K-LIT REVIEW 'If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light': Sci-fi that tugs at the heartstrings
The English translation by Anton Hur of Kim Choyeop's “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” / Courtesy of Faye Leung
In Korea, this book has sold more than 400,000 copies. In China, it won the Gold Award in the translated works category at the 14th China Nebula Awards, the most prestigious science fiction accolade in the country. Now, at long last, the short story collection that swept both Korean and Chinese readers off their feet has arrived in English, as Anton Hur’s translation of “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” introduces the Anglosphere to science fiction superstar Kim Choyeop.
No other Korean sci-fi book in recent memory has broken through the boundaries of its genre to achieve success on an international scale quite like this. What is the secret to the book’s success? What about it is so compelling that readers preface their glowing reviews with, “I don’t usually read science fiction, but…” then go on to sing its praises and profess that they have now been converted into a sci-fi fan?
The words “science fiction” bring forth images of spaceships, aliens, robots and — more often than not — a cold, dystopian outlook on the future. Traditional category lines are drawn between “hard sci-fi,” or fiction that prioritizes scientific accuracy and technical detail, and “soft sci-fi,” which prioritizes characters, depictions of societal changes and human emotions.
Fans of the former are drawn to the bold scientific hypotheses that layer fiction onto a sturdy foundation of fact — think “The Three Body Problem” by Liu Cixin. Patrons of the latter are impressed by the worldbuilding that expands human imagination past the confines of space and time, as seen in space operas such as Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series.
Readers who go into “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” expecting either of the above may be disappointed. However, they will find something even more potent: science fiction that tugs at the heartstrings by exploring the universal questions most relevant to our daily lives.
Instead of expounding at length on esoteric theories of astrophysics and engineering, Kim focuses on technology’s impact on individuals and society. Her stories ask questions that act as springboards, encouraging readers to find their own answers.
The first story in the collection, “Symbiosis Theory,” imagines an alien species that coexists with humans not unlike the way microorganisms live in our gut. Kim poses the questions: What makes humanity human? What if the attributes we thought of as “human” came from aliens that lived, unknown, within us all this time?
This story could not have chosen a more opportune time to reach readers. As artificial intelligence takes over more and more of the intellectual and creative labor we had always thought of as a uniquely human prerogative, we are forced to look to the future and contemplate where that leaves us.
In a world where change hurtles toward us relentlessly, Kim writes about the things that stay the same. The eponymous short story “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” brings readers to a future where space travel has stretched the limits of human settlement beyond our wildest dreams. Yet, the tale of the old lady who stubbornly waits for a spaceship that will never come again is one that anyone in our era can relate to: the struggle to balance work and family, the ashen taste of dashed ambitions and the hollow feeling of longing for family that’s out of reach.
Even though the book was published in Korean seven years ago and features writing from even earlier, its accurate pinpointing of shared human experiences ensures that the stories have aged impressively well.
In fact, some stories remain curiously relevant to today’s trends. In “The Materiality of Emotions,” a mysterious company invents products that can instantly make people feel specific emotions, from anticipation and calmness to fear and depression. “Was the reason we consumed things only because we wanted the feelings that came with it?” Kim writes. “Weren’t human beings generally engaged in the pursuit of the creation of meaning?”
Reading these words, I was reminded of the epidemic of gacha shops that have cropped up around Seoul like mushrooms after a storm. These brightly lit money magnets run on nothing but the dopamine rush sparked by a heady blend of anticipation and surprise. Additionally, bag charms — the “it” accessory that schoolchildren and working adults alike would not be caught dead without today — directly connect the questions Kim poses in her story to a phenomenon that continues to fascinate and baffle in equal measure.
Among the many merits of “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light,” perhaps the most impressive is this: Not one of the seven stories is dull. In contrast to collections that are a mixed bag of highlights and “the rest,” each story cranks the imagination into high gear and sends the reader’s thoughts down a long, winding road never traveled before.
“If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” is available from dbbooks.co.kr.
Faye Leung runs @the_bibliocracy, an Instagram account dedicated to singling out reads for savoring. She regularly posts book reviews and recommendations, and has a particular fondness for Korean literature.