Korea's Apartment Buildings

96 Pages·2014·23.77 MB·English

Foreword
The Present and Future
of Korean Style Apartment
Buildings
Most Koreans live in apartments, a fact which has significantly affected their lives.
Korea’s apartment buildings are usually five to 20 stories high, and several apartment
buildings form one residential complex. A residential complex includes amenities
such as roads, schools, a hospital, and a shopping complex.
When we decided that the Special Section for the fall issue was to be “Korea’s
Apartment Buildings,” my first concern was that the contributors might focus on
introducing only the negative characteristics of Korean style apartments. In fact,
Korean style apartments have many positive characteristics as well. The apartment
culture contributed to a high level of public safety and provided a convenient form
of accommodation needed for everyday life. Energy efficient air conditioning and
heating, as well as the economic advantages of the apartment complexes themselves,
have made Korea's apartments a housing model for countries rushing to urbanize.
It should also be noted that it was an inevitable choice for Koreans. Korea’s
population density ranked 20th in the world in 2011, but it comes in second
following Bangladesh after excluding city or island nations such as Hong Kong
and Singapore. Moreover, 65 percent of Korea is mountainous, which means that
habitable land is limited. It may sound like an excuse, but the practical option for
Koreans seems to be apartments. Eighty percent of city dwellers in Korea live in
apartments, which is the highest percentage in the world. The rate of apartment
buildings compared to other types of available housing in Korea has already exceeded
50 percent.
At any rate, Korea’s apartments form a type of langue, defining the life of Korean
people according to a structuralist perspective. Koreans create their own "parole" in
the langue called the apartment. In other words, Korea’s apartments are places and
at the same time, a metaphor explaining the life of Koreans. In this edition, four
contributors wrote essays on Korea’s apartment buildings. These essays examine
both positive and negative characteristics of the apartment as well, while accurately
portraying how desperately Koreans desire the “post-apartment” life.
Contemporary city planners hoped for apartments to be towers in a park.
Modern man inevitably asked to be confined in a tower to secure the pleasant park
area; however, the park was not offered to him, and the tower only evolved in the
direction of rising higher and becoming more isolated. I am reminded of the fairytale
"Rapunzel." The witch locked up Rapunzel in a high tower and watched over her. We
think of Rapunzel's overseer as a witch in the sense that she confines Rapunzel, but a
psychoanalytical reading also reveals her to be a mother who is overprotective of her
daughter. Regardless, Rapunzel grows up safely within the protection of her mother-
witch. In the end, however, Rapunzel lets her golden hair down from the tower
and escapes. Psychoanalysts often interpret her golden hair as “sexual maturity.”
Her mother, who does not accept Rapunzel’s maturity and tries to overprotect her,
is somewhat closer to being a witch. Koreans hear the “witch” whisper that the
apartment is a happy place. However, we’ll never know when Rapunzel might make
her escape from the high tower.
by Kim Mansu
list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013 1
Contents
Autumn 2013 Vol. 21
Reviews
42 Fiction
Untold Nights and a Day
The French Laundry
Four Days
Women and Their Evolving Enemies
Who Is Dr. Kim?
