LTI Korea 
DLKL 
SIWF 
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Readings
[English Audiobook] "Winter Solstice”, "Plaza" by Park Joon
Enjoy this English audiobook of two poems by Park Joon, “Winter Solstice” and “Plaza,” translated by Susan K and Eun-Gwi Chung.
By Park Joon
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Readings
[English Audiobook] "Loss" "Understanding Adaptation" by Moon Boyoung
Enjoy this English audiobook of two poems by Moon Boyoung, "Loss" and “Understanding Adaptation,” translated by Hedgie Choi.
By Moon Bo Young
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Readings
[English Audiobook] “Hideo” by Seo Jangwon
Enjoy this English audiobook of the short story “Hideo” by Seo Jangwon, translated by Paige Aniyah Morris.
By Seo Jangwon
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Readings
[English Audiobook] "Expectation" by Haena Sung
Enjoy this English audiobook of the short story “Expectation” by Haena Sung, translated by Lee Kyung Min.
By Haena Sung
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Readings
A Short Story Reading by Hwang Jungeun: “A Day Without Trouble”
The following year, Yeongin began looking for a new job.She interviewed with a company that sourced fabric and materials from Korea and China, then shipped them to Vietnam, where it manufactured clothing for global retail brands. She took the elevator up to the twelfth floor. When the doors opened, a long, wide hallway stretched ahead, lined with large doors on either side. Some resembled apartment doors, while others were fitted with wrought iron grilles or made of glass lit by neon signs. Boratec, Dozen, Unico, Cox—it was difficult to tell by the company names alone what any of them did.When Yeongin came to the right number, she knocked on the glass double doors and stepped inside. A man introduced himself as Manager Kim. He seemed lively, curious, and slightly belligerent, and had bloodshot eyes. He led her into the sample room and pointed to the clothes hanging on the wall: anorak jumpers, jumpsuits, shirtdresses, golf skirts, padded jackets. We made these, he said.[…] ✔For the paper version of this novel, visit the following link:https://klwave.or.kr/klw/magazines/2190/articleView.do
By Hwang Jungeun
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Readings
A poetry Reading by Poet Oh Eun “That”
That There is somethingIts name escapes me There is somethingWith a nameHere I amNot knowing its name I become engrossedIt is engrossed right alongside me There is someone solving a riddleA riddle no one posed A few days laterThe name comes to meThere I am, feeling the emptiness Something went unnamed then But on the street, in the bus, outside the revolving doorAfter much thought With its nameThere it is ✔ More poetry by Oh Eun can be found at the link belowhttps://kln.or.kr/bookmark/poetryView.do?bbsIdx=2174 Translated by Seth Chandler
By Oh Eun
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Book For You
[Book for You] The Guilt of an Imperfect Vegan
[Heo Gyun]I’ve just had a nap,so it’s the perfect time for a new story. [Heo Nanseolheon]Are you even fully awake? [Heo Gyun]Don’t you know that a good story clears your head?Today, we’ve got a letter from the Philippines. Dear Team Heo,I’ve been wanting to go vegan,but it hasn’t been easy due to my lifestyle and financial situation.I share meals with the people I live with,so sticking to a vegan diet on my own is tough.Plus, many of my favorite foodscontain meat or seafood.So, I feel like a hypocrite for sayingthat I love and respect animals.What should I do?- Ember [Heo Gyun]This reminds me of No Need to Try So Hard,a collection of short stories by Choi Eunyoung.Let’s delve into the story “Goodbye, Cucu.”As a young girl, the protagonistfinds a dying chick at a playground.She takes it home, names it Cucu,and cares for it with love.When Cucu grows into a chicken,her parents suggest sending it away.Reluctantly, she says goodbye, sensing its fate.From that day on, she stops eating chicken.When asked why, she simply saysshe’s allergic to meat. [Heo Nanseolheon]She probably doesn’t want to spoil the mood. [Heo Gyun]That’s right. She was also hurt by her family,who teased her for being too attached to Cucu. But her perspective shiftswhen she meets Seon-ah, a college juniorwho, like her, doesn’t eat chicken. Unlike her, Seon-ah refuses to eat it because of the unethical ways of raising chickens.This gives her the courage to stand by her beliefs,even if some might call her a hypocrite. It may seem natural for humans to eat meat,but nothing about factory farming is natural.She believed that even animals destined for slaughterdeserve minimal standards of life while alive,hypocritical as that may sound.