• Women in Motion: Sport and Self-Discovery in Korean Literature

  움직이는 여성들: 한국문학이 그리는 스포츠와 자기발견

  A popular saying on Korean social media holds that “kindness comes from stamina.” The idea is simple: to be kind and good-humored toward other people, you need energy left over after studying, working, and simply getting through the demands of everyday life. The phrase struck such a chord that it even inspired the title of a bestselling essay collection on the importance of exercise, Kindness, Too, Comes from Stamina, by the Korean-born former Google executive, Lois Kim.

   

  Stories about women and sports that began as an effort to build a strong and capable body rather than a slim, beautiful one are not about winning and losing—they are records of personal growth, recovery from emotional hardship, and experiences of forging communities through running, competing, and sharing the physical give-and-take of sports. Since Kim Honpi’s Elegant and Cheerful Women’s Soccer became a bestseller in Korea after its publication in 2018, and has steadily been introduced overseas, “women who play sports” have become an enduring presence in Korean publishing.

   

  Across both fiction and memoir, these books about women and sports explore how strengthening the body transforms the way they inhabit their lives, making them more active and assertive. Some learn to swim, while others discover running. Some take up martial arts, while other falls in love with boxing. The books introduced here are just a handful of Korean titles centered on women in motion. Rather than leaving women on stadium stands as spectators, they place them on the field, exploring how physical movement becomes a path toward self-discovery and solidarity. The selection favors the latest publications.

  

• Which Work of Korean Literature Should You Read Next?

  나의 다음 한국문학 선택은?

  What was the first work of Korean literature you read? Maybe you came across it by chance. Someone might have recommended it to you, you may have spotted it in a bookstore, or perhaps you picked it up after reading about a new release. Whatever the case, that was the moment you, like Alice, fell down the rabbit hole into the world of Korean literature. Along the way, you may have encountered a scene that captivated you or a question that lingered in your mind long after you finished reading.

  Now comes the difficult part: choosing your second book. Finding your next Korean read can feel oddly overwhelming. On online communities like Reddit, readers occasionally ask for recommendations for Korean books similar to the ones they’ve loved.

  So here are several works that will take you one step deeper into the rabbit hole where your journey began—books that will keep your Korean literary adventure going when you’re not quite ready for it to end. The right “next” book depends on what your first book was. These works revisit familiar scenes from a different angle or reshape the questions you discovered in unexpected ways. Here, we suggest the perfect next reads for five Korean works that have captivated readers around the world.

  

• Stories that Hook You from the First Line: Five Korean Works with Unforgettable Openings

  읽자마자 빠져드는 이야기: 도입부가 인상적인 한국문학 5선

  The opening line of a novel isn’t just the sentence that happens to come first. For instance, I love the opening line from Eun Heekyung’s “Talking to Strangers”: “When we call out to someone from behind, we use their name.” It makes me pause and wonder whether I’d have thought to use the phrase “from behind,” but what stays with me is something else entirely: the fact that throughout the entire story, neither the first-person narrator “I” nor “she” is ever named. I love how that first sentence quietly sets up a subtle tension with everything that follows.

   

  Another opening line I’ve returned to again and again comes from Hwang Jungeun’s “The Man Who Laughs”: “For a long time, I have been thinking about it.” That same sentence closes the story as well, and in between, similar phrasing built around “I think” repeats with an almost obsessive rhythm, pulling the reader along as we follow what it is the narrator has been thinking about for so long. In that sense, an opening sentence is like the first stitch in knitting: it can hold the entire fabric of the story together—or, with the slightest tug, let everything unravel.

  

• Born to Tell Stories : Five Debut Novels in 2025

  쓰기 위해 태어난 : 2025 신인 작가 소설편

  Reading a novel is like facing the world. If you can imagine someone’s world through their story, then reading an author’s first book feels like getting to know a new friend. Their voice—exploring the world through their own language and capturing life and humanity through a unique lens—holds its initial quiver untouched.  

  We present the five debut works of new writers —three short story collections and two novels— who have brought readers the joy of “reading the world” this year. An interesting fact about these authors is that each persevered in the life of a writer, from their own place and circumstances, long before publication. All their time and experiences melt into their sentences—15 years of working as a weekly and monthly magazine reporter, nine years spent working as an editor, and the mark of their identity they have left through short stories recognized by Young Writers’ Award, Lee Hyo Seok Literary Award, and Changbi Young Adult Literary Award. The sensibilities honed over long life of writing shine brightly for all to see on the stage of their first book.

  This may explain why their stories display an unbelievable mastery for new writers. The varied forms and meticulously crafted writing, and the insight of capturing life’s contradictions and beauty surpass expectations.