The Death of Robespierre
The Impossible Fairytale
60 Nonfiction
10 Two Stars, Two Maps: The Rivalry of Dasan and Yeonam
The Secret of Greek Tragedy: Twelve Most Famous Tragedies
Monsters in Art: The Human Fascination
with the Sensual and Fantastic
The Montage of Memory
01 Foreword Brain, Medicine, Mouth, and Body
04 Trade Report The Google God Knows Everything
05 News from LTI Korea Apartment
06 Bestsellers Samsung Way
Stethoscope for the Heart
08 Publishing Trends
On Impulse: Chuncheon, Jeonju, Gyeongju
Adult Park
Special Section
Korea’s Apartment Buildings 68 Children’s Books
Restaurant Sal
10 Confessions of a Knock-off Apartment Kid from the 1980s The Lily Star and The Little Star:
13 It's the Apartment, Stupid! The Complete Works of Ma Hae-song
16 The Apartment: Mirage of the Middle Class Go-Go-Go, Fat Club!
19 Imagined Spaces: The Apartment in Literature Candidate No.3 An Seok-bbong
Setting the Table
The Tiger’s Eyebrow
Interviews
Blue Bicycle
22 Literary Critic Lee O-young
28 Novelist Cheon Un-yeong Spotlight on Fiction
45 “My Sister’s Menopause” by Kim Hoon
Excerpts
26 In This Earth and In That Wind by Lee O-young Steady Sellers
32 Ginger by Cheon Un-yeong
59 The Complete Works of Kim Su-young, Vol.1 (Poems)
The Place by Kim Su-young
73 Man-hee’s House by Kwon Yun-duck
34 Gwangjang Market:
Where History Breathes
Theme Lounge
38 Dating Culture
2 list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013
Vol.21 Autumn 2013
A Quarterly Magazine for Publishers
28
PUBLISHER Kim Seong-Kon
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Kim Yoon-jin
MANAGING DIRECTOR Jung Jin Kwon
EDITORIAL BOARD Bok Dohoon Literary Critic
Kang Yu-jung Critic
Kim Ji-eun Children's Book Critic
Kim Mansu Professor, Inha University
Pyo Jeonghun Book Columnist
OVERSEAS Choi Kyeonghee University of Chicago
EDITORIAL ADVISORS Bruce Fulton University of British Columbia
Christopher P. Hanscom UCLA
Theodore Hughes Columbia University
Kim Yung-hee University of Hawai'i
22 59 David McCann Harvard University
Michael J. Pettid SUNY-Binghamton University
Janet Poole University of Toronto
Dafna Zur Stanford University
DOMESTIC Brother Anthony Sogang University
EDITORIAL ADVISORS Steven D. Capener Seoul Women's University
Poetry Horace J. Hodges Ewha Womans University
Charles Montgomery Dongguk University
67 “Ha… No Shadows” by Kim Su-young
Emanuel Pastreich Kyung Hee University
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kim Sun-hye
Overseas Angle
MANAGING EDITORS Cha Youngju
74 A New Opportunity for Korean Literature in Poland
Lee Chae Eun
75 Reflections on the 12th LTI Korea International Workshop
76 Expanding the Overseas Appeal of Korean Literature EDITORS Krys Lee
Kim Stoker
in Translation
77 A Fateful Meeting with Modern Korean Poetry ART DIRECTOR Choi Woonglim
DESIGNERS Jang Hyeju
New Books Kim Mijin
79 Recommended by Publishers
PHOTOGRAPHER Lee Kwa-yong
Meet the Publishers PRINTED BY NAMSANPNP
84 Sallim Publishing Company
Afterword Date of Publication August 27, 2013
list_ Books from Korea is a quarterly magazine
86 Messy Business: Translating Ambiguity
published by the Literature Translation
Institute of Korea.
87 Contributors All correspondence should be addressed to
the Literature Translation Institute of Korea
88 Featured Authors
112 Gil-32, Yeongdong-daero (Samseong-dong)
91 Index Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-873, Korea
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
www.klti.or.kr
www.list.or.kr
Cover Art © Park Sang-hyeok
Alone But Never Alone
120x167.4cm, pigment print, 2006
list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013 3
Trade Report
Educational Cartoons Open
a New Chapter in Infotainment
The Ultimate Baseball King, a recent and the Who? series, which won the
hit series of educational cartoons for Grand Prize in the Education category
lower-grade elementary school students at the 2013 National Brand Awards of
in Korea, has been sold to Sun Color Korea, were recognized worldwide for
Culture Publishing Co., Ltd., a publishing their excellent content with sales of their
group in Taiwan. Reportedly, Sun Color rights to eight countries, including Japan,
Culture Publishing Co., Ltd., has very Taiwan, China, and Vietnam.
