[Chaekdam] I Taxidermied My Deceased Wife... Perfectly Lyric

I Want to Write a 'Detective Novel,' Not Just 'Detective Techniques'
Published After 30 Years Without Sensational Developments
Emphasizing Lyricism Instead of Ero, Grotesque, and Nonsense
Capturing Family and Taxidermy... The Order of the World
Hoping It Inspires a Desire to Read Again

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] On a spring day, a wife took her own life. Although the suicide note did not specify the reason for her decision, her husband, Insoo Park, a taxidermist, instinctively senses the cause. Two days earlier, the pregnancy test showed two lines (pregnant). Having decided not to have any more children and undergone a vasectomy, Insoo Park suspects that this situation led to her death and begins to investigate the truth. There was an unexplained deposit of 10 million won in his wife's bank account and two unknown phone numbers recorded on her mobile phone. Insoo Park vows, "I will definitely find the person who made you like this."

This is a detective novel by author Soonwon Lee, who has won the Dongin Literary Award and the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award. It is his first detective novel in 30 years since 'There Is No Emergency Exit in Apgujeong-dong' (1992). While following the typical detective novel structure of incident occurrence and resolution, it does not trap readers with sensational developments. Based on a lyrical progression, it poses the question to readers: 'How much do you really know about your family?' We met novelist Soonwon Lee, who returned with the novel 'The Taxidermist's Love' (Sigongsa), on the 22nd.

- It has been 30 years since your detective novel 'There Is No Emergency Exit in Apgujeong-dong' published in 1992. I am curious about the reason for such a long gap in writing detective novels.

▲ 'There Is No Emergency Exit in Apgujeong-dong,' published over 30 years ago, was written as a warning about 'Korean low-class capitalism,' focusing on how people would react if the Hwaseong serial murders were ongoing. It caused a huge sensation, but the literary community's response was to avoid calling it a detective novel, instead labeling it a 'novel with detective techniques,' as if to protect and accommodate the author and the work. I wanted to write a splendid detective novel.

- Why did you emphasize writing a 'detective novel' rather than a 'social novel with detective techniques'?

▲ In the United States, detective novels have long been part of mainstream literature, dating back to Edgar Allan Poe's works. However, in Korea, even in the 1990s and up to now, detective novels are classified as 'genre fiction,' not mainstream literature. I wanted to ask, "Even if I write like this, will detective novels still be pushed into genre fiction?" And to detective novel writers, I wanted to ask, "How long will you continue to write while allowing detective novels to be marginalized as genre fiction?"

- Is there a special reason you chose a taxidermist as the protagonist?

▲ As seen in 'The Silence of the Lambs,' taxidermists are often portrayed as bizarre criminals in most novels and films. However, a taxidermist is someone who breathes new life into dead animals, restoring them to their most beautiful state when alive. I wanted to depict taxidermy as a process of restoring and mourning the life of a deceased wife.

- You mentioned not following the straightforward structure of mystery and resolution, and also noted differences from other detective novels that are consumed as one-time reads.

▲ It is often said that detective novels should incorporate 'ero, gro, nonsense' elements?money, lust, revenge, jealousy as motives for murder, maintaining suspense and tension. However, these elements risk reducing a novel to a conveyor belt delivering content rather than a literary work. Instead of grotesque eroticism and grotesque atmosphere, I infused lyricism into this novel. Unlike other detective novels that readers do not revisit after discovering the culprit, I put great effort into making readers want to read it again.

- The novel seems to pose the question, 'How much do you really know about your family?'

▲ Perhaps this is the core question the novel poses to readers. I will answer with a line from Insoo Park in the novel: "What saddens me most about my wife is this. It seems she grew up surrounded by deep sorrow from birth. (...) When I say this, I wonder if I ever properly comforted her even once. Now that she is gone, I realize I did nothing for her and knew nothing about her. This makes me feel so sorry and pained for her."

- What message did you want to convey through the novel?

▲ I wanted to speak about the beauty of nature through the four seasons, the beauty of taxidermy that breathes soul into lifeless animals, and through the lives and stories of the characters, about the order and betrayal of life.

- You mentioned in your author's note that you will never neglect writing in the future.

▲ I am planning a beautiful romance novel set in a port town on the East Coast. I expect it will be a persistent project throughout next year.

▶ Who is Soonwon Lee?

Born in 1958 in Gangneung. He began his literary career in 1985 when his short story 'Cow' won the Kangwon Ilbo New Year's Literary Contest. He has actively published works including short story collections 'Eunbiryung,' 'When He Stopped Walking,' 'First Snow,' and novels such as 'Our Stone Age' and 'There Is No Emergency Exit in Apgujeong-dong.' He has received numerous awards including the Dongin Literary Award, Hyundai Literary Award, Han Mu-sook Literary Award, Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award, Heo Gyun Writer's Literary Award, Namchon Literary Award, Green Literature Award, Dongri Literary Award, and Hwang Sun-won Writer's Award.