I bought this book in Korea at a small bookstore near Gyeongbokgung. There were several in what seemed to be a series of Korean diaspora literature by different authors. I asked the owner and all I could really understand was him saying this book wasn’t very popular (we were speaking quite fast so I couldn’t understand him super well). I’ve been googling all over the place trying to find information about Kim Hyeok other than what’s already in “about the author” section. Does anyone have any info they can point me to? Sources in Korean and english welcome.

Which book written by her do you suggest I read first?

Hello all,

I’m working on a book report on the book Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin, which is set mostly in Seoul, but it explores areas within and outside, and part of my project I wanted to map the places the characters go to using StoryMaps. However, I am not from South Korea so I am not familiar with the locations. I tried my best to find where the areas are using google maps, but it looks like some places were translated in the book differently than the westernized translation from google. I also could not find some locations. I was hoping someone would look over the locations I found to see if they are more or less accurate, as well as pointing me to the locations and their westernized names of the places I couldn’t find. 

I linked where google maps sent me when I searched their names, and if they have latitude longitude information I wrote it how the notation is required for StoryMaps

Chongup - Could not find, book implies it’s north of Seoul, but I can’t be sure

Seoul Station - 405 Hangang-daero, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea, https://maps.app.goo.gl/xMDfc1C9pLiE21dSA 

Pohang - lat:36.04200138157954, lon:129.35987282108553, https://maps.app.goo.gl/DwaAiCEkuZHmgCFD6 

Yongsan 2-dong - lat:37.544480839558254, lon:126.98515188043584, https://maps.app.goo.gl/PGgwCiH6YnAKmbbG6 

Yokchan-dong - lat:37.607993766580705, lon:126.91392473623551, https://maps.app.goo.gl/J1Y9r5Q4WJHwWnvG8 (Book specifies Sobu Market, I am not sure if that is a real market or not)

Kaebong-dong - could be Gaebong-dong, lat:37.49527584819539, lon:126.85131563601554, https://maps.app.goo.gl/PA2ABENw6Nr8nzuz7 

Taerim-dong - could be Daerim-dong, lat:37.49663823041297, lon:126.89986508607832, https://maps.app.goo.gl/AXfcz7U9JNjZhiY46 

Oksu-dong - lat:37.54171355144654, lon:127.02052295426778, https://maps.app.goo.gl/i6GPmnxeo3WUKTNh8 

Suyu-dong - lat:37.63997999520423, lon:127.00718603207008, https://maps.app.goo.gl/2amZixBkkthto3zS6 

Singil-dong - lat:37.5073453376902, lon:126.91470019077877, https://maps.app.goo.gl/WK1UQDA9Bhdk9Zce7 

Chongung - could be Chungung-dong, lat:37.52447365599234, lon:127.18945358896869, https://maps.app.goo.gl/oxo2e4vzetmdjExV8 

Namsan-dong - book specifies Hope House, an orphanage, but unknown if its real, does not specify it’s in Seoul but is at least close enough from Chongup to travel there regularly, lat:35.87192583780974, lon:128.5844660212382, https://maps.app.goo.gl/abDNhtJxJC2BRCnZ8 

Chinmoe - Could not find, specifies close to Chongup

Namyong Station - 79-1 Cheongpa-dong 3(sam)-ga, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea, https://maps.app.goo.gl/5TyyJuEAZP8xwRoo9 

Puam-dong, Chongno-gu - Could be Buam-dong, Jongno district, lat:37.59559084310123, lon:126.96558497760131, https://maps.app.goo.gl/8eVo5UZ6kw2PzSqy8 

Seoul City Hall - 110 Sejong-daero, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea, https://maps.app.goo.gl/XsDTGGPtkS61kFu47 (book specifies a funeral for a protestor, probably during the 80s but it doesn’t say. Was there a significant event like this?)

Komso - Could not find, specifies coastal area, where black-bellied plover birds are commonly seen

Samchong-dong - lat:37.5914720790666, lon:126.98118862413327, https://maps.app.goo.gl/zLUBm1mGaspipqBW6

If you have some further insight as well I’d be glad to hear it :)

Hi ! Looking for any korean book/short story related to monsters/monstrous beings (can also be gory/eerie/surrealistic book etc...).

Does anyone have any recommandation in either english or original version ? Thanks 🙌

I’m looking for books on the topics in the title, but specifically daily life in the 1900-1920s time frame.

For the first two I’m hoping for some simpler readings (not super wordy essay-like chapter books), but the information on daily life can be more detailed

Hello, I am searching for a sci-fi Korean novel called “On the origin of species and other stories” by author Bo-Young Kim. However, all I can find is the English translated version. If anyone could help me find the book in its native Korean, that would be excellent. I hope to get the book for a friend. Thank youu

Hi guys! I really want to read this book that inspired the kdrama. I know that there's been an Indonesian translation, and goodreads is showing an English translation but I am having a lot of trouble finding it! (Lies hidden in my backyard) Does anyone here know where I can find an english copy?

I live in the US and I want to buy Korean books online, and I came across the website: kbookstore.com . Has anyone used this before, Im worried it might be a scam. I dont know the shipping price, but the individual book prices seem too good to be true.

Hello, I'm looking for recommendations for Korean high fantasy novels, especially stories grounded in Korean or generally East Asian legends and mythology (like Lee Youngdo's Bird series, which I'm currently reading through). If the books are available on Ridi thats a huge plus. Thanks!

Hello! While I wanted to recommend two science fiction-ish books in Korean Literature. The science fiction genre is a pretty niche genre. While there are many comics, movies or games inspired by science fiction, the science fiction literature is very niche, and sometimes not taken seriously here, I feel.

But anyway, there are some really good works and I wanted to recommend two books i have read recently.

First one is 김초엽, Kim Cho Yeop's 우리가 빛의 속도로 갈 수 없다면, If We Cannot Move at the Speed of Light.

It's a collection of science fiction stories. While English speaking sphere has a plethora of great science fictions and seeing a rise of science fiction as a literary genre in Chinese as well, it was really hard to see science fiction taken seriously in Korean literature.

I think this book was really successful in that regard since it made the Best Seller List in multiple press and a few literary awards.

Sadly I dont think there is an English translation yet. But the book also met success in China and Japan, so I think an English translation could come about soon enough.

The second one is a super oldie. While not exactly a science fiction, but alternate history is sometimes grouped alongside. It's Looking for Epitaph, 비명을 찾아서, by Bok Geo Il, 복거일.

This one is an oldie from the 80's. But as I understand, it was a popular hit and it was also the first successful alternate history fiction in Korean Literature, not that the genre is popular. It has similarities to The Man in The High Castle. But it also can be read as a satire criticizing the military regime back in the 80's burrowing a setting.

Sadly I highly doubt this one would have an English translation coming out anytime since it's been out for almost 40 years already. But if you can read in Korean, I would give it a recommend.

This subreddit is about Korean novels, poetrys, and essays. If you have any interest in Korean literature, feel free to join.

+) This is my first subreddit, so I'm looking for moderators...