VOL.83/2025.06

 

Writer Bak Cham-Sae

A multi-player who expands the reach of literature

 

2025.02.17

 

As society rapidly changes and seeks novelty, the scope of what a single medium can cover and expand is becoming increasingly complex. Literature, too, is breaking down existing boundaries, evolving anew, and permeating our lives in an expanded form. Bak Cham-Sae, a writer who has been prolific in the midst of these changes, works with ChatGPT to create original works that go beyond existing literary conventions, introduce new forms of poetry, and create various contents that interpret the theme of literature in different ways. Describing herself as a “writing laborer,” Bak Cham-Sae is breaking new ground in Korean literature through her various writing activities. The following is an interview with Bak Cham-Sae, who is not bound to a specific genre or format, but rather crosses the boundaries of society, culture, and technology through her writing, providing fresh inspiration to her readers.

 

 

It’s an honor to have you with us on K-Book Trends. Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

 

Hello, I’m Bak Cham-Sae, and I do things around letters. I read and write books for a living. Every time I introduce myself, I feel a bit awkward. It is especially nice to introduce myself in writing.

 

You started your work in books as a book curator, which led you to become a poet. You described yourself as a “wannabe poet” when you were a book curator – what’s different now that you are a poet?

 

I don’t think anything has changed much; I think I was able to say those things because I didn’t know anything back then. I also think that the structural characteristics of the Korean literary circle made it easier for me to say such unusual combinations of words. I just had to do it if I wanted to - and I only now realize that.

 

You described yourself as a “writing laborer.” What is the appeal and characteristic of each of your activities, and what is the specific meaning of the term “writing laborer”?

 

I’m still not sure how to define myself, because the results of my work are often not tangible and hard to quantify - sometimes, I’m not even sure what I’m doing or if I’m doing it right at all. But, in any case, I am “writing” something, or at least continuing a number of activities as a byproduct of it, and that continuity is based on my “labor.” It seems pretty clear to me, and I often introduce myself that way, because it’s a good way to make sense of myself without attaching too much meaning to it.

 

 

As a “writing laborer,” I’m “writing” something, or doing activities that are a byproduct of it.

 

 

You garnered attention by winning the 42nd Kim Suyeong Literary Award. The winning poem collection, The Head and Mind (Minumsa), shows the dramatic form poems can take, which breaks the traditional poetry style and format. What made you make such an attempt, and what message did you intend to deliver to the readers?

 

I didn’t intentionally try to break away from the poetry style and format. I was just staying faithful to what I wanted to write and what I believed I needed to write, and I think I gave it the right clothes. We don’t all wear the same clothes, though we are all the same human beings, right? In the very same way, I tend to believe that each individual poem has its own coat of arms that it needs or deserves, and it’s up to the writer to find it.

 

 

The poem Defense in this collection was written in collaboration with ChatGPT, which was a refreshing approach. We are curious to know what the process was like and if you plan to collaborate with AI in the future. Also, what do you think is the ideal relationship a writer should have with AI?

 

I don’t have a specific plan in mind yet, as I don’t usually plan things out, but I’m using AI quite a lot in my daily life. It’s already been in my life for a long time, so it’s probably going to continue to influence me bit by bit. The ideal relationship that a “writer” should have with it is a little bit outside the scope of my imagination. I’d put more emphasis on the individual relationship.

 

You convey powerful messages through the creative use of language and format in your works. What are some of the most important elements you consider when conceiving and writing your work, and what are some of the special moments or creative drivers that inspire you?

 

I think the biggest element is whether or not I have thought enough about whatever it is that I’m writing about. That’s why I spend so much more time not writing. I feel like it’s more about the process of figuring out what I want to write about - thinking about it enough, making decisions about it, or imagining it in a state of limbo without making decisions or judgments about it - and it’s a really long process. I don’t think the actual writing is that long compared to this, but the problem is that it’s hard to find the end point of the process itself. The decision to write comes very dimly, and that makes me value the feeling itself very much, even if it’s a very small one.

 

 

I spend a long time thinking and judging before I write.

 

 

Your interview collection featuring conversations with 7 young poets, The Poets (Semicolon Books), drew attention and empathy by giving us a glimpse into their thoughts, values, and worldview. What were the poets you spoke with like and what were you trying to capture in the book?

 

I think I wanted to remind myself and convey the notion that the idea of “poets” is not so distant and that they are also members of the contemporary world. Poetry, poets, or literature as a whole, is derived from life. I wanted there to be a sense of life in that aspect, a sense of presence. For me personally, it meant a lot just to be able to talk to these wonderful fellows.

 

 

Congratulations on your nomination in the Poet & Essay Selected by Booksellers category for 2024. It must have been particularly meaningful for you as it reflected the voices of the field. We would love to hear what this means to you as the owner of the virtual bookstore “moi.”

 

There are, of course, inherent differences between having physical space and not, but I think selling books requires a similar mindset. So, I wouldn’t say that I know how local booksellers feel about choosing books and presenting them, but I do understand a little bit. I think there are so many things that small bookstores have to give up in order to be able to do what they do. It was such a joy to know that there was always a place and a heart for my books in the corner of the store, and that they were worth being remembered. I hope to have more opportunities to collaborate with local small bookstores this year.

 

You have published several works since the release of your first book, Nervousness Behind the Starting Line (Semicolon Books), in 2022, and gained a lot of attention in a short period of time, winning the literary award. Could you tell us which of your works you would like to introduce to international readers and why?

 

I think it’s probably my poetry collection, The Head and Mind. It’s probably the clearest and quickest introduction to who I am as a writer, and I have always been very interested in how poetry can be translated. So, I look forward to that moment when it will be translated.

 

 

You have been doing a lot of cross-disciplinary work with books, and it seems to be a great example of how diverse the role of books can be and how diverse content can be produced. Please tell us about your plans and goals for the future, and what books you are working on.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, I’m not a big planner. I just want to be diligent and take care of the things that I need to do now and the things that I need to do in the near future and get them done. And, you know, if I take small steps forward like that, I will be ready - it could be a book, or it could be something else.

 

 

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