Korean Job Discussion Forums

[politica]

I'm trying to focus a lot of my reading on Asian literature while I'm here in Korea, but I'm having difficulty finding what I'm looking for.

Anyone know of any good books with a Korean theme or by a Korean author? I'm specifically interested in novels and/or memoirs.

Right now, I'm finishing up "The Joy Luck Club" by Tan, and I have the following items on my to-read list: "Jia" by Kim, "Red Poppies" by Alai, "The Aquariums of Pyongyang" by Kang, "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Golden, and "Video Night in Kathmandu" by Iyer . . . but I'd like to get a few more that are Korean-themed.

Any ideas?

[excitinghead]

Just looking at what's in my shelves, Still Life With Rice by Helie Lee is a good memoir from the period before, during, and after the Korean War.

Kori: The Beacon Anthology of Korean American Fiction and Wayfarer: New Fiction by Korean Women were okay short story collections.

I wouldn't say that any of those are outstanding, but back when I bought them in 2000 or so, beggars couldn't be choosers amongst the English language sections of Korean bookstores! But they're okay, and they all will give you short slices of Korean life at least.

Hope that helps!

An irreverent guide to Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/

[Lynns]

War Trash by Ha Jin. It's a novel about a soldier in the Chinese Army who is captured and held as a POW by the South Koreans and Americans during the Korean War.

[Grab the Chickens Levi]

Yukio Mishima is my favourite Japanese writer. His short story collection 'Acts of Worship and Other Stories' is fantastic. Deep, philosophical, dark, disturbing well visualised stories. Like a 20th century, Japanese, Guy De Mauppassant. Very European in style, but with a Japanese eye on Japanese matters.

Banana Yoshimoto's 'Kitchen' is a MUST for anyone interested in Asian lit. Slighly naive, overly angsty/melodramtic sometimes to the point of seeming contrived, but a beautiful, quirky and very original novella nonetheless. Very poingnant and touching.

I'm not a fan of Haruki Murakami's more recent work, I find his novels overblown, he tries to be the whole orchestra instead of focusing, tries (kind of like Rushdie) to cram in magic realism, philosophy, post modernism, socological, political issues, myth etc and ends up making a confusing, yet entertaining mess. THAT SAID however, his earlier, works such as his story collection 'After the Quake' are fantastic. Much drier, tight, focused, witty, laconic.

Although not an Asian writer, he's very much inspired (to the point of derivative imo) by Murakami, David Mitchell's 'Ghostwritten' features a collection of connected stories in different Asian countries and is a very good read.

The Ring books (which the movies were based apon) by Koji Suzuki, whilst not written in brilliant prose are great thrilling reads and had me engrossed and unable to put them down. Think 'Japanese Stephen King' and you wont be dissapointed.

If you want a refreshing and realistic alternative to Arthur Golden's overromanticised depiction of the world of Geisha in his 'Memoirs of a Geisha' - check out 'Autobiography of a Geisha' by Sayo Masuda. A remarkable, informative account of her real life as a Geisha. I found this book very inspirational. Having realsied someone could go through and endure everything she did helped me put my own problems in perspective.

EDIT - I just re-read the OP and realised the OP asked for examples of Korean lit. I don't know any, but guess I'll leave the above anyway as the OP and others might be interested in Japanese lit too....

[blurgalurgalurga]

I agree with grabthechickenslevi. Mishima is really, really good. I'd especially recommend the Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Also 'the Sound of Waves.' It's in a different vein, and not so hung up on the general hideousness of people as his books usually are.
I read a couple of good Jonathan Spence books about China...'the death of woman wang' especially.
There's lots of good autobiography coming out of China the last few years. 'a woman soldier's story' was especially good, I thought.
'Snakes and Earrings' was gross, but a good read, by kanehara kitomi. Greasy Japanese sadomasochistic nihilist sub-culture stuff.

[politica]

Wow, thanks guys. You just gave me a whole sea of lit that I had never previously heard of. I'll definitely be checking some of it out in the near future.

Thanks again for the help!

[Hope]

Our Twisted Hero by Yi Munyol . It's a short read and available in translation in most major bookstores in Korea.

[peppermint]

Wild Swans by Jung Chang is quite good, and I've heard good things about Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles, by Simon Winchester