VOL.69/2024.04

Korean literature spreading across the world

2020.05.04

Full-length novel Lemon

The global publishing market is eyeing Lemon (Changbi), a full-length novel written by Kwon Yeo-Sun. The book’s “World English Language Rights” were sold to Other Press in the US in 2019, while it could meet British readers after the rights were sold to British publisher Head of Zeus last March. The book Lemon sold translation rights to six countries until today including Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and Russia. It is expected that the book will be further exported to other countries when the translation into English is completed. The book is a full-length novel published in 2019, 3 years after Kwon Yeo-Sun attracted readers by winning the 47th Dong-In Literary Prize in 2016 with her short story collection Hello, Drunkard (Changbi). Kwon Yeo sun’s writing demonstrates a unique sense of dignity and offers sharp insights into the inexplicable nature of life. Readers celebrate her for work that transcends boundaries.
The novel tells the story of a tragic case in which “a pretty female high school student was murdered”. It takes place in the summer of 2002 during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. All the related characters of the case lose their bearing and begin to waver. The voices of three women at the center of the case lead the story in turn; the book throws a grave question about the meaning of life by tenaciously digging into the impact of a death that could not be mourned by people.

Almond Japanese Edition, “2020 Bookseller Awards” - 1st place in translated novels

The Japanese edition of Almond (Changbi), a full-length novel written by Sohn Won-Pyung won first place for translated novels at the “2020 Bookseller Award.” Created in 2004 by booksellers, winners of the award are chosen by the votes of booksellers including online bookstores that sell new releases. Then in 2012, the translated novel section was newly added to the prize. Almond was the first book written by an Asian writer to be awarded in the category. It was also chosen as the “Book of the Year by Booksellers” in Korea when it was published in 2017. It was highlighted in both Japan and Korea at the same time as a book that booksellers recommend and suggest to readers. Translated by Akiko Yajima, Almond was published by Shodensha in Japan in July 2019, and sold 35 thousand copies until late March this year.
Almond is a Young Adult novel that features a special coming-of-age story of a boy that has no feelings. Published in 2017, it has been a bestseller with more than 400 thousand copies sold in Korea until April this year, and translation-export contracts are currently signed in 15 countries including Russia and Greece. The English edition is set to be published on May 5th this year by HarperVia in the US. With the announcement of the Bookseller Award, a special section called “Winners of the Bookseller Award” has been prepared in medium ― and large-size bookstores across Japan. ― The winners of the award this year including Almond will begin meeting the local readers, and are then expected to make their way into the list of bestsellers.

Globally Promising: The Case Note of the Minamdang

The Case Note of the Minamdang

The Case Note of the Minamdang (CABINET) written by Jung Jae-Han has emerged as one of the titles that global readers are paying close attention to. It is a full-length mystery novel featuring former profiler Nam Han-Jun solving cases as a swindler shaman. Renowned shaman Nam Han-Jun of Yeonnam-dong gives stunning psychic readings, has a handsome look, and plausible words, is actually a fake shaman who is a former profiler. It is his technique of ferreting out the past, present, and future of people by profiling the clues and information about them collected by a genius hacker Hye-Jun and Soo-Cheol, who runs a detective agency. While making a good sum of money by handling the cases of the rich, the three discovers a burnt body of a woman during a case requested by their regular client; they are then drawn into a series of odd cases. The novel is a chaotic story about the Minamdang extorting a fortune-teller’s fee from customers, and a case-solving story about a massive conspiracy. The Case Note of the Minamdang is an intriguing novel that provides both suspense and joy throughout the story. The translation rights were sold to Thailand and France, and it is set to be published in autumn this year in France.

Written by Joseph Lee (President of KL Management)