Lifestyle - The Korea Times

dbBOOKS offers English-language warehouse sale

The dbBOOKS warehouse will once again open its doors this weekend for its twice-yearly sale, now rebranded as the Welcome to Our Warehouse (WOW) Family Sale. Located in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong, the warehouse offers the largest volume of English-language books available in Korea. This time, the sale will also offer special events, such as a book talk and a meeting of the Seoul Silent Book Club (SSBC). "Although the warehouse is located underground, it feels like a special kind of paradise," said Emily Serby, an American working as a marketing consultant for dbBOOKS. "People who truly love books know what a treasure it is to be surrounded by them. With its walls and walls of beautifully stacked books and bundles, I found myself itching to browse the shelves, even from that very first day." Serby, one of the main organizers of SSBC, connected with dbBOOKS when Hahm Ki-hyun, also known as Katch, attended an SSBC meeting. "SSBC and dbBOOKS are, unsurprisingly, an excellent fit. I had already started getting questions from some members about where to find books in Seoul, so I was initiall

May 19, 2025By Jon Dunbar

dbBOOKS offers English-language warehouse sale

If you eat bread when you're sad, it may be time to break free from false hunger

A meme once popular online poked fun at personality types by gauging reactions to the phrase, “I bought bread because I was sad.” It was a playful way to guess whether someone’s MBTI type leaned toward T (thinking) or F (feeling). But beneath the humor lies a more serious insight: people often eat not because they are physically hungry, but to soothe their emotions. The new book “The Hunger Habit” explores this very distinction, arguing that a healthy relationship with food begins when we stop confusing food cravings with real hunger. Written by addiction psychologist Dr. Judson Brewer, a professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, the book is rooted in his work with patients suffering from binge-eating disorders. Through his consultations, Dr. Brewer found that hunger can be manufactured, disguised, and combined with other cravings. Emotional states such as anger, loneliness, fatigue, boredom, sadness, distress, or even excitement often masquerade as hunger. When such eating patterns are repeated, they become wired into the brain. If someone habitually turns t

May 17, 2025By Hankookilbo

If you eat bread when you're sad, it may be time to break free from false hunger

Book Review 'Living by Faith in a Life of Suffering'

“Living by Faith in a Life of Suffering” is the spiritual memoir and final testimony of the late pastor Kim Seong-bok, who, despite being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, never let go of his pastoral calling or his unwavering faith in God. This book is more than just a record of a man’s battle with illness — it is a deeply personal confession of faith, born in the crucible of physical suffering and spiritual clarity. 1. Walking with illness and faith After being diagnosed with liver cancer in 1994, Kim endured five years of struggle before undergoing a life-saving liver transplant in 1999. Even after the transplant, he faced repeated hospitalizations and complications. Yet through it all, he remained steadfast in his belief that his life was held not by his own strength, but by the hand of God. This conviction forms the central theme of the book. 2. A theology of life through suffering Kim saw suffering not as a curse but as a path toward spiritual awakening. He called this process “theologizing life” — reinterpreting one’s pain through the lens of gratitude and divi

May 14, 2025By Shim Jae-yun

[Book Review] 'Living by Faith in a Life of Suffering'

K-LIT REVIEW Bora Chung’s ‘Red Sword’ keeps readers on edge

Many works of science fiction begin with extensive exposition, providing backstory and technical details before the narrative unfolds. Others immerse the reader in a narrative that gradually unveils the scientific details, sometimes leaving them a mystery indefinitely. Bora Chung’s "Red Sword" is certainly the latter, to such a strong degree that it could easily be described as a thriller or mystery as well as action-packed science fiction. "Red Sword" has about as much action as one could pack into just over 200 pages, but it is terrifying in its desperation and confusion. In the chaos of blinding fog and alien terrain, the protagonist and her fellow prisoners battle against all odds, making split-second decisions with harrowing consequences that take the reader's breath away. There are deep descriptions of their brief skirmishes against a technologically superior foe whose capabilities the characters discover as we do. The fog they fight in is both literal and metaphorical; the prisoners seem to know so little about who they are fighting, where they are fighting or why they are fig

May 13, 2025By Arlo Matisz

[K-LIT REVIEW] Bora Chung’s ‘Red Sword’ keeps readers on edge

Bora Chung, Anton Hur reunite for outer space war epic 'Red Sword'

Author Bora Chung and translator Anton Hur began their shared literary voyage with the English edition of “Cursed Bunny,” a genre-blurring short story collection that leapt onto the global stage as a finalist for the 2022 International Booker Prize and the 2023 National Book Award. Their creative collaboration continued in “Your Utopia,” another collection that broke new ground this year as the first Korean work ever shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award. This month, the duo has turned a new page in their ongoing literary partnership with the English translation of “Red Sword,” set to hit shelves on May 13. Where “Cursed Bunny” and “Your Utopia” pulse with taut, surgically restrained prose, “Red Sword” erupts with spectacle — a dreamy, action-fueled war story set in the far reaches of space. Its protagonists, enslaved prisoners of a vast empire, are hurled into combat as cannon fodder against mysterious, white-skinned aliens. The novel draws inspiration from the 17th-century Sino-Russian border conflicts, when China’s Qing dynasty summoned military reinforce

