Seven Days, Eight Nights in Barcelona
Park Hyun-sook; Sapiens 21: 340 pp., 15,000 won

Seven days and eight nights might be a short time for some and a long time for others.

The book offers a good guide for travelers who have only a week to travel. It introduces Barcelona as a wonderful destination as it has a perfect climate, artistic architecture, traditional markets, shopping areas and mouth-watering cuisine along with beautiful beaches and parks.

Based on the experience gathered while working at a backpacking travel company for 10 years, the author said that Barcelona is the city she most wants to live in Europe because of the nice weather, good food and good people.

The book guides readers in accordance with eight themes and offers essential information and tips rather than personal stories or essays as other travel books do. It includes details about transportation and advises on how to safely travel the city and shop economically. There are photos and maps necessary for novice tourists.


Break
Im Geum-ja; Daseossure: 728 pp., 16,800 won

An author and Catholic nun, Im Geum-ja has released a new novel set in the Joseon Kingdom from 1834-47 revolving around the historical incidents of the persecuted Catholic Church at that time. Im has also studied Chinese philosophy.

Jeong Si-yun, an elite-turned merchant, and Kim Jae-yeon, a translator, are the protagonists in the novel. They dream of social transformation through their cross-border activities in China.

It seems to be a religious novel but focuses more on the important historical background during which numerous Catholic missionaries and believers fought against the social hierarchy.

The plot covers the injustice under the strict Neo-Confucianism as well as contains messages about humanity and social values. The book skillfully connects historical factors with dramatic and fictional events using dynamic characters.

Im weaves the values, spirit and equality into the fabric of fictional conflicts between those who want to change the world and those who want to maintain the status quo.

The book gives insight for modern readers by questioning what kind of changes are necessary in the present and future.



The World of Alleys: The Complete Photographs
Kim Ki-chan; Noonbit: 592 pp., 29,000 won

A compilation of six volumes of photo books along with 34 examples of unreleased works by the late photographer Kim Ki-chan who passed away in 2005.

Containing some 500 photographs featuring images of alleys, it is the first of its kind to be published as a complete collection in Korea.

Kim started capturing people in the alleys in Jungnim-dong, Seoul from 1968. During his life, he used to say that he felt like his hometown was in the alleys.

Whenever he took photos there he experienced the warm-hearted emotions from the residents who lived hard lives.

Spanning his career, his special attachment to the alleys continued for some 30 years until he died. Instead of pursuing artistic photos Kim tried to establish his own world through realistic urban photographs.

His photos will be nostalgic for many readers as most of the alleys are disappearing due to urban redevelopment.



Art Museums in Movies
Chung Jun-mo; Marronnier Books: 312pp., 13,500 won

“Art Museums in Movies” reveals the hidden semiology in movies and reinterprets the story through the language of art.

Author Chung Jun-mo studied art and worked as a curator at the National Museum of Contemporary Art. He now serves as the artistic director of the 2011 Cheongju International Craft Biennale and is a visiting professor at Kookmin University. In the book, Chung shows his extensive knowledge in art and fondness for movies.

The book categorizes art works seen in movies into five themes — intoxication, metaphor, thirst, love and anguish.

In the movie “Notting Hill,” Marc Chagall’s “The Bride” implies a happy ending. Meanwhile a girl who looks in the other direction in the painting “Luncheon of the Boating Party” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir suggests the unique, eccentric character of Amelie in the 2001 movie “Amelie.”