  To share in their beginnings is more than simply reading a book; it is like witnessing the next chapter of Korean literature. For contemporary readers, it is truly a joyous moment to see the possibilities contained within the world that the opening sentence unfolds. We look forward to the future of Korean literature, which will shine even more brightly with the emergence of new literary stars.

  

• Seoul in K-Literature: The Present Edition

  서울이 소개되는 한국문학 : 현재편

  There’s a saying, “it’s the same wherever you live”. It’s both true and false. The five books introduced here are set in five different neighborhoods: Oksu-dong, Buam-dong, Yeonhui-dong, Gongdeok-dong, and Cheongdam-dong. Although these books explore lives and societal issues that could be found anywhere, they also fully reveal the geographical, historical and cultural character of each place. For this reason, their titles cannot simply be swapped or changed at random, such as Rendezvous Gallery of Oksu-dong; I Live in Buam-dong, Though I’m Penniless; Gongdeok-dong Runner; or This is the Plant Kindergarten of Cheongdam-dong.The five books portray moments and events that unfold where people and places intersect, tracing the relationships and memories that grow around them. None of them challenges the notion of the desirable city or the policies of regional development. Yet, by the time readers finish, they will have come to understand what paths, homes, shops, schools, workplaces, galleries and parks they need to build and care for. They will realize what kind of neighbor and colleague they should become. They will understand what helps them grow healthy and mature. Though each has its own distinct color, Oksu-dong, Buam-dong, Yeonhui-dong, Gongdeok-dong, and Cheongdam-dong are all neighborhoods where residential and commercial areas exist side by side. Residents, visitors and workers cross paths. Each book invites readers into the lives of people living in parts of Seoul that have not yet been touched by industrialization or tourism, making their daily lives all the more interesting and unpredictable.

  

• Five Korean Literary Works for Fans of K-POP Demon Hunters

  <케이팝 데몬 헌터스> 팬이라면 사랑할 수밖에 없는 한국문학

  As the animated film K-pop Demon Hunters officially became Netflix’s most popular film of all time on the Most Popular English Films list, it marked a true “Honmoon” moment. Following this success, global fans asking for book recommendations reminiscent of the film show how its emotional resonance has sparked worldwide interest in Korean literature. 

  To meet these requests, Korean literature could be effectively promoted by using keywords such as “K-pop,” “idol,” “K-occult,” and “shamanism.” However, using these keywords in isolation may disappoint the fans who could miss the emotional punch they felt with K-pop Demon Hunters. Ultimately—much like K-pop—it all comes down to “fan sentiment.” Careful, nuanced curation is needed to identify works that carry a sentiment similar to the film.

  K-pop Demon Hunters has ignited a worldwide fan frenzy by perfectly blending “K-pop,” “idol,” “K-occult,” and “shamanism” within a storyline that reflects K-pop’s unique identity and worldview. Therefore, even if a work highlights only one of these elements, it can still be worth recommending—so long as it captures the same K-pop essence. On the other hand, works that merely mirror fandom culture or dwell on its negative aspects are not the right fit. 

  A good example of a recommendable work is one that directly reflects cultural symbolism—like tigers and magpies in K-pop Demon Hunters—or one with a clear thematic thread. Even in occult fiction, a story that follows a female protagonist coming of age by overcoming hardship and pain would be noteworthy. Works that explore how “we”—our community, not just the individual—live together would be even more meaningful as this embodies K-pop’s identity and worldview. 

  

• The Art of First Impressions: Book Covers

  책표지, 첫인상이라는 예술

  A book cover is the very first impression a reader gets of a book. It sets the tone and the story inside with a single image. It is the strongest visual sign and marketing tool that persuades readers to pick up the book among countless others at a bookstore, and it aims to accurately reflect the author’s intent. Book cover design is shaped through planning and editorial direction, and then brought to life through well-balanced arrangement of layout elements like typography, imagery, whitespace, and color.

  In recent years, Korean book covers have embraced the latest trends in publishing design, focused on attention-grabbing quality and aesthetic appeal—emotive illustrations, restrained typography, use of negative space, and refined color palettes—all tailored to complement each book’s theme. Literary and humanities titles, especially, make use of symbolic images and experimental designs to visually express the depth of their content.

  Book covers are not just about the variety of layout; they also experiment with different formats, such as binding methods (perfect binding, case binding, etc.), or sizes (large print, pocket editions, etc.). Advancements in digital printing technology has made it possible to customize individual books by size, binding, and paper type, reducing production costs and inventory strain. This flexibility has spurred more adventurous design, and with a growing use of eco-friendly materials, the book cover has evolved into a form of cultural expression in its own right.

  

• What the Word “Family” Can’t Fully Hold

  가족이라는 말로는 다 담지 못하는

  Family seems like it’s always so close, yet at times it becomes the most distant and unfamiliar name. It is widely accepted without question that there are things we’re expected to endure “because we’re family” and that there are also things we can’t do “because we’re not family.” In Korea, the word “family” readily conjures up familiar images of marriage, blood relations, and adoption. 