high expectations for The Ultimate Gimmyoung Publishers is committed
Baseball King series because other Korean to promoting their bestselling cartoon
educational cartoons series they have series Far Countries, Neighboring Countries
previously published such as Survival and in the global market. Their first step is
Treasure Hunting, were huge hits. working on translating Far Countries,
The Ultimate Baseball King series Neighboring Countries: Korea into French
features elementary school students who, for publication. A household name for
while having fun playing baseball, learn Korean educational cartoons, the Far
about a variety of scientific principles Countries, Neighboring Countries series has
hidden in sports and life. They try to win sold over 17 million copies in Korea alone.
by applying strategies based on wisdom Korean educational cartoons have
The Ultimate Baseball King (5 vols.) from the classics to the game of baseball. unique strengths that set them apart
Little Hippo; Illustrator: Kim Kang-ho, Mirae-N (I-seum)
With professional baseball wildly popular from manga and comics. They combine
2012, 204p, ISBN 9788937883859 (Vol.1)
in Korea, this cartoon series adds to the entertainment with information about a
joy that children derive from the game. variety of subjects, opening a new chapter
The popularity of Korean educational in infotainment.
cartoons is spreading around the world,
including China, Taiwan, and Japan. For by Richard Hong
example, the Why? series, a household
name for Korean educational cartoons,
Korean Books Signed on 1
by Major Overseas Publishers
The Vegetarian by Han Kang finally Book Fair. Film rights were also recently
sold its rights to Portobello Books, an sold, which will boost the sales of the
imprint of the British publisher Granta novel’s translation rights overseas. There
3
Publications. This is Han's first novel are six countries in total, including the
sold to the English-speaking world. A few U.K., Italy, and France, where this novel
weeks later, Dutch rights were also sold has been sold.
to the Dutch publisher Nijgh and Van As for nonfiction, The Greatest Leaders
Ditmar. All told, The Vegetarian has been in Economics Who Managed the World
sold to nine countries: France, Poland, published by SERI (Samsung Economic
Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, Vietnam, Research Institute) sold its rights to China
and recently the U.K. and the Netherlands. immediately after publication in Korea.
Thus, Han's literary world will reach both This book offers a useful overview of the
Eastern and Western readers around the history of economic policies worldwide 2
world. through the glories and failures of 18
The Investigation, a novel by Lee economic policymakers that shaped 1. The Vegetarian
Han Kang, Changbi Publishers, Inc.
Jungmyung, the author of The Deep- world history, including Jacques Necker,
2007, 247p, ISBN 9788936433598
Rooted Tree and The Painter of Wind, was Alexander Hamilton, Winston Churchill,
2. The Investigator (2 vols.)
sold to the Italian publisher Sellerio. The Zhu Rongji, and Gerhard Schröder. Lee Jungmyung, EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Co.
highly anticipated English edition of this 2012, 289p, ISBN 9788956606187 (Vol.1)
novel, whose rights were sold last year to by Joseph Lee 3. The Greatest Leaders in Economics
Pan Macmillan of the U.K., is scheduled Who Managed the World
Yoo Jae-soo, Samsung Economic Research Institute
to be released in time for the 2014 London 2013, 504p, ISBN 9788976334534
4 list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013
News from LTI Korea
1. Karatani Kojin and Kim Uchang:
"Universality of East Asian Civilizations"
2. Oh Jung-hee, Han Kang, and Nakagami
Nori: "Women's Self Image and Literature"
3. Kim Yeon-su, Kim Ae-ran, and Kawakami
Mieko: "Communication in Literature”
4. a night of Korean literature
1 2
and An Heon-mi, and Japanese poet
Sagawa Aki explored life and poetry.