May 4, 2025By Park Han-sol

Bora Chung, Anton Hur reunite for outer space war epic 'Red Sword'

Han Kang's first post-Nobel book tops bestseller list

Nobel literature laureate Han Kang's latest book has topped a local bestseller list upon its release. Major bookstore chain Kyobo Book Center said Friday that the book, titled "Light and Thread," claimed the No. 1 spot on its bestseller list for the last week of April. Han's first publication since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, the book contains a total of 12 writings, including five poems and several new prose pieces. Three of the writings stem from the Nobel Prize in Literature award events last December: the full text of the laureate lecture "Light and Thread," delivered at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm; the acceptance speech "Even In the Darkest Night" given at the subsequent banquet; and the message "A Small Teacup," left upon donating a teacup to the Nobel Prize Museum. Among the new prose pieces, "North-facing Garden" describes the garden she tended at her first fully-owned home bought in 2019, while "Garden Diary" chronicles the garden's plant life over two years starting in 2021. The book, which was released last Wednesday, has drawn particularly strong

May 2, 2025By Yonhap

Han Kang's first post-Nobel book tops bestseller list

56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards

The Korea Times is inviting translators from around the world to participate in the 56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards. Since 1970, The Korea Times has been dedicated to recognizing excellence in literary translation and promoting Korean literature to a global readership through this annual competition. Many of the leading translators and scholars working in the field today began their careers as winners of the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards, and The Korea Times looks forward to ushering in a new generation of skilled translators in the years to come. The annual competition awards English translations of works of contemporary Korean literature in two categories: fiction/drama and poetry. Prize • Grand Prize in Fiction/Drama: 7 million won • Grand Prize in Poetry: 4 million won • Commendation Awards: 2 million won each to entries in either fiction/drama or poetry • Kevin O'Rourke Award: 1 million won to an entry in either fiction/drama or poetry * The Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards are sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and

Apr 30, 2025

Han Kang's 'Light and Thread' paints intimate portrait of novelist beyond her writing desk

“After having lived a little more / When I stand at the edge of death / Will I be able to think / That I truly held life tight (through writing).” So begins “After Having Lived a Little More,” a contemplative two-page essay that drifts between lyrical poetry and prose, by Han Kang. This brief meditation on the act of writing graces the final pages of her latest book, “Light and Thread,” her first publication since winning the historic Nobel Prize in Literature last October. “Light and Thread” gathers 12 essays and poems — some previously published, others unveiled for the first time — paired with black-and-white photographs captured by Han herself. The 172-page volume draws its title from the writer’s Nobel lecture, delivered on Dec. 7 at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm. The book presents ample opportunity to revisit her stirring Nobel Week speech, as it includes the full text of both her Nobel lecture and her banquet address, “In the Darkest Night.” In the speech, she describes writing as a worthwhile “tradeoff” — an exchange between her personal life a

Apr 29, 2025By Park Han-sol

Han Kang's 'Light and Thread' paints intimate portrait of novelist beyond her writing desk

BOOK REVIEW Robin Ha's graphic novel 'The Fox Maidens' offers fierce tale of gumiho

"The Fox Maidens" is an inspired take on one of the most subversive themes in East Asian folktales: that of the female cooptation of the male body in a patriarchal society. Among the most common representations of this theme are the tales involving a nine-tail fox (gumiho) that takes on the form of a comely maiden who seduces a man and thereby deprives him of his psychic energy, or ki. The story begs for visual treatment, and Robin Ha’s graphic novel, the result of three and a half years of creative work and running more than 300 pages, with an average of five panels per page, more than fills the bill. Kai (Ka-hŭi in Korean), the protagonist, is the daughter of Meorhu, a low-born woman rescued by a gumiho that maintains itself by feeding on the livers of evil men, and Tamjin, orphaned by the murder of his family by a corrupt royal guard but restored to elite status by hunting gumiho. Early on, Kai distinguishes herself in the martial arts program run by her father, a general of the local Royal Legion. But at puberty, a crisis ensues when her first menstrual flow (the moonblood) is a

Apr 24, 2025By Bruce Fulton

[BOOK REVIEW] Robin Ha's graphic novel 'The Fox Maidens' offers fierce tale of gumiho

5 book cafes in Seoul to celebrate World Book Day

There's no better time to highlight the cozy corners of Seoul where book lovers can escape the city’s bustle for a quiet read than on World Book Day. While bookstores and libraries are classic havens, some readers crave a bit more — serenity paired with a warm latte or a refreshing iced Americano. That’s where book cafes come in: part sanctuary, part café, these spaces blend the joy of literature with the comfort of a good drink. These aren’t just places to grab coffee — they’re immersive environments where the scent of espresso mingles with the rustle of turning pages, offering both refuge and inspiration. We hope you'll enjoy World Book Day! 1. Deosup Chosochaekbang (@deosup_chosochaekbang on Instagram) Tucked away on the side of Mount Inwang, Deosup is set off beautifully by its tranquil location, surrounded by forest and mountain views. The remote setting makes it a bit harder to access than other cafes on this list, but that’s part of the charm. Housed in a former military guard post, it boasts a spacious outdoor area and is highly recommended for readers who enjoy hi

Apr 23, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Books