby

1. Publication Details

Title | Curious about My Body, not the Baby
Subtitle | A science journalist’s firsthand observation of pregnancy
Author | Woo Ah-Young
Publisher | Humanist Publishing Group Inc.
Publication Date | 2019-08-26
ISBN | 9791160802931
No. of pages | 304
Dimensions | 135 * 200

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Lim Jaehee
Email | ljh2001@humanistbooks.com
Phone | +82-70-7842-9429

 

3. Book Intro

Unexpected changes during pregnancy
Want to know the real reasons, and not the truism “it’s because you are pregnant”?

Curious about My Body, not the Baby is a science essay that focuses on pregnant women—their physical changes and side effects—instead of the fetus. The doctor says everything is “normal,” but why is this so painful? What studies have scientists conducted on pregnancy? Are the stories passed about online scientifically accurate? This book is a record of the author’s struggles to answer the questions as a former science journalist. She divides the symptoms and issues she faced during pregnancy into 24 categories.
Breasts are sore, and morning sickness hits you like the worst hangover ever. The tailbone hurts, and stretch marks appear right at the center of your belly like a seam of a stuffed doll. Even the smallest moves make you pant. In the early stages, you want to sleep regardless of time or location but in the third trimester, you can’t fall asleep easily. As time goes by, new symptoms arise. You describe the pain to the doctor, and all you get is the answer: “it happens.” No further explanation. Pain that you must endure without understanding the reasons causes anxiety that is as serious as the physical pain itself. The author talks about her own experience in a pleasant tone, offering scientific evidence necessary to understand “pregnancy.”
The book carries a variety of stories that give clear-cut answers and information to those who were or are pregnant. If you are getting ready to have a baby, it can be a guide that tells you what to expect in the future. Pregnant women hope that people close to them understand their difficulties and issues. This book is a must to know what pregnant women are faced with, and to speak out properly as a member of the community when pregnancy-related policies and institutions are discussed.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2681

 

 

A New Suit

1. Publication Details

Title | A New Suit
Author | Cho Yeseul
Publisher | NURIMBO
Publication Date | 2019-03-11
ISBN | 9788958762218
No. of pages | 64
Dimensions | 180 * 250

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Yoon Eunsook
Email | nurimbo_pub@naver.com
Phone | +82-10-6723-5987

 

3. Book Intro

Your suit is woman!
A New Suit, the first book by emerging writer Cho Yeseul, talks about women’s awakening, growth, and solidarity. Lucid, simple text is juxtaposed with modern, sensuous drawings. In particular, the symbolic illustrations, a unique feature of picture books, stand out throughout her work.
Cho symbolizes the oppression against women as “suits,” which embody the identity of suffering women locked up inside as innocent animals. The women liberated from their suits return to being free and healthy in nature, then they become nature themselves as they march to tear down their oppressors, the sturdy human walls.
The author swiftly leads the women’s journey of awakening and solidarity towards the middle of the story, focusing on the process of one becoming two, then three, until turning into “we,” transcending generations.
Massive herds of animals running in clouds of dust are headed in one particular direction—towards human walls, the agent of oppression. The scene brims with the sounds of heavy breathing and the smell of sweat.
Their breathless marching stands for the lofty flow of nature. It looks as if a river, once blocked, finally breaks way to run its course. Nature remedies the disasters caused by humans. This powerful scene vividly renders Cho’s perspective on feminism.
The true face of the human walls is laid bare through the story of Jihoon who wears a suit called “man.” Jihoon finally recuperates his lost sensibilities and remembers who he is the moment his suit of armor is torn apart. The heavy armor called “man” had prevented him from feel anything. The armor had been forced upon him, a person with innate sensitivity.
Awakened, Jihoon begins to run with the women to bring down the old system. It’s a moment of solidarity between women and men. The theme of A New Suit clearly shines in this scene.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2578

 

 