Korean novelists Ku Hyo-seo and Park
Seong-won, and Japan’s prize-winning
author Nakamura Fuminori exchanged
views on the city and communal life,
drawing keen attention from festival
participants. Kim Yeon-su, Kim Ae-
3 4
ran, and Kawakami Mieko—young
and promising writers from both
LTI Korea Holds Literary Events countries—met and discussed each
other’s literary world.
at the 2013 Tokyo Book Fair Joint book readings by Oh Jung-
hee, Choi Seung-ho, and Lee Seung-u
during “A Night of Korean Literature,”
LTI Korea participated in the 2013 Kawakami Mieko. an event introducing Korean writers
Tokyo International Book Fair Kim Uchang, professor at Ewha to visitors, were held on the final day,
(TIBF) from July 3 through July 6 Womans University, and philosopher successfully wrapping up the four-day
and organized “Korean Literature Is Karatani Kojin opened the events, literary program.
Now,” a set of large-scale literary events sharing views on various topics as This year’s Korean literary program
celebrating Korea, the guest of honor well-known intellectuals from both at TIBF generated enthusiastic responses,
country. Ten Korean writers joined the countries. Novelists Lee Seung-u with some attendees unable to find seats
events: Kim Uchang, Oh Jung-hee, and Nakazawa Kei held a seminar at the crowded events. The program
Choi Seung-ho, Lee Seung-u, Ku Hyo- introducing Korean literature on also offered a rare chance for Japanese
seo, Han Kang, Park Seong-won, Kim the second day. In another session, readers to meet leading Korean writers in
Yeon-su, An Heon-mi, and Kim Ae-ran. writers Oh Jung-hee, Han Kang, and person. With the exchange of knowledge
The Japanese writers were: Karatani Nakagami Nori discussed the image of between the two literary circles comes
Kojin, Nakazawa Kei, Nakagami Nori, women and literature. the expectation of broading the cultural
Sagawa Aki, Nakamura Fuminori, and Korean poets Choi Seung-ho horizons in each country.
1 2 3
LTI Korea Hosts the 12th International Workshop
LTI Korea held the 12th International Strategies for Promoting Korean three panelists who have made great
Workshop for the Translation and Literature Worldwide.” Part 1, titled contributions in promoting and
Publication of Korean Literature at the “Concentration: Publication Strategies,” marketing Korean literature in their
COEX Conference Center on June 21. covered possible strategies and plans respective countries. The recipients were
For the past 11 years, the international to nurture a stable and systematic Marzena Stefanska, publisher of Kwiaty
workshop has served as a key venue publishing environment for Korean Orientu; Dennis Maloney, editor and
in which experts from various sectors literature by forming partnerships publisher of White Pine Press; and
discuss major issues facing Korean with major foreign publishers. In Part Claude Mouchard, associate editor of
literature. Past themes included 2, titled “Evolution: Introduction Po&sie.
the ways to improve the quality of Strategies,” participants discussed ways
translation, strategies to promote to adapt to rapidly evolving publishing
1. “Concentration: Publication Strategies”
overseas publication of Korean literary conditions.
2. “Evolution: Introduction Strategies”
works, e-publishing, and the exploration Toward the end of the workshop,
3. the recipients of the LTI Korea Distinguished
of new overseas markets. the LTI Korea Distinguished Service Service Awards and LTI Korea President
The theme this year was “New Awards Ceremony was held to honor Kim Seong-Kon
list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013 5
Bestsellers
What We’re Reading
Salt Secretly, Greatly The Quotes of My Life
Fiction Nonfiction
Moonlight Tales author of the bestselling Toe Ma Rok series, which The Quotes of My Life
has sold more than 10 million copies. The story
Shin Kyung-sook, Munhakdongne Publishing Corp. Jeong Ho-seung, Viche Korea Books
collection Toe Ma Rok celebrates the 20th anniversary
2013, 212p, ISBN 9788954620666 2013, 484p, ISBN 9788994343921
of the series by shedding light on the guardians’ past
The newest book by Shin Kyung-sook, the and present lives, relationships, and the tales behind One of the most celebrated poets in Korea, Jeong
internationally renowned author of Please Look After the main story. Ho-seung introduces the words that comforted him
Mom, Moonlight Tales is a collection of 26 witty and through his life. Quotations from famous writers,
surreal short stories that leave long lingering feelings religious leaders, ordinary people, and his mother
Secretly, Greatly
like the gentle shine of the moon. are featured, such as, “Nobody can gaze at the stars
Hun, Hye-gyung, Gulliver without welcoming the night. Nobody can encounter
Goguryeo V: King Gogugwon 2013, 380p, ISBN 9788996675457 the morning without passing the night.”