  
  

  Reality, however, has already shifted. One-person households, friends who have chosen not to marry, neighbors who live with animal companions, and couples who take care of each other without legal status—these lives are no longer unusual. Yet, even so, the concept of the “normal family” remains firmly entrenched. Traditional family structures are accepted without scrutiny, while lives that fall outside those norms are still viewed as exceptions, or even as deviant, and are not easily embraced. Institutions and social perceptions remain trapped within familiar frames, failing to fully accommodate the diversity of lifestyles. 

  
  

  In her book, The Right to Found Families (Gajok-eul guseonghal gwolli), Kim Sun-nam asserts that everyone has the right to form families or communities in the way they choose, and to live without discrimination. She proposes that we reimagine family with a language of resistance. Family is not a fixed structure but something that can take many forms, rooted in the desire to care for one another and the connections of everyday life. 

  
  

  The five works of Korean literature introduced here begin at this very point. They explore relationships and lives that are not confined by the label of “family,” expanding its boundaries in different ways while posing thought-provoking questions. The scenes portrayed by these books remind us of the value of relationships that can’t be easily defined by the word “family,” and prompt us to consider communities that affirm our right to live as our authentic selves. Today, much of Korean literature grapples with questions around family and portrays lives and emotions that cannot be fully captured in a fixed framework. Then, what names do we now use to call one another? I hope the time you spend reading these books offer a chance to reflect on those names anew. 

  

• Korean Literature on the 2025 Screen!

  2025 스크린으로 만나볼 수 있는 한국문학

  The golden age of K-content is being propelled by the power of diverse original works. While domestic film and drama industries are grappling with significant challenges due to escalating production costs and a contracting broadcast and film market,global platforms such as Netflix are facilitating the consistent creation of content that appeals to audiences worldwide.

  
  

  Whereas novels were popular source material for films and dramas in the past, in recent years, adaptations of webtoons and web novels have seen a notable increase. Nevertheless, novels continue to play a major role as a wellspring of stories. A prime example is Park Sang-young’s Love in the Big City, which achieved the extraordinary feat of being adapted concurrently into a film and a drama in 2024.

  
  

  If efforts to adapt novels into visual media continue to grow, successful instances of multi-use adaptations—spanning novels, dramas, games, and animation—may also materialize. The most eagerly anticipated novel for such an adaptation is Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, set for release this year.. Amidst dwindling visual production volumes, writers can surmount such obstacles by swiftly crafting works that resonate with the zeitgeist, employing timely and trendy themes and storytelling techniques. Even in an era when a Korean authoris awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the challenges faced by novels is unlikely to be easily resolved. Adapting to change is the sole means ofsurvival in the age of visual media.

  

• The 'Attitude' Embodied and Performed by Literature

  문학이 체현하고 수행하는 ‘태도’

  “Human Acts is always timely, no matter when or where it is read.” This statement reveals both the greatness of work and the state of the world we live in. The fact that this novel was first published in May 2014 in South Korea backgrounds the history of its reception.At the novel's conclusion, the narrator lights candles before the graves of young boys and watches the flickering flames while their ankles, buried insnow, begin to grow damp. A seemingly delicate yet profoundly resolute gazeembodies a powerful will. Amidst societal disasters, tragedies, and deaths not sufficiently mourned, Human Acts has been repeatedly brought back to the fore. Leaning on the “attitude” embodied inthe novel, many have found the strength to endure life. Disillusionment with humanity’s failings and, at the same time, an earnest longing to embrace and move forward as the essence of being human—this seems to be a sentiment that is both deeply Korean and universal.

  
  

  Han Kang’s receiving the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature could be seen as the pinnacle of the growing global recognition of Korean culture, often referred to as K-culture. However,as critical scholars in Korean studies have pointed out, it is crucial to expand reflections on Korea’s unique “painful experiences” onto a more horizontal plane, to painstakingly examine the pervasive "dark absurdities" in Korean history, no matter how distressing. Moreover,maintaining the tension inherent in this task will be essential in discussing future directions. Above all, it is necessary to revisit the fact that thisvery attitude—preempted and performed by Han Kang’s literature—is the essence of her work. This perspective is particularly vital when discussing the trajectory of Korean literature in the wake of her Nobel Prize recognition.

  
  

  This article introduces notable Korean novels of the 2020s, focusing on the dimension of attitude, or the stance, maintained by literature. Following a suggestion from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, I have chosen works by authors whose books have rarely been translated into other languages. While it’s unfortunate that more of the valuable writers in contemporary Korean literature cannot be introduced here, I trust that astute readers both in Korea and abroad will continue to expand their reading horizons, spread their love forliterature, and continually update their own recommendations for "must-read Korean literature."

  

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