- Choi Eunyoung, “Goodbye, Cucu,” No Need to Try So Hard (Maumsanchaek, 2022), p. 189. [Heo Nanseolheon]People say, “A group of imperfect vegansis better than one perfect vegan.”Even making an effort to avoid meat occasionallyis a step toward a vegan lifestyle.Shouldn’t we each find our own wayto coexist with animals? [Heo Gyun]The fact that Ember is reflecting on thisand feeling conflicted showsshe’s already doing her best.When the time comes,she can practice veganism in her own way.Who could possibly call her a hypocrite? [Heo Nanseolheon]And even if it were hypocrisy, so what?In part, hypocrisy makes the world go around.Even if Ember could be deemed hypocritical,her daily resolution to uphold her beliefsdeserves praise for sure. Now it’s my turn.I’d like to share an excerpt from the poem “Let People Be Born”in Let Love Be Born by Yi Won. Let people despair. Let people be born.Let love be born. Unravel our hearts again.Our hearts.Different heartbeats gather to formOne heart.All our breaths together createA single heart.- Yi Won, “Let People Be Born,” Let Love Be Born, (Moonji, 2017) The poem suggests that everyoneis bound to face despair.Nobody has enough money, will,or strength on their own.But if our hearts keep beating through despair,true love and humanity can be born.It shows how individual efforts unite,forming “one heart” with a shared purpose. [Heo Gyun]Veganism costs a lot of money. Plant-based proteins are more expensive,not to mention harder to find. Everyone knows that!Also, it’s easy to lose resolvewhen it feels like cutting out meat on your ownwon’t make a real difference. [Heo Nanseolheon]It’s only natural for Ember to feel “despair.”But when people who share this despair unite,true solidarity through “love” and “humanity”becomes possible.No one is perfect, and that’s okay.I hope Ember keeps practicing veganismwith persistence and sincerity.The world needs people like Ember, who inspire others and help build solidarity. [Heo Gyun]In Korean, there’s a proverb that says“The first spoonful doesn’t fill you up.”No one is perfect from the start, so don’t be too hard on yourself. [Heo Nanseolheon]Being a vegan is a huge challenge. Focus on making small, gradual changes and practice veganism steadily and consistently. [Heo Gyun]I hope our advice puts Ember’s mind at ease. [Heo Nanseolheon]All right then, let’s get going. Translated by Helen Cho
By Korean Literature Now
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Book For You
[Book for You] The Guilt of an Honor Student
[Heo Gyun]I’m curious what will come our way today. [Heo Nanseolheon] These days, it seems like you’re livingfor the joy of giving book recommendations. [Heo Gyun]How did you know? Today’s story is from Algeria. Dear Team Heo,I still feel guilty about something I did in high school.We all took the same test at different times,and so took advantage of that to cheat.The first person to take the testsecretly passed the test papers to others.Since everyone else was doing it,I sent the papers to my friends too.Eventually, the teacher found outand punished the whole class, except for me,because I was a top student who always behaved.The teacher still doesn’t know I was involved,and I feel terrible about it.I regret not speaking up back then.I wish I’d just been honest.