Originally a webtoon serialized on the Korean search
of the People
engine DAUM, Secretly, Greatly was released as a The Art of Reading
Kim Jin-myung, Saeum Publishing Co. movie in 2013. The famous quote “I was born a wild
Jung Min, Gimm-Yeong Publishers, Inc.
2013, 359p, ISBN 9788993964585 dog and raised a monster,” comes from this book.
2013, 408p, ISBN 9788934962847
Bestselling author Kim Jin-myung freely crosses the North Korean spy Won Ryu-hwan who, under cover
border between fiction and nonfiction. His Goguryeo as the village idiot, makes human connections with What is reading? How do we read? This book
series tells of people with the most outgoing spirit in his South Korean neighbors. introduces the reading styles of nine prominent
Joseon era scholars. One scholar, Yang Eung-su
Korean history. Goguryeo V remakes the unfortunate
(1700-1767), said that, “Reading is like looking at a
King Gogugwon as a man with genuine love for his Faith (Vol.2)
house. A glimpse at the exterior is useless. One must
subjects.
Song Jina, Viche Korea Books walk through it, study each room, and examine each
2013, 408p, ISBN 9788994343891 window.”
Salt
Popular dramatist Song Jina’s romance transcends
Park Bumshin, Hankyoreh Publishing Company time and space. This novel depicts the love between Life
2013, 368p, ISBN 9788984316904 Goryeo warrior Choi Yung and the modern doctor
Choi In-ho, Yeobaek Media Co., Ltd.
Park Bumshin’s 40th novel Salt is a sad portrait of Yu Eunsu. A historical romance that blends action, 2013, 288p, ISBN 9788958661993
Korean fathers who struggle for their families in a fantasy, and love, it was also made into a TV drama
brutal capitalist society. This novel poses fundamental of the same name. One of Korea’s contemporary literary pillars, Choi
In-ho is also a cancer survivor. This is a book of
questions about fathers, the salt of the household,
essays wrought during the five years that he fought
through the narration of one man’s abandonment of 28
cancer. It depicts his discovery of God’s providence as
his responsibilities and his family.
Jeong You-jeong, EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Co. well as his personal views on life. The writer describes
2013, 496p, ISBN 9788956607030 his fight against cancer as “a carnival of pain” and
Toe Ma Rok: The Records of Exorcism Jeong You-jeong is the most exciting Korean writer shares profound discoveries that he made along the
- Sidequel today. Her strengths are an intricate plot, a sleek way.
Lee Woo-hyouk, Elixir writing style, and cool aplomb. 28 is an extreme
disaster novel based on a zoonosis outbreak. It asks
2013, 304p, ISBN 9788954620888
about the dignity of life as humans and animals
Lee Woo-hyouk is Korea’s leading fantasy writer and communicate, diverge, and fight.

6 list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013
These totals are based on sales records from eight major bookstores
and three online bookstores from April to June 2013,
provided by the Korean Publishers Association.
The books are introduced in no particular order.
