Category: Literature

 

When David Yoon’s debut novel Frankly In Love hit shelves last year, it was an instant New York Times bestseller and a William C. Morris Award finalist. With his sophomore novel Super Fake Love Song, David Yoon offers another contemporary YA must-read where a case of mistaken identity kicks off a string of (fake) events that just may lead to (real) love.

Join us for an in-depth conversation with David Yoon as he discusses his career and highly-anticipated second novel.

“Yoon captures the humor, the heart, and the universal anxieties—and possibilities—of trying on new identities in high school . . . A clever, hilarious, and empathetic look at diverse teens exploring authenticity, identities, and code-switching.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Yoon’s fresh and nuanced approach to Frank’s struggle to navigate cultural tensions amplifies both the vulnerabilities and the strengths that can come with being a child of immigrants. As Frank learns to balance his parents’ desires with his own, Yoon underscores the value of honoring both who you are and where you come from.” – TIME

 

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Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will be conducted virtually. This live session will be provided free of charge at the specified date and time. A limited number of viewing links will be provided to the people who sign up through the form below. Those unable to view the live session will have the opportunity to watch the recorded video or listen to the podcast soon after.

To pre-order signed copies of Super Fake Love Song, please visit:
 http://www.thelitbar.com/superfakelovesong

 

A Conversation with David Yoon

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 | 6 PM EST

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

David Yoon grew up in Orange County, California, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, novelist Nicola Yoon, and their daughter. He drew the illustrations for Nicola’s #1 New York Times bestseller Everything, Everything. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Frankly in Love, which was a William C. Morris Award finalist and an Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature Honor book.

 

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Drawing by Karl Stevens for the New York Review of Books

What if the finest, funniest, craziest, sanest, most cheerfully depressing Korean-American novel was also one of the first? – Ed Park

Join Alexander Chee and Ed Park in their conversation on Younghill Kang, the first Korean-American novelist and a pioneer of Asian American literature. As they discuss the life and career of Kang and his novel East Goes West, the two eminent writers reflect on the emergence of Korean American literature in the 20th century and Kang’s legacy.

Central to it are the lives of the other Koreans….living in America, all waiting for their full humanity— and their intellectual and artistic gifts — to be recognized. – Alexander Chee

 

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will be conducted virtually. This live session will be provided free of charge at the specified date and time. A limited number of viewing links will be provided to the people who sign up through the form below. Those unable to view the live session will have the opportunity to watch the recorded video or listen to the podcast soon after.

To order East Goes West, please visit:
 https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/606933/east-goes-west-by-younghill-kang-foreword-by-alexander-chee-afterword-and-notes-by-sunyoung-lee/

East Goes West: Younghill Kang, His Life and Works
with Alexander Chee and Ed Park

Thursday, September 17, 2020 | 6 PM

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Alexander Chee is the bestselling author of the novels The Queen of the Night and Edinburgh and the essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel. The winner of a Whiting Award, he is an associate professor of English and creative writing at Dartmouth College.

Ed Park is the author of the novel Personal Days and the founding editor of The Believer. He has been a newspaper, magazine, and book editor, and his writings have appeared in the New York Times and the New York Review of Books.

 

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South Korean literature in translation has been experiencing a global efflorescence in recent years. There are at least 6 Korean novels being released in the United States in the first half of 2020, with more to follow. Professor Jae Won Chung will discuss the commercial and critical success of Korean novels in the United States, the types of Korean novels that appear to be popular in the international market, and the range of new styles, genres, and voices that soon-to-be published titles will offer English-language readers.

Korean Novels Coming in 2020

• Kim Sagwa  b, Book, and Me (February)

• Cho Nam-joo  Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (April)

• Bae Suah  Untold Night and Day (May)

• Pyun Hye-young  The Law of Lines  (May)

• Sohn Won-Pyung  Almond  (May)

• Jeong You-Jeong  Seven Years of Darkness (June)

• Yun Ko-Eun  The Disaster Tourist (August)

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will be conducted virtually. This live session will be provided free of charge at the specified date and time. A limited number of viewing links will be provided to the people who sign up through the form below. Those unable to view the live session will have the opportunity to watch the recorded video or listen to the podcast soon after.

 

Reading in Translation: Korean Novels in the U.S.
with
Jae Won Edward Chung

Tuesday, May 19, 2020 | 6 PM

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Jae Won Edward Chung is assistant professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, where he teaches Korean literature and culture. Before entering academia, he worked as a writing teacher and a literary translator. Professor Chung holds a Ph.D. in Korean Studies from Columbia University, and has taught at Ewha University and University of Colorado Boulder. His work has appeared in Boston Review, Azalea, Asia Literary Review, Apogee Journal, and Journal of Asian Studies.

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Hong Gildong, who is sometimes referred to as the Korean Robin Hood, is by far the most famous literary character from classic Korean literature. His story as a maverick outlaw, powerful magician, and a wise king is told in the Joseon dynasty novel The Story of Hong Gildong. Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of miscomprehension about the origin and nature of the famous work, the complexity of which has only recently been explored by scholars. In this lecture, Professor Minsoo Kang offer detailed examination of the history and literary significance of the novel and reveal little-known facts behind its authorship.

Hong Gildong, the Invincible and Righteous Outlaw

by
Professor Minsoo Kang

 

Thursday, September 12, 2019 | 6 PM

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Korea’s most prized literary masterpiece: a Buddhist journey questioning the illusions of human life—presented in a vivid new translation by PEN/Hemingway finalist Heinz Insu Fenkl

Often considered the highest achievement in Korean fiction, The Nine Cloud Dream poses the question: Will the life we dream of truly make us happy? Written in 17th-century Korea, this classic novel’s wondrous story begins when a young monk living on a sacred Lotus Peak in China succumbs to the temptation of eight fairy maidens. For doubting his master’s Buddhist teachings, the monk is forced to endure a strange punishment: reincarnation as the most ideal of men.

On his journey through this new life full of material, martial, and sensual accomplishments beyond his wildest dreams, he encounters the eight fairies in human form, each one furthering his path towards understanding the fleeting value of his good fortune. As his successes grow, he comes closer and closer to finally comprehending the fundamental truths of the Buddha’s teachings. Like Hesse’s Siddhartha, The Nine Cloud Dream is an unforgettable tale that explores the meaning of a good life and the virtue of living simply with mindfulness.

The Nine Cloud Dream
with
Heinz Insu Fenkl

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019 | 6 PM

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Begin 2019 with renowned Buddhist teacher and writer Haemin Sunim. Born in Korea and educated in the United States, he has more than a million Twitter and Facebook followers. His books The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down–published in thirty languages–and Love For Imperfect Things have sold more than four million copies. Join Haemin Sunim for an hour of insightful conversation and reflection.

 

Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection
with Haemin Sunim

Thursday, January 10, 2019 | 6 PM

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

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