Awarding-winning Korean literary treasures on display at COEX

Novelist Han Kang to give lecture, reading on ‘I Do Not Bid Farewell’

An array of award-winning Korean literary gems, from a novel recounting the horrors of Jeju Island’s 1948 massacres to a gripping dystopian feminist eco-thriller, have been curated for an exhibition at the Starfield Library in southern Seoul’s COEX.

“Springing to Life,” co-organized by the library and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, features 13 original Korean books alongside their 82 translated editions, all of which have garnered international recognition since 2019.

One of the highlights is the International Booker Prize-winning author Han Kang’s “I Do Not Bid Farewell,” which clinched the Prix Medicis for foreign literature last November, marking the first time a Korean work has been honored with the reputable French award.

The novel delves into the tragic events of the Jeju April 3 Uprising through the perspectives of three women. The incident saw approximately 30,000 civilians — nearly 10 percent of the island’s population at the time — purged in an anti-communist military campaign.

Also on view is “Phantom Pain Wings” by poetic heavyweight Kim Hye-soon. This poignant anthology of 72 poems nabbed the U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award in the

poetry category in March.

To depict the haunting memory of war trauma and the endless struggles against injustice, Kim combines her signature experimental language with elements drawn from Korea’s folklore and legends, as well as cultural legacies plucked from different parts of the world.

Two graphic novels are included in the show: Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s “Grass” and Ma Yeong-shin’s “Moms.” Both pieces received the Harvey Award for Best International Book in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“Grass” offers an unflinching portrayal of the victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery, while “Moms” presents a darkly humorous, unfiltered portrait of four women in their mid50s in Korea as they navigate complicated love lives, sexual adventures and menial jobs.

On May 10, author Han will provide insight into the background and creative process behind “I Do Not Bid Farewell” through a lecture and a reading.

“Springing to Life” runs through May 12.

Courtesy of Literature Translation Institute of Korea “Springing to Life,” an exhibition of 13 award-winning Korean literary works and their translated editions, is mounted at the Starfield Library at COEX in Seoul.