K-Book Trends - Berlin: A Multicultural City that Loves Outsiders

ENG: KOR

게시물 상세
Special Project [New Ways of Walking Through Cities ③] Berlin: A Multicultural City that Loves Outsiders 2025.03.10 Berlin was a city divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall during the Cold War. For Koreans, it is also a place they feel an emotional connection to as they share the same history of division. In 1989, the Berlin Wall finally collapsed and Germany was reunified; now, the East Side Gallery stands in its place as a memorial. Stretching a whopping 1,316 meters long, it is the world’s largest open-air gallery - 108 artists from 21 countries drew 105 paintings on the wall in 1990 with messages of peace, unity, and opposition to war. Once a symbol of the Cold War, the Berlin Wall has now become a symbol of hope and freedom, a new Berlin landmark and a must-see tourist attraction that has touched and inspired many people. Berlin is a city that draws young travelers from all over the world, with its fresh image as a green city. Since the Middle Ages, the city has welcomed a wide variety of foreigners to form its unique culture, and this inclusive spirit is reflected in its literary award, the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize. This literary award, presented to “immigrant authors” who are not from Germany but write in German, honors Adelbert von Chamisso, a Berlin Romantic writer and immigrant who wrote Peter Schlemihls Wundersame Geschichte. This suggests that Berlin is a city with a multilayered culture that respects diversity. This is one of the reasons why Berlin still attracts so many travelers. Berlin is a city that uses its past as a springboard for a brighter future. It’s up to each traveler to choose what happy memories they want to make in this welcoming city. Comforting Meals and friendship in an unfamiliar city There’s No Yukgaejang in Berlin The life of an outsider is usually peppered with some anxiety, racism, loneliness, and longing for a homeland. The author of There’s No Yukgaejang in Berlin (Anonbooks) was no exception. The author decided to make a living in Berlin, but never quite settled in and couldn’t escape the feeling of drifting through the city, until one day she met a flatmate named Jonas. Living with someone was living a very different life was never easy; they would eat, chat, and cook together, but their daily life also included frequent arguments. What ultimately allowed them to reconcile with wisdom and good humor, share stories, connect, and build a friendship was cooking. The author describes the soothing comfort of a “warm meal” shared with a “good friend,” transcending nationality and culture. “I decided to stay in Berlin. There was no one big reason. It was a combination of many things that led me to Berlin. The process of accepting Yonas in all of his many guises was similar to the process of accepting Berlin. I chose Yonas as the protagonist of my first book - a positive and affectionate flatmate, a friend who told me that making coffee and breakfast for me was the joy of his life, an annoying human who would often knock on my door until I was on edge, an often racist and demeaning person, and a man who was closest to death but always focused on the present.” - from There’s No Yukgaejang in Berlin As we read through the story, which describes the author’s daily life after becoming flatmates with Yonas in an unpretentious, sensitive, and witty voice, it feels like we are another flatmate sharing the same house with them. Although their daily routine is nothing extraordinary, we get to see how the two people from different cultures find solace and deep friendship through the ups and downs of their lives. In the end, the author decides to settle down in Berlin. This book authentically demonstrates how meals shared together play an important role when individuals, who cannot live alone in any part of the world, come to accept each other. The ordinary, yet special, everyday life in Berlin will make you realize the delights of life. The struggles of studying Korea in a faraway land Korean Studies Professor in Berlin Taking the first step is never easy, no matter which path you take. This is why those who pioneer in a field, paving the way and achieving mastery in their field, naturally inspire admiration and respect. This book, Korean Studies Professor in Berlin (Sakyejul Publishing), chronicles the author’s 15-year struggle to introduce “Korean Studies” to Berlin and make it a distinct and popular field of study after becoming the first full professor at the Institute of Korean Studies at the Free University of Berlin in 2008. Although it was not an easy path, the author has expanded and spread the field of Korean studies with a determined spirit and persistence. Along the way, the author demonstrates the colorful charms of Korean studies that even Koreans were unaware of. “Our students are constantly confronted with the prejudices of older German intellectuals, who categorize K-pop as ‘low-grade pop music.’ There are still some teachers who study Korean studies that simply summarize K-pop as ‘trashy’ music. When I ask them if they have ever listened to K-pop, they often ask me why they should listen to it. Our students are very aware that teachers have this kind of biased perception.” - from Korean Studies Professor in Berlin Korean Studies Professor in Berlin introduces various attempts and activities to broaden the spectrum of Korean studies to appeal to a wider audience, rather than approaching it as an overly difficult subject. For example, the book features examples of opportunities for students to actively learn about Korean culture and history, such as Korean Studies students trying on hanbok, participating in K-pop dance competitions, and organizing Hallyu (Korean Wave) club activities. The book also describes how the students came to Korea for summer school, participated in temple stays and historical tours, and bonded as “colleagues in Korean studies” beyond professors and students. It is a book that shows the author’s efforts to promote Korean studies in a variety of ways, rather than just in the classroom. The Joy in a Life of Reading and Writing, Despite Isolation Moments of Farewell Space can sometimes fuel an artist’s creativity. For example, Bae Soo-Ah bought a cabin with a garden in the countryside near Berlin, where she lived for 15 years. Bae translated during her time in Korea and wrote her works at the cabin in Berlin, using the space as a stage for her creative pursuits. By immersing herself in her work and focusing on reading and writing during her time in Berlin, she reached a turning point as a writer. One of the works that was born as a result was Moments of Farewell (Munhakdongne). The book is a series of essays composed of the lives, travels, and conversations of two characters, “I” and the “owner of the Berlin bookshelf.” The “owner of the Berlin bookshelf” is not a real person, but rather a symbol of literature itself. “The owner of the Berlin bookshelf said, ‘With you, I could steal a horse.’ ‘What does that mean?’ I asked, and the Berlin bookseller replied that he would like to paraphrase it. ‘With you, I could steal a plum.’ I laughed, and said, ‘No, I would never do that. I can’t. I’m not that kind of a friend. You shouldn’t trust me that much. I would never imagine it, I swear.’” - from Moments of Farewell In the book, the two head to the plum tree with a ladder on a dusky evening. The “owner of the Berlin bookshelf” is not only a companion in this bold escapade, but also a friend who shares the small details of everyday life, and an inspiration to the artist in the work. And so, in a faraway country, the “owner of the Berlin bookshelf” and “I” become friends, sharing stories about books and writing, childhood memories and happiness. This prose collection, in which Bae’s unique world of reading, writing, and being a writer unfolds, can be said to be a “life of reading and writing” against the background of Berlin and a cottage garden in the countryside. Berlin is a city with a painful history, but also a city that remembers its past and uses it as a springboard to move forward. It is also a city that has blossomed with culture and art by embracing different cultures, and a center of contemporary art. This makes the Gendarmenmarkt square a beautiful place to enjoy a mix of different religious buildings. Berlin’s club culture also draws thousands of people at night - magnetizing young people from all over the world. Berlin is one of Germany’s most open cities, and its multiculturalism makes it a city of diversity. Enjoying the city’s diverse charms is a real gift for travelers visiting Berlin. Written by Kim Young-Ihm Kim Young-Ihm #Berlin #Germany #Outsider #Studying Korea

If you liked this article, share it with others. 페이스북 트위터 블로그 인쇄

Pre Megazine

TOP