The Art of Reading An Upside-down World My Name Is Venus Flytrap
Children's Books
The Return of Hope An Upside-down World My Name Is Venus Flytrap
Norbert Dong-yeob Cha, Wiz & Viz Ahn Sung-hoon; Illustrator: Heo Goo Lee Ji-yoo; Illustrator: Kim E-rang
2013, 316p, ISBN 9788992825726 Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd., 2013 Haegreem, 2013, 78p, ISBN 9788901155234
A Catholic priest and bestselling self-help writer, Cha 119p, ISBN 9788901156576 A science teacher and bestselling author of
delivers a message of hope to those who are plagued In An Upside-down World, people lose their children’s astronomy and geology books, Lee Ji-yoo
by anxiety and despair. “Look behind you. Hope is intellectual capacity as they grow older, and it is the presents this plant book for children. Through the
hidden there. Look ahead. You will glimpse hope. children who are superior to adults. Children are free entertaining conversation between a Venus flytrap
Look around. Hope will be revealed to you. Look to do as they choose but they also bear the burden and a Swiss cheese plant, the author teaches plant
inside. Hope is stirring there.” of protecting adults and worrying about the future. ecology.
This fantasy book won the 6th Woongjin Junior
See Your Own Big Picture Literature Award. Jiwon and Byeong-gwan Series
Jun Og-pyo, The Business Books and Co., Ltd. Ko Dae-young; Illustrator: Kim Young-jin
It’s OK
2013, 296p, ISBN 9788997575138 Gilbut Children Publishing Co., Ltd.
Jun is a bestselling writer in the self-improvement Choi Sook-hee, Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd. 2006, 32p (Vol.1), ISBN 9788955820942 (set)
genre. By studying numerous interviews and cases, 2009, 28p, ISBN 9788901052922 This illustrated book series about Jiwon and Byeong-
the author finds what successful people have in A steady bestseller in the children’s illustrated book gwan humorously shows daily events like taking the
common. Successful people draw the big picture and category, this story boosts self-confidence through subway, getting an allowance, learning to ride a bike,
work hard to achieve it. They truly are the masters of the message that everyone has something he or she and not biting your fingernails. This eight-volume
their lives. is good at. Vivid and lovely illustrations keep young series has sold more than 400,000 copies. Every
readers enthused. scene has a picture puzzle for readers to solve.
They Cry Silently
Song Ho-keun, Lee & Woo Press World’s 100 Greatest Masterpieces Blue Child
2013, 236p, ISBN 9788998933005 More Exciting than the Louvre Gong Sun-ok et al., Changbi Publishers, Inc.
This book is an essay tribute to Korean baby Museum 2013, 208p, ISBN 9788936456504
boomers that are now in their 50s. The baby Blue Child is a collection of short stories written by
Park Hyun-cheol, Samsung Publishing
boomer generation led Korea through the years of well-known Korean young adult writers like Gong
industrialization and democratization, but is now 2011, 200p, ISBN 9788915080515 Sun-ok, Gu Byeong-mo, Kim Ryeo-ryeong, Bae
troubled by a sense of loss and the uncertainty of This book features masterpieces from around the Myung-hoon, Lee Hyun, Jun Sung-tae, and Choi
retirement. Song presents a collective self-portrait of world. Inventive images and interesting stories make Namee. This book presents exciting contemporary
the generation. artists like da Vinci and Picasso easily accessible to young adult literature and new writing styles.
young readers.
list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013 7
Publishing Trends
through the power of the story itself. Authors can justly take
pride in their prose style, but critics have pointed out that the
balance between story and style or perhaps ideas and form has
suffered with an over-emphasis on form. Maybe Jeong can find
this balance in 28. Hopefully literature written from this new
perspective will also find a loyal readership abroad.