Mobile Constellations

1. Publication Details

Title | Mobile Constellations
Subtitle | Exploring Literature as Potential, Movement, Incident and Life
Author | Kim Mijeong
Publisher | Galmuri Press
Publication Date | 2019-05-01
ISBN | 9788961952071
No. of pages | 496
Dimensions | 130 * 188

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Kim Jungyun
Email | galmuri94@gmail.com
Phone | +82-10-8408-5263

 

3. Book Intro

This book explores post-individualism by questioning the mythology of modern man identified from various scenes in the history of Korean literature and from the perspective of affect, feminism and commons. This exploration is effective when discussing technology and man. The book takes it one step further to connect the fact that man is intrinsically a weak being with many conditions that further weaken man today. What this book ultimately emphasizes is the conditions of connection and solidarity found therein and the belief in the hidden potential of all beings. Incidents referred as moment of affect in this book, such as the Sewol Ferry in 2014, the candlelight vigil during 2016-2017, and the Gangnam Station incident in 2016, are scenes where people approriate given conditions on their own and change them into something else. The things that this book intends to explore through the medium of literature are such incidents and the potential within people. This book records the actual scenes, where literature is actively breathing with the issues of the current era. It reaches beyond the literature to cross over to the philosophy, sociology and many different fields, connecting criticism and literature. In today’s humanities, which is categorized into smaller and communication becomes more difficult, this book has a great significance. This book is recommended to those who are interested in incidents that shook the foundation of the Korean society in recent years, and to those who are curious about what kind of changes are being made in the field of Korean literature and what exactly drove this drive of change.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=2170

 

 

I Am a Man and Feminist

1. Publication Details

Title | I Am a Man and Feminist
Author | Choe Seungbeom
Publisher | Thinking Power Books
Publication Date | 2018-04-13
ISBN | 9791185585505
No. of pages | 200
Dimensions | 117 * 190

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Jeong Hyeji
Email | hjjung@tpbook.co.kr
Phone | +82-31-955-1654

 

3. Book Intro

Choe Seungbeom is a Korean teacher at Gangneung Myeongryun High School. The school, where about 800 boys spend most of the day, from morning to evening, is full of cursing and machoism. He hears the word “fuck” all the time. But when he asks students why, their response is “no reason,” “it’s fun,” or “it sounds strong.” As high school students are in the peak sexual phase of their lives, there are students who shout out “sex!” for no apparent reason. While he understands the natural desires of men, he finds it unfortunate that students are expressing their desire in such fashion. There is still a class motto which goes something like, “just ten minutes more of study will make your wife prettier,” which views women as a reward for a man’s achievements in class. Is this really okay?
Choe Seungbeom questions men who think it is impossible to have an honest conversation or a true relationship without drinking, military stories, violence or dirty jokes. While he thinks the lives of women are unfortunate, he also thinks it odd that the lives of men eventually reach such a state. This uncertainty was resolved bit-by-bit as he encountered feminism. The reason why men should also become a feminists is not at all complicated. It is because feminism is closely related to men’s lives, and it can free men as much as it can women.
His story is simple. A new tomorrow comes faster when men change, study feminism and look back at the times they tried to suppress the voices of women. Men who fail to adjust to such change will eventually fall behind this massive wave of change. In the end, what Choe Seungbeom wants to ask of his students is to keep in line with the social changes of the era and also to create a better world together with women in a sexually equal society.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=1523

 

 

It’s Okay Not Being a Mom

1. Publication Details

Title | It’s Okay Not Being a Mom
Subtitle | The Way of Loving Yourself as You Are
Author | Lee Suhui
Publisher | BOOKIE Publishing House, Inc
Publication Date | 2018-04-26
ISBN | 9788960516281
No. of pages | 264

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Park Seoyeon
Email | rights@bookie.co.kr
Phone | +82-2-338-0875

 

