Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Papa Smurf]

Hey,

I'm currently reading Fear and Trembling by Amelie Nothomb. It's about a Japanese born Belgian woman working in a Japanese company. I think it's kind of semi-autobiographical, and gives a very funny and at times very scathing western viewpoint of Japanese culture.

Anyway, i've been wondering if there are any similar novels set in Korea. Or even any movies. We've all seen Lost in Translation right?

I'm interested in anything like this or novels and movies by Korean's that give any sort of insight in to life as a Korean.

Thanks

[Woland]

Chang-Rae Lee has written two critically well-received novels about the experience of Koreans outside Korea - Native Speaker (winner of PEN/Hemingway and National Book Awards) and A Gesture Life. I've read and enjoyed both.

Nora Okja Keller's Comfort Woman (like A Gesture Life) looks back at the experience of the comfort women in WW2. It is a difficult book in part because for so long it seems very ordinary. The ending, though, is a kick in the gut and worth sticking with the book for.

[The Bobster]

There's a young-adult title called When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park. Haven't read it yet, but I think I will when the spouse is done with it ... thinking about using it for a class of returnee students. I think it's about growing up here during the years of the Japanese Occupation.

There's a police procedural murder mystery called Jade Lady Burning, by Martin Limon about the violent death of prostitute in Itaewon. The cop who just won't close the case even when he's ordered to is actually an MP, and the Itaewon it describes is one that might have existed 20 years ago.

All I can think of right now.

[SuperFly]

[Papa Smurf]

Hey thanks for the replies!

I looked on amazon and Martin Limon has 2 other books written after Jade Lady Burning........Slicky Boys and Buddha's Money.

Keep em comin

[Hater Depot]

"I Am the Clay", Chaim Potok.

[susmin]

Linda Sue Park has actually written quite a few novels that take place in Korea. They are mainly for upper elementary to middle school level, although she wrote a cute one about bi bim bop for younger children.

[gang ah jee]

[billybrobby]

fictional novel?

Maybe you should read this:

www.uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Redundancy

or you could try reading this:

www.uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Redundancy

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. The writer was a former ESL teacher in Japan, and one of the stories is set in Korea.

It's a terrific read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Atlas

_*_

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[justagirl]

try "Still Life with Rice." Not true fiction, but written by a granddaughter telling the story of her family who lived during the Korean war.

When My Name was Keiko is an average book at best (I'm an avid children's and YA book reader). A single shard is better, though an older book. It's written in a more true "literature" style and won the Newberry.

[casey's moon]

[JongnoGuru]

[mindmetoo]