by Uh Soo-woong
Nonfiction
Reflections on the
28
Jeong You-jeong
EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Co. Happiness Craze
2013, 496p, ISBN 9788956607030
Fiction For the past several years, the bestseller lists have been filled
with essay collections about spiritual healing and the pursuit of
happiness. In as much as these books are popular, it proves that
Dynamic Storytelling
large numbers of people are suffering from sadness and mental
fatigue. But we cannot simply welcome all of the attention given
Boosts Slump
them. Books seem to comfort troubled readers, but in many
cases they can’t really provide them with solutions, or they limit
happiness to the personal sphere, and ask readers to just change
Since the start of 2013, Korean literature has been in a slump. To their attitudes.
be precise, the market has been in a slump. Many attractive books Books such as Pressure To Be Happy and Elbow Society focus
appealing to diverse tastes have been published, but the public critical attention on the wave of literature promising readers
hasn’t paid much attention to them. A few novels were in the greater happiness. In Pressure To Be Happy, philosopher Tak Seok-
spotlight after being adapted into movies or television dramas, but san claims that people are missing the larger perspective if they
outside of these, very few works of fiction have become bestsellers. put personal happiness above all else. “Happiness springs from
In the second quarter, though, there was an exception. Jeong individuals, communities, and society all playing their proper
You-jeong’s novel 28 was released in June. After her previous work, role. If you understand that the self, neighbors, and society all
Seven Years of Darkness, was published two years ago and became contribute to happiness, then you are not far from the path to a
a bestseller with sales approaching 30,000 copies, fans have been good life.”
awaiting her next book. In its first week of release, it topped the Tak explains that happiness was once understood to be
sales charts of Internet book retailer Aladdin, and in the second determined by God, but with the emergence of utilitarianism
week it reached #2 in sales at Yes24 and Kyobo Bookstore. it became its own kind of religion. Other societal forces have
To summarize the contents of this 500-page novel in a few reinforced the myth of personal happiness: democracy and its
lines: the story unfolds over a 28-day period in Hwayang, a emphasis on equality, capitalism and the commodification of
suburb of Seoul which has been quarantined due to the outbreak labor, and individualism, which puts the “I” before the “we.”
of a mysterious disease called “red eye.” Red eye is a cross-species According to experts and writers of self-help books, it is possible
virus that can be transmitted from dogs to humans and vice to achieve happiness just by making a list and following it. Tak,
versa. It is deadly, with an infection rate on par with measles however, denies this possibility, stating that in the midst of social
(98 percent) and a fatality rate similar to that of Ebola (50 to 90 contradiction, it is impossible for people to pursue happiness on
percent). A distinguishing feature of the disease is that after it is an individual basis and achieve it.
first contracted, the area around the eyes turns blood red. In Elbow Society, Professor Kang Su-dol locates the root of
A popular novel intended for momentary comfort or pleasure Koreans’ unhappiness in their competitive, winner-takes-all social
would focus on the story of a hero who identifies and tracks down structure. In Kang’s book, an “elbow society” refers to a society
the hidden powers responsible for propagating the disease, and that functions as a competition that must be won at all costs. Even
finds a vaccine. The writer, however, resists this conventional though it is in violation of the rules, people elbow each other to
formula and asks questions that have long been pushed into our get ahead and become victors. People in this environment have
subconscious. Is human survival always more important than the internalized competition over cooperation, and division over
life of individuals? How can we overcome guilt and repay debts if harmony, and they accept the struggle for survival imposed by
our lives are contingent on the sacrifices of others? In other words, capitalism as the logic of their lives. In this twisted environment,
she is asking the fundamental questions concerning salvation and people view others’ sorrow as their happiness. According to Kang,
hope, and of the moral grounds of life. an individual’s life and social relations should be restructured
Jeong You-jeong has been credited with bringing a new using solidarity and cooperation as the foundation. His critique
perspective to the literary scene. The dominant trend is for authors would likely apply to other cultures as well as Korea’s.
to focus on introspection and interior monologue, prioritizing
structure and style. Instead, Jeong intends to connect with readers by Kim Beomsoo
8 list_ Books from Korea Vol.21 Autumn 2013