-Aby [Heo Gyun]I'm reminded of a character named Oh Chanifrom Because of One Point by Lee Sang-kwon.Like Aby, Chani is a model student burdened by guilt.Chani, aiming for medical school, scoresjust one point short of the top grade in her physics exam.Since she needs a first-grade scoreto get into medical school, she is devastated.Her academy teacher mentions that her answermight be considered correct as well.Chani files an official complaint,but Min-sik, the physics teacher, refuses to accept it,claiming the question is error-free.However, the school quietly decides to accept itas a correct answer and asks Min-sik to handle it discreetly. [Heo Nanseolheon] It must be a tough situation for Min-sik, too. [Heo Gyun]Exactly, and out of guilt, Chani starts avoiding him.She formally requests a review committee,and Min-sik agrees to take part. But on the day of the review,a student with better grades decides to move abroad.As a result, Chani automatically receives the top grade. [Heo Nanseolheon] So, she finally gets the top grade!But she’s probably left feeling a bit overwhelmed. [Heo Gyun]After some time, Chani runs into Min-sik on the street. Then she finally musters the courageto offer him a heartfelt apology. The teacher turned around and waved.After a brief pause, Chani lowered her head.Just as Min-sik was turning away, she called out,“Sir!”Tears started welling up again.“Sir, I’ll come visit you soon!”“Sure! I’ll treat you to some spicy rice cakes!”-Lee Sang-kwon, Because of One Point, (Jamobook, 2024), p. 202-203. Even after weathering the storm on his own,Min-sik never rebukes Chani.Instead, he accepts her apologyand responds with warm words.Isn’t his forgiveness and kindnessa true sign of being a grown-up? [Heo Nanseolheon] A good teacher would understand a student’s sincere feelings, no matter how much time has passed. [Heo Gyun]Aby's teacher seems like a good person, too.How about speaking your true feelings before it's too late? [Heo Nanseolheon] Now it’s my turn.I’d like to read an excerpt from the poem “Sickle” in A Knife Called a Sickle by Kim Ki-taek. The blade curvesinward. Showing its blunt back,unable to pierce,it bends inward,closer to where the heart lies. Like arms,the blade tries to embrace something.A green, round stalkand a neck lined with rising veins,stand before it.- Kim Ki-taek, “Sickle”, A Knife Called a Sickle, (Moonji, 2022) There are many ways to interpret this,but for Aby, let’s view it as a poem about guilt.Sometimes, the only way to ease a heavy heartis to confess our mistakesor resolve misunderstandings.Otherwise, guilt can become a ""sickle,""its blade curving inward, drawing closer to the heart.Eventually, that sickle might aim forthe ""neck lined with rising veins."" [Heo Gyun]The teacher might have suspected Aby’s misdeedand chosen to overlook it, but that only left her with lingering guilt. [Heo Nanseolheon] There’s no need to be afraid of coming clean!Don’t worry about disappointing your teacher.After all, it’s been a long time.Just think of it as having a casual conversation.If I’m right, the teacher will admire Aby’s couragefor offering an apology, even after all this time. [Heo Gyun]You’re right.The fact that Aby has carried this regret for so long might be enough for the teacher to understand and forgive her. [Heo Nanseolheon] Instead of carrying the burden alone, why not talk to the teacher directly? Maybe the teacher has been waitingto hear from Aby all this time.It would surely ease her heart, too. [Heo Gyun]I hope our advice gives her the courage to finally tell the truth. [Heo Nanseolheon] All right, let’s get going. Translated by Helen Cho
By Korean Literature Now
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Book For You
[Book for You] A YA Novel Reader's Guilty Pleasure
[Heo Gyun]My stomach says it’s time to eat. [Heo Nanseolheon] We’ll be receiving a letter soon.Let’s sort it out before grabbing a bite.Oh, here it is! [Heo Gyun]We have a message from Thailand today. Dear Team Heo,Even as an adult, I still enjoy YA fiction.I've been urged to read more grownup books, but I still find myself drawn to that genre.Is it okay to continue indulging in YA fiction?-Jed [Heo Gyun]I know just the book for Jed!It’s Lee Seon-ju’s short story “Choice”included in the collection Moro’s Tomorrow.In the story, YA novelist Seon-min receives a complaint email from a reader, expressing discomfort with her bookabout people opting out of marriage.As Seon-min writes a reply,she reflects on her teenage years,when she decided to become a writer.Back then, her mother was a relentless insurance salesperson, often harassing others in her pursuit.In hindsight, Seon-min realizes that her motherwas only trying to support her family. Having long understood her motheronly on a superficial level,Seon-min starts to grasp her mother’s complex emotions and circumstances.In the end, she conveys her mother’s individuality and life story through her writing. I meant to return to writing adult fiction,but even when the opportunity arose,I couldn’t do it.It felt like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.Ever since, I’ve been writingchildren’s stories and YA fiction.What drives me to write? (...)I wrote to look into myself,to comfort my past self,and to prove my existence.I wrote what I believed to be true.