Kim Young-doo graduated with a degree in physics from Ewha Womans University. She made her literary debut in 1988 when her short story "Dungji" (둥지 The Nest) was published in Monthly Literature magazine. She then made her debut as a children's writer when her story "Busosan sonyeon" (부소산 소년 Busosan Boy) won the 1990 JoongAng Daily New Writer’s Contest.
2. Writing
According to the author's note to her 2006 novel, Urineun saranghaesseulkka (우리는 사랑했을까 Did We Love?), Kim subscribes to Schopenhauer's philosophy that if one looks deeply enough into oneself, one will discover not only one’s own essence, but also the essence of the universe. She explains that through Urineun saranghaesseulkka, it was her intention to illuminate how the clash of internal and external struggles within the self compares to and compromises with the attraction between the sexes. Kim's interest in human desire and love manifests itself in a widely varying spectrum in different works. Her 1999 novel Adam, supeuro gada (아담, 숲으로 가다 Adam Goes to the Forest) is an autobiographical portrait of a woman who rediscovers herself when temptation crosses her path, inspiring arousal and repulsion at the same time. The novel is notable for its attempt to understand the direction or underlying drive that desire takes in oneself and others. Out of these, Kim pays special attention to sexual desire. In the editor's note to Pureundal (푸른달Blue Moon) (2019), Kim's work is distinguished by its vivid depiction of sex and embrace of sexual energy as something natural, in contrast with the reserve shown by many Korean female authors in such matters in a conservative Confucianist society.
Kim has also made a foray into fantasy with Daraguk rajia gongju (다라국 라지아 공주 Princess Rajia of Dara) (2013), set approximately 1,500 years ago in the small kingdom of Dara that was part of the Gaya confederacy (present-day Hapcheon). The novel combines detective elements with historical romance, moving between the past and present. Kim's 2018 novel Mitu (미투 Me Too) is the author's take on the Me Too movement in Korea at the time, giving voice to victims of violence and oppression at the bottom of the social ladder.
LTI Korea 
DLKL 
SIWF 
