[Power K-Women] How Isul A Speaks to the World as a Writer

Started 'Daily Isul-A' to Repay Student Loans
Gathered Numerous Readers and Founded 'Heoem Publishing'
From Own, Friends', and Neighbors' Words to the World's Writing

Editor's NoteAsia Economy will select women who are active not only in Asia but around the world as 'Power K-Women' at the Women's Leaders Forum to be held this October. We have chosen individuals who have overcome and broken down boundaries such as race, nationality, and disability as 'Power K-Women.' This is to widely promote the value of those who have not been intimidated by discrimination or confined by boundaries but have fought back, and to convey new values of leadership to youth and women. Their stories will provide comfort to a weary world, become role models for someone, and give communities the strength to move forward again.
Date ｜ Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 9:00 AM ? 5:20 PM
Venue ｜ Crystal Ballroom, Lotte Hotel, Sogong-dong (2F)

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seungseop] ‘No one requested it, but I write! I send something every day!’ There is a writer who started a writing series with this provocative phrase. It is writer Seul-A Lee of ‘Daily Seul-A Lee,’ a campaign where you receive writings every Monday through Friday for just 10,000 won a month. The campaign, which began to repay student loans, attracted numerous readers. Her cheerful twisting of prejudices and warm perspective on the world spread by word of mouth. Now, she even runs a publishing company where her parents are employees.

On the 23rd, at ‘Heum Publishing’ in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Lee Seul-A, who dreamed of becoming a writer since childhood but said she was not originally good at writing, shared her story. She began seriously learning writing at ‘Eodin Geulbang.’ Lee explained, "It was a group where teenage girls gathered under a mentor called Eodin to write once a week. After attending for about seven years and training in my own way, I think I was able to debut." She won the ‘Hand Literature Award’ from Hankyoreh21 with her work ‘Merchants.’

At the writing room, fierce feedback called ‘hap-pyeong’ was exchanged. Feelings of envy, frustration, and embarrassment toward talented peers often came mixed. Lee said she was mainly criticized for ‘not being political enough and being too private and personal.’ Nevertheless, her view is that "if one has an open perspective on the world and studies a lot, personal stories can also be very political."

Even now, her writing material mostly comes from everyday life around her. "In the past, I had a bit of a complex about not being able to write fantasy or blockbusters. Now, I tend to carefully note down memorable lines from people around me. The moments when unresolved societal issues and stories of individuals I personally care about intersect usually become my writing material." The interview collection ‘With a New Heart,’ which she especially cherishes, was also written after direct conversations with lesser-known neighbors and elders.

Her diverse job experiences also often appear in her writing. Lee has worked as a magazine reporter, caf? part-timer, nude model, and webtoon artist, and even after becoming famous, she has been active as a singer. She is currently the chairperson of the support committee for Jang Hye-Young, a Justice Party member of the National Assembly. In 2014, when it was difficult to afford monthly rent, she worked as a writing teacher. A writing room she started with two children she met by posting flyers in an apartment became famous, and for six years she worked as a traveling bundle writing merchant across the country. Teaching writing to children, she learned the most herself and published the book ‘Diligent Love’ about it.

The theme ‘The Age of Ganyeojang’ serialized for a month from February this year in Daily Seul-A Lee is similar. It is a sitcom that critiques the patriarchal society where middle-aged men are naturally regarded as the main subjects. The theme of ‘ganyeojang’ (a play on words replacing the character for ‘father’ with ‘woman’) is fictional but essentially about Lee’s own family. In fact, the publishing company where Lee is the CEO employs her mother ‘Bokhee’ and father ‘Woong-i.’ Like a novel, the cost of household labor is included in their salaries. Even then, Lee said, "I thought about how to make it a universal concern and theme, not just a story about one family or someone else’s business."

This series is one of the special issues that received good responses among Daily Seul-A Lee’s works. "If you change the ‘father’ character in ‘patriarch’ to ‘woman,’ it becomes ‘ganyeojang.’ I wondered what kind of story would unfold by changing just that one character. It’s basically a cheerful and fun story, so I think it was easy to read. It’s not a story that causes a revolution, but a family story that seeks small, thrilling changes in everyday life." Lee is currently preparing to adapt ‘The Age of Ganyeojang’ into a drama.

Writer Isul Ah is being interviewed on the 23rd at Heum Publishing in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Lee said she did not expect Daily Seul-A Lee to become so successful. When her student loan repayment of 25 million won began in February 2018, she started Daily Seul-A Lee to earn money. If you subscribe, you receive writings by email. There is no help from publishers or print media. The campaign, which she thought might gather 50 subscribers if lucky, continues to grow. Lee said, "Many other writers have also started waves of subscriptions," and added, "I think a way to sustain a livelihood as a writer has opened up. It seems to have worked out well."

Afterward, Lee founded Heum Publishing. When asked why she decided to start her own publishing company, she laughed and said, "I started it to make a lot of money." However, her thoughts changed while running the company. Lee said, "Usually, authors receive 10% royalties, which felt small, so I started the company, but after working, I understood why it’s 10%. Publishing involves many workers to produce one book. It’s not just about writing well; I learned it’s the result of many people’s work."

Lee’s writings have expanded from her own, friends’, and neighbors’ words to appeal to a broader society. She calls herself a ‘vegan-oriented person.’ Lee confessed, "Before reading a fellow writer’s book, I thought vegans were people with very strict ethical compulsions. But I realized it’s a hugely problematic system with very painful breeding methods, and I didn’t want to contribute to that." She added, "There are aspects of health improvement from being vegan, and in that sense, my writing has gained political and social qualities."

She continued, "No one can be a 100% perfect vegan. We try to be vegan, but no one in this era can avoid affecting animal slaughter. Though imperfect, I strive toward it." Regarding negative perceptions of veganism, she said, "Sometimes vegetarianism is read as an attack on meat-eaters, and vegans are often held to very strict standards. I think discussions about veganism in Korea are lagging behind."

Lee sees the climate crisis as closely connected to veganism. She said, "The weather is getting closer to climate disasters every year, and for some, it has already arrived. I feel we need to do a lot of activism to slow down that pace, and that change is basically about mobilizing everything each person can do."

When asked how she wants to contribute to the community, Lee shared a modest yet precious and challenging goal. "I want it to be a home where friends can come when they are having a very hard time. As the employer of my mother and father, I want to be a publishing company CEO who pays their salaries on time and properly appreciates the dignity of their blue-collar labor. I want to be a writer who is recognized not only for writing fun and thrilling pieces but also for telling necessary stories well."

To those who like her writing and want to write well, Lee left these words: "I hope you stay healthy. I hope you take good care of your exercise and body. I believe that if you spend time with writing anyway, good writing will come automatically. I wish you health and happiness."

Profile of Lee Seul-A

Lee Seul-A is a writer and publisher. She writes in various genres including essays, novels, columns, interviews, letters, and reviews. Since debuting in 2013 with the short story ‘Merchants,’ she has published writings in various newspapers and magazines. In 2018, she started the 《Daily Seul-A Lee》 project, creating a new trend in publishing by gathering readers directly without relying on mainstream media and presenting an independent serialization method. She continues her unique creative activities through 《Daily Seul-A Lee》. Her books include 『Daily Seul-A Lee Essay Collection』, 『Mind and Body Training』, 『Clean Respect』, and 『Diligent Love』. In 2019, she became the CEO of Heum Publishing. She teaches writing to teenagers once a week.