-Lee Seon-ju, “Choice,” Moro’s Tomorrow (Sakyejeol, 2022) 32. [Heo Nanseolheon] So Seon-min saw a hidden side of the world through her mother and grew up before her time. [Heo Gyun] That’s right. And this isn’t just Seon-min’s story.Haven't we all somehow fallen into adulthood?As you can see, YA fiction offers plenty of food for thought. [Heo Nanseolheon] It’s about time we dispelled the misconceptions about YA literature.It's much more than just simple stories in big print.It offers valuable nourishment for growthto readers of all ages. [Heo Gyun] Just as Seon-min felt like she was wearing the wrong clothes, Jed would probably feel uncomfortable forcing himself to read other genres. After all, reading is supposed to be fun. [Heo Nanseolheon] Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to read anything special.Jed, just go for whatever takes your fancy.People often see life as “one straight line,” starting on the left and ending on the right. The issue is that the journey from left to rightis often dismissed as “something unfinished.” [Heo Gyun] Exactly. That way of thinkingputs ""adult fiction"" at the far right,while ""YA fiction"" in the middle gets brushed offas “immature stories” to pass by. [Heo Nanseolheon] I'd like to read an excerptfrom the poem “Happy End” by Oh Eun, which takes a positive look at what we often dismiss as a mere “process.” I want to be happy along the way.Once in the morning, once at midday,and twice in the evening.I want to feel a little excited,thinking about yesterday,living today, and waiting for tomorrow.As spring and autumn grow shorter,and summer and winter become longer.My friend leaned over the net and said:We need a “happy and,” not a “happy end.”-Oh Eun, “Happy End,” Matters of the Heart (Changbi Edu, 2020) What truly matters isn’t just a happy ending. What gives meaning to lifeis a journey filled with many “happy ands.” [Heo Gyun] Some may view YA fiction simply as “a phase” or “immature reading,” but I disagree.While it’s wise to break the habit of only seeking out easy reads,today’s YA fiction has considerable depth.So I think it’s all right. [Heo Nanseolheon] Avid readers of YA fiction must connect deeplywith young adult characters.If this experience helps Jed mature and find happiness, that’s all that really matters. [Heo Gyun] I hope Jed continues to enjoy YA fictionto his heart’s content.He can always explore other genreswhen his interest naturally shifts. [Heo Nanseolheon] That’s true. YA fiction isn’t just for young adult readers. [Heo Gyun] I hope Jed finds this message as precious as YA fiction. [Heo Nanseolheon] All right. Let’s get back on track. Translated by Helen Cho
By Korean Literature Now
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Book For You
[Book for You] A Hidden Truth about His Computer
[Heo Gyun]I can't wait to see what’s in store for us today! [Heo Nanseolheon]Doesn’t it feel amazingto help people around the world?Here’s a new message for us! [Heo Gyun]We have a message from Peru. Dear Team Heo,A year ago, I accidentally short-circuiteda colleague's computer. Thankfully, it still works, but one program is faulty. I should have apologized immediately, but I haven’t told him yet. I’m still scared. Now that a year has passed, should I finally come clean and ask for forgiveness?