Korean Literature: In the News & In the World

The world of Korean Literature—in every genre and sub-genre—continues to grow and flourish as new pages and words continue to be written by astounding Korean authors. The most notable point about this growth? It’s happening all over the world.

Every month, an article (like this one) will call attention to and highlight some of the most notable developments of Korean Literature—of every niche and genre—from the previous month. This time, we’ll dive into some of the poignant, impactful developments that occurred within the realm of Korean Literature in the month of July 2021.

Here, we’ll discuss the release of new Korean Literature, news about Korean Literature as a whole, global trends impacted by Korean Literature, author development, and so much more.

Continue reading to learn more about what happened in the world of Korean Literature in the month of July 2021.

Author Yun Ko-eun Wins CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger on July 1, 2021

Yun Ko-eun was lauded for her July 1, 2021 win of the prestigious CWA Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger for her book The Disaster Tourist.  Notably, this win marked Yun Ko-eun as the first Asian to win this premier and prestigious literary honor.

The Dagger awards, put on by the Crime Writers’ Association in the United Kingdom, focus on recognizing excellence in the art of crime writing.

Translated Korean Books Are Gaining Momentum Globally With Readers Across the World

The love and admiration for Korean Literature continue to sweep the globe as a newfound appreciation for Korean culture batters against the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.

While musicians and musical genres have helped open the gate for appreciation of the Korean culture, it’s becoming more and more true that Korean Literature is the factor that keeps people here and invested in learning and reading more about Korean culture.

The evidence of this? In the past ten years, according to KoreaJoongAngDaily.com, almost two dozen Korean authors have been honored at global literary awards, and last year, six books earned awards—this accounts for the largest number Korea has ever seen in a single year.

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner, Tops NYT Times 10 New Books We Recommend This Week List 

Written by Korean American author Michelle Zauner, Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, discusses Zauner’s own emotional account of coming to terms with her mother’s death and becoming who she was always meant to be as a Korean American woman. Food, she finds, is her lifeline to her past and future.

This book made it seamlessly on the list of the New York Time’s 10 New Books We Recommend This Week, a list comprised of must-read hand-picked by editors.

Korean Comics Continue to Gain Popularity in North America

According to an article in PublishersWeekly.com, there are now more Korean comics and comic books readily and widely available than webtoons, and now, this trend is finally beginning to catch on in North America. While the popularity of Korean comics has been explosive in some areas, the wildfire-like burn didn’t seem to catch on in North America—until now.

The popularity of print manhwa has seen exponential growth in the North American marketplace over the last five years. This, in turn, along with the growing popularity of Korean culture in the United States, has given the manhwa industry a much-needed boost.

Now, manhwa is coming into its own as a creative outlet in North America, reminiscent of the manga boom of the early 2000s but with a new reflection and appreciation of the arts and artists in Korea.

A New Korean, Bilingual Publisher Brings Comics, Korean Literature to Koreans and Americans

A new Korean, bilingual publisher in Korea has invested time, energy, and effort into bringing more Korean comics, interesting stories, and Korean Literature to both Korean and English Speakers.

The publishing company, Goggas, is located in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, and just released its first two Korean comic books in English in early July.

Both books—The Weight of a Picture/ NPC Begins by Hwang Biori and House of Delusion by Goo Hyun-seong—are thought to be considered experimental approaches to the normal comic book medium. The push behind this publication’s methods? To introduce stories of people who have knowledge about Korean history and culture with affection for the country, said Park So-yeon, writer, editor, and publisher of Goggas in an interview with The Korea Times.

Interested in learning about the month-to-month news, developments, and changes in the realm of Korean Literature? Keep up with us as we embark on a month-by-month highlight of the latest and greatest developments of Korean Literature across the globe. Don’t forget to check back at the beginning of each month to get a brief update on what happened in the world of Korean Literature the month prior!