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The Pulse of Korean Literature: New and Timeless Releases for January-February scrap download

박동하는 한국문학, 새롭고 또 여전한 1~2월 신간도서입니다.

KLWAVE introduces international readers to various works of Korean literature. “New Releases” showcases works that have been published between January and February 2024, selected by Kyobo Book Centre as “Book of the Month” and by Aladin as “Magician’s Choice.”


Among the diverse works by writers beloved for many years and today’s emerging young artists, KLWAVE focuses on new releases between January and February, introducing colorful stories that will touch readers’ hearts in unique ways.


Park Wansuh, a Korean literary guru renowned for her timeless fame and whose works have been translated into various languages around the world, has returned with the revised edition of her essay collection, So As Not to Feel Love by Weight . Ra Taejoo, a renowned Korean poet known as the “Poet of Flowers” and recommended by BTS to international readers, has also published a simple yet sincere essay collection titled Because I Like It . Also, the labor poet Park Nohae, who caused a sensation in the 1980s with sales of 1 million copies of his first poetry collection, has returned with his first autographical essay, Tear-flowering Boy.


There were also remarkable works by young writers who have quietly crafted their own solid fictional worlds. Writer Choi Jin-Young, who captivated the literary world with her works Dear Sister and To the Warm Horizon, both translated into various languages, made a comeback with a new book titled Aurora: What Happens When You’re Caught? Baik Sou Linne, who has maintained her position as a novelist of light, greeted both old and new readers with the revised edition of her first short story collection, Falling in Paul, after a decade.


Meanwhile, some of today’s most candid stories are also being enthusiastically welcomed. To Decide Not to Misunderstand What I’ve Said by Moon Sang-Hoon, the creator of BDNS with 1.4 million subscribers, not only generated a buzz prior to its publication but also became a bestseller immediately after its release. Also, the million-seller writer Lee Kiju contemplates resilience despite life’s burdens in his latest work Ordinary Words, maintaining the popularity he gained from his previous book The Temperature of Language.


Some works demonstrated the power of seductive storytelling and were undoubtedly “loved”. Cho Hae-jin's I Met Loh Kiwan delicately portrays each character's pain and wounds, leading to the discovery of solidarity, freedom, and ultimately hope. This work has been getting renewed attention after being adapted into the Netflix movie My Name Is Loh Kiwan. Meanwhile, Yun Jungeun’s Marygold Mind Laundry has not only achieved bestseller status in Korea but has also been exported to 28 countries, including English-speaking ones, proving itself as a leader in “feel-good fiction.” It continues to expand its fantasy world with the new Marygold Mind Photo Studio.


Translated by Jasmine Jeemin Lee (KLWAVE - Translators Jasmine Jeemin Lee)

Jasmine Jeemin Lee is a professional translator based in Korea. Born in Texas, she grew up moving back and forth between Korea and the U.S. She earned her BA in International Studies from Ewha Womans University and graduated from its Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation. She won the 2019 Korea Times Modern Literature Translation Award and has since translated a diverse genre of Korean works into English. Her book-length translations include Lee Hyugjin’s Terms of Love (Sarang-ŭi ihae) and Lee Suyeon’s Two Friends on My Shoulders.

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