VOL.69/2024.04

Korean Authors

 

Writer Song Mikyoung

 

2021.10.05

 

 

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

 

Hello, I’m Song Mikyoung, a children’s book writer. I also work on illustrated books. and I have written play and a youth novel.

 

What was your childhood like?

 

I have dyslexia. But when I was young I didn’t know I had dyslexia. I felt like a child who was slow at studying, and since I was a kid, I really liked drawing. I was a child who drew all the time. I also loved books. That’s why I wanted to write. In fact, I never thought about becoming a writer. I think the people around me didn’t think about it either.

 

What books did you read often when you were young?

 

Instead of books with only text, I think I preferred ones with images. I grew up in my grandma’s house and there was a study room. If you look at art brochures, you can see the title of the year under the picture. It was really fun to look at those. And my second favorite was comics. Back then, romance comics were popular. I liked comics. I think those influenced me. That made me choose what’s suitable for me.

 

What motivated you to become a writer?

 

I have three children, and while having a conversation with my eldest, I suddenly thought of a story. I was carrying the youngest at that time. I sat in front of the computer and wrote while holding the youngest. I was so immersed in the story that I continued writing it until the next day That was my first one. I debuted with it as a writer.

 

 

Where do you find subjects and material?

 

If I have a question, I keep thinking about it. I check how I see it and what answers I am thinking about. I constantly think about them again and again. I think about material later. I think about why I am curious, what I want to talk about. When I think about those things they become solid, and then I find the material afterwards.

 

What do you think children’s books are?

 

I think children’s books help to rebuild broken things. People live without knowing what’s broken inside of themselves. I think children’s books tell them what to rebuild. I think they make us feel and understand what needs to be rebuilt. Kids’ books tell them they are the best. That’s why I think children’s books are powerful tools for both kids and adults.

 

What are your search terms?

 

Today’s chair. I’ve been taking a lot of photos of chairs. I keep collecting them. I’m preparing a book. I think one thing people throw away often when they move is chairs. And in fact, unlike other items you cannot use a chair without a seat or when a leg is broken. When my kids were very young, whenever funny-looking chairs were thrown away, they called me to take a picture. So in their memories I am a person who takes pictures of chairs. And sometimes people send me pictures of unique chairs. They take the pictures of them. I thank them. So I think my search term is “chair”.

 

Why do you write?

 

I think I would have written a lot even if I wasn’t a writer. I wrote diaries a lot. There are too many diaries to keep. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas. But I tend to forget what I wrote. Sometimes, when I get an urgent request for writing. I go through my notes to find sources. But regardless of whether I’m good at writing or not. I like the act of writing itself. I think I like creating something like this. I like writing tools too. So writing is a natural thing for me. It’s like I’m just living today. It’s like a part of my routine, wake up in the morning, wash and eat. I think it’s just natural for me.

 

 

* The interview and video were produced as a part of the K-Book Online Marketing Support Project of the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA).

 

 

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