International Booker Prize's longlist includes two Korean authors

By Park Han-sol

Two Korean novelists are in the running for the 2022 International Booker Prize, marking the first time that more than one Korean writer has been simultaneously longlisted for one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, the Booker Prize Foundation announced, Thursday (local time).

Chung Bora's “Cursed Bunny” and Park Sang-young's “Love in the Big City” are two of the 13 nominees for this year's British award, formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize. The prize was established in 2005 to recognize both the author and the translator for a single work of fiction ― novel or short story collection ― translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Both of the Korean books have been translated by Anton Hur.

The two writers will compete against other literary heavyweights including previous prize winner David Grossman's “More Than I Love My Life” and 2018 Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk's “The Books of Jacob.”

Chung's “Cursed Bunny” is a genre-defying collection of 10 short stories, one that can be best described as a gripping amalgamation of absurdist tales that draw on science fiction, horror and fantasy. The inexplicably frightening and bizarre elements featured in her story of malediction and revenge remind readers of the very real, cruel horror that exists in this world.

Meanwhile, Park's “Love in the Big City,” described by its publisher Tilted Axis Press as “an energetic, joyful and moving novel that depicts both the glittering nighttime world of Seoul and the bleary-eyed morning-after,” is a frank depiction of Korea's contemporary queer scene, following a young gay man's journey of self-awareness and love life.

“I couldn't believe my eyes to see that a mere dream I once had has indeed become a reality,” Park wrote on his Instagram upon hearing the news of his nomination as he thanked Hur for the masterful translation. “It is an honor to be nominated for the award after novelists Han Kang and Hwang Sok-yong.”

In 2016, Han's “The Vegetarian” became the first Korean-language novel to be named the winner of the Man Booker International Prize. Her “The White Book” was shortlisted for the award again in 2018, while Hwang's “At Dusk” was included in the prize's longlist the following year.

The judges will unveil the shortlist of six works on April 7. The winning title, receiving a prize of 50,000 pounds ($65,000) that will be divided equally between the author and translator, will be announced on May 26.