-Judy [Heo Gyun]No other storyhas ever given me cold sweats like this. Let’s find a book for Judy! I recommend “Plant-Based Physiognomy” by Han Eunhyung, included in the collectionSuccessful People Despite Their Character. [Heo Nanseolheon]Does the protagonist of the storyhave an experience similar to Judy's? [Heo Gyun]Like Judy, the protagonist Min-jistruggles to be honest with her co-workers. Working part-time caring for plants, she catches the eye of the ownerof the vegan restaurant Plant-Eating Tigerand becomes the manager of its Yeonnam-dong branch. However, both the owner and the restaurant only have a veneer of social consciousness and lack genuine convictions. This likely explains why the owner’s aggressive sales tactics make Min-ji uncomfortable. [Heo Nanseolheon]What sort of sales tactics are they? [Heo Gyun]Min-ji's first task is to hire a team of entirely foreign staff.The owner instructs her to createa diverse mix of nationalities and genders,reserving the last positionspecifically for a ""black"" person.However, he specifiesthat it can’t be just any black person,but someone with the tall, sleek appearanceof a French model. [Heo Nanseolheon]For all his pretenseof supporting racial diversity, he's actually more racist than anyone else. [Heo Gyun]That’s not all. Min-ji’s second task isto suggest that the other staff members move into the owner’s shared houseand subscribe to the meal service. Once again, she complies with the request. Of course, all this moneygoes straight back into the owner's pocket. The employees, who barely earn minimum wage, end up spending half their salary on rent and a quarter on the meal subscription. The shared house they lived inbelonged to the owner.It could be said that Min-ji deceivedLucas, Tam, Yulia, Haruka, and Antoine.The house was registered in someone else’s name,and the owner insisted on hiding the truth.“There’s no point in creatingunnecessary misunderstandings.”This left Min-ji feeling conflicted. -Han Eunhyung, “Plant-Based Physiognomy,” Successful People Despite Their Character (Munhakdongne, 2024), 237." [Heo Nanseolheon]I feel bad for her. Min-ji must be uneasy knowing that she has to keep deceiving her colleagues. [Heo Gyun] She justifies her deception of othersas a way to make a living.But it causes her a lot of inner turmoil.I’ll let Judy find out how it all ends. [Heo Nanseolheon]Emotional burdens can take their toll.I can only imaginewhat Judy must have been throughover the past year.If I had been there, I would have given hera reassuring pat on the back and said, ""It's okay!"" [Heo Gyun] Didn't she say that the computer works fineexcept for one program? If a year has passed without any issues, her colleague might not consider it a big deal. [Heo Nanseolheon]In situations like this, sometimes it’s best to just let it go.But if it continues to weigh on your mind, mustering the courage to speak upis another option. For Judy, I’d like to share my favorite part from the poem ""Now"" by Kim Un. Speak now. If you wait until later, things will change. What you once said will also change. Speak now. About what you’re saying now. How you say it and why. Speak about “now” without reason or context. “Now” is the standard. “Now” is changing. Speak before it shifts. Speak as it changes, and speak after it has changed. Speak about “now.” If not now, then speak even now. Speak before it passes. Speak even for a moment. “Now” is fleeting. “Now” is absolute. Speak about that. -Kim Un, “Now,” One Sentence (Munji Publishing, 2018). Aren't you curious about when this “now” is?In fact, it represents a fluid momentthat's difficult to define or pinpoint.I believe the relativity of ""now""can give Judy more freedom.Since she’s reading this poem “now,”a year after the short-circuit incident,it’s not too late for her to apologize ""now,"" is it? [Heo Gyun] I agree. The moment Judy musters the courage to speak to her colleague will be her ""now."" If she decides to seek forgiveness, she should act before that ""now"" slips away. [Heo Nanseolheon]I'm not urging Judy to speak up ""soon"".But I want to emphasize thatif she has something to sayshe should definitely come out with it.Perhaps she can share her feelingswhen she's ready to do so sincerely. [Heo Gyun]Even after a year, her continued concern shows that she genuinely feels remorse.What matters is whether she decides to let it goor chooses to speak the truth. [Heo Nanseolheon]Either way, I’d like to send my best wishes to Judy, who must have had a tough year. [Heo Gyun]I hope this message helps her make the right decision. [Heo Nanseolheon]All right. Let’s get going again. Translated by Helen Cho
By Korean Literature Now