3. Book Intro

In Korean society, there are lots of married couples who live without children, though they are not easily seen. Among them, some have chosen not to have children, some have given up having children after suffering from infertility, and some have just been living with no child while dedicating their life to their work. Each couple has their own story, but all of them, especially women, are easily criticized as selfish, immature, foolish, or abnormal. But are they really?
It’s Okay Not Being a Mom highlights the challenges women without children are forced to face in Korea’s family-based society, covering issues on the N-po (Giving-up) generation, low birth rate, YOLO, DINK, forced motherhood, the dark side of the infertility market, the verbal violence of the older generation, limitations of the national system, and the culture that excludes women without children.
The book also delves into the reasons why these people have no children and explains to readers ways to defend themselves when faced with unfavorable situations at home and in society. This book explores ways for women who have decided not to have children to focus on themselves and live a happy life in a society where marriage, childbearing, and motherhood are considered the norm

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=67

 

 

Dr. Feminist Talks About a Woman’s Body

1. Publication Details

Title | Dr. Feminist Talks About a Woman’s Body
Author | Mun Hyeonju
Publisher | SEOYUJAE
Publication Date | 2016-11-14
ISBN | 9791195764839
No. of pages | 256
Dimensions | 148 * 210

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | HYEREE PARK
Email | seoyujae_p@naver.com
Phone | +82-70-5135-1866

 

3. Book Intro

This book should be recommended to every family member: a mother who lost her memory of her first period, a daughter who does not know the pain of menopause, and men who live together with them.
Is a woman’s body truly a woman’s? This question has been part of the history of the women’s liberation movement. Even though 100 years have passed since escaping from the corsets of the Victorian era, the political and social frame of a woman’s body is still valid. The performances of discarding underwear that suffocate a woman’s body and statements about birth control and abortion must be understood as self-decision rights of women. Debate and prejudice about a woman’s body has a long history, even in the field of medicine, with one of the most noted examples being the diagnosis of diseases based on symptoms found in men. From the west to the east, the pain experienced by women has occasionally been considered exaggeration, hysteria or even imaginary. Dr. Feminist is a nickname the writer used online for a long time, and it reflects the awareness about political, social and historical aspects the writer has. While working as an oriental doctor specializing in infertility, the writer went on a journey to Britain to find an answer to the “ultimate cause” that makes women sick and studied medical anthropology. Currently she is continuing her career as an oriental medicine doctor and a writer, focusing on a woman’s body from an anthropological perspective based on the history of human evolution, culture and social environments. This book is not a book that simply lists secrets and methods of oriental medicine that make a woman’s body healthier. It argues that women must understand and take back their bodies based on anthropological insight by removing the various social suspicions that surround a woman’s body.

*http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=1528

 

 

The Interview with Mrs. L

1. Publication Details

Title | The Interview with Mrs. L
Author | Hong Jihye
Publisher | atnoonbooks
Publication Date | 2018-06-18
ISBN | 9791188594054
No. of pages | 52
Dimensions | 200 * 200

 

2. Copyright Contact

Name | Bang Junbae
Email | atnoonbooks@naver.com
Phone | +82-10-7210-1978

 

3. Book Intro

Mrs. L, the protagonist of this story, calls herself Mrs. Wolf because she was once a valiant hunter that roamed around wild forests. But now, she is stuck at home due to housekeeping and childrearing and has been forgetting her wild nature, just like an animal held captive in a zoo.
What have I been looking for? What have I lost?
Mrs. Wolf searches for what she has lost while cleaning her house every day. What has she lost? Will she be able to find it and return to the thick wild forests?
The Interview with Mrs. L revolves around a woman who has lost her life due to marriage and childcare recovering her self-esteem. The author Hong Jihye says that she constantly asked herself who she really is while writing this story.
Women who have taken career breaks and lost their self-esteem in various situations will be able to find comfort and courage in this book.

* http://www.k-book.or.kr/user/books/books_view?idx=889

 

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