“Three Days in that Autumn” by Pak Wan-seo (cover)
Okay, so maybe it is a bit ambitious to review an entire series of books for my first book review. But if you are interested in exploring a deeper side of Korean culture than the superficial dross pumped out by Arirang TV , you should check out the Portable Library of Korean Literature , put out by Jinmoongdang Press.
There are over 25 books in the series. I’ve read a number of them and there’s not a one I didn’t like. They give a very personal look into the massive tragedy, suffering and social upheaval Korea has endured in it’s modern history. Not exactly light reading mind you; in fact some of the stories are pretty subversive. In any case, here are a few of my top picks:
“My Innocent Uncle” by Ch’ae Man-shik (cover)
“My Innocent Uncle” by Ch’ae Man-shik contains three pieces of satire written by “one of the greatest figures of 20th century Korean literature”. The first parodies both the Marxist intelligentsia as well as Japanese sympathizers during the Japanese occupation through a conversation between a young man and his uncle. The 3rd and final story “Once upon a paddy” showcases the plight of an old, naive farmer who basically concludes that the peasants were no better off under the corruption of the Chosun dynasty than they were under the Japanese.
“Chinatown” by Oh Jung-hee (cover)
“Chinatown” by Oh Jung-hee looks at the uneasy realities of life the post-war slums of Incheon in the late 1950’s through the eyes of a plucky 9 year old girl. The girl’s innocent curiosity about her Chinese neighbors and her naive admiration of a local prostitute highlights the struggle to preserve family and rebuild community after the devastation of the war.
“A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball” by Cho Se-hui is the first book I read in the series and it blew me away. It’s basically the story of a family living in a working-class neighborhood of Seoul, whose father is afflicted with dwarfism. As the local brick factory closes and the neighborhood is slated for demolition for housing redevelopment, the family faces homeless and the father slowly loses his mind.
Apparently it was made into a movie in 1980, but I’ve not had a chance to see it yet. If anyone has a copy they could lend, I’m dying to check it out.
“Three Days in that Autumn” by Pak Wan-seo (cover)
“Three Days in that Autumn” by Pak Wan-seo is definitely a heavy read. It’s narrated by female doctor who suffered the trauma of rape during the Korean war and in turn becomes an abortionist in a red light district in post-war Seoul. The novella is set during the narrator’s last three days before retirement as she seeks some form of personal redemption for her life’s work by seeking to aid in delivering a child.
Some of the titles in the series are out of print at the moment, but I still see them around in Kyobo book stores now and then, as well as What The Book and the Foreign Book Store in Itaewon, Seoul. If you’re living in Korea, you could try ordering them on line at What The Book , G-market or Kyobo Books (if you can navigate online in Korean). If you’re in N. America, you could try ordering from Han Books .
Thanks, Sherwin. It’s been too long since I’ve read Korean lit. I’ll put them on my reading list for sure!