[Power K-Women] Kim Hoon, Lee Seul-a... The 'Bang Si-hyuk of Publishing' Sought by Star Writers

Famous Essay Collection Relentlessly Published by Star Editor
Aspiring Novelist Dives into the Editing World
Former Staff Member Now Head of Munhakdongne Independent Brand
Published "The Era of the Fragile Woman," Sold Production Rights
Wants to One Day Tell the Story of a Single Mom

"If novels are the genre of skilled writers, essays belong to ordinary people. Even the life of an ordinary person can become a story, a work, if you reveal your inner thoughts. If you just decide to write a book."

Recently, it is no exaggeration to say that the publishing industry is truly in the era of essays. At the center of this essay craze is editor Yeon-sil Lee. Having continuously published famous essay collections such as Kim Hoon’s Cooking Ramen, Ha Jung-woo’s The Walking Man, Ha Jung-woo, Lee Seul-ah’s Diligent Love, and Jung Yeo-ul’s I Will Give You the Best, he has earned the title of “Bang Si-hyuk of the publishing world.” The usual nicknames like “star editor” or “Midas touch” are far from enough to describe him.

Once an aspiring novelist, he entered the world of editing because of “money.” While focusing on writing novels in college, he secretly felt the pressure that he had to earn money by writing. Eventually, seeing no sign of debuting, he joined Munhakdongne Publishing with the plan, “Let’s work for a year to save money, then write novels again.” At that time, most of the books on his shelf were from Munhakdongne, and if he was going to earn money anyway, he thought working surrounded by books would be the best. But something strange happened. The more he worked, the more he enjoyed it to the point of thinking, “Why do they pay me when I’m having so much fun reading books and manuscripts?”

He always came to the office even on weekends. Of course, he sometimes fell into slumps or got hurt, but he recovered quickly. Every time he made a book, a new world unfolded, and sometimes he felt like he was an actor rather than a book director. He laughs, saying, "Right now, I’m working on a book about a female detective, so I’m living as a female detective. I saw a police car on the way and felt really happy."

Lee Yeonsil, CEO of Iyunsil Iyagijangsu, poses before an interview on the 16th at Dear Life in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@

"I think the most important thing in life is to find what you love to do. Most people seem to waste time wandering and suffering because they can’t find it. I have only done this work so far, and I plan to keep doing only this work in the future."

He confidently calls himself a “lucky person.” Editor Yeon-sil Lee is the first case of an employee at Munhakdongne Publishing who joined as a regular staff member and became the head of an imprint (an independent brand within a publishing group). He joined in 2007 before graduating from university, so he has been in the industry for 17 years now.

It was not easy to get into Munhakdongne even back then. But as an aspiring novelist, he had neither the common TOEIC score nor outstanding grades or anything to boast about. By chance, he once asked the CEO in a private setting, “Why did you hire me back then?” The CEO replied, “I just liked your bright smile.”

"I think I passed the document screening because of my self-introduction letter. When I was in college, I lived in a rooftop room and filled the walls and ceiling with Post-it notes of sentences I liked from books. Every morning, one or two Post-its would fall on my face as I woke up, and I wrote about how happy it was to start the day with sentences I loved."

He says, "Since I became a team leader in my seventh year, I have read countless self-introduction letters from new applicants. Many still write only about their parents and their own birth stories, repeating the same clich?s."

"An editor is someone who introduces a book attractively, but how can you introduce a book if you can’t even properly promote yourself? Many applicants with truly impressive credentials apply to Munhakdongne, but if they can’t write a unique self-introduction, they get eliminated immediately."

The lifespan of editors in the publishing industry is usually around mid-forties. At that point, they face a crossroads: either transition to management or start a one-person publishing company. Wanting to continue working in the field, he proposed to the company last spring to run an imprint. Although it was a bit early, the company gladly accepted because of his outstanding achievements so far.

Just as a book’s title is important, the name of a publishing company is a decisive factor. Having admired merchants selling goods in markets since childhood, he wanted to shout loudly and sell good books well, so he thought of the brand name “Iyagi Jangsu” (Story Merchant). However, the reaction from publishing acquaintances was unexpectedly negative. The dominant opinion was that it sounded too rustic. He confesses, "I brought all the hot star authors, so why call it Story Merchant? The opposition from senior colleagues was intense."

"Publishing insiders said all the titles were strange, but broadcast video producers unanimously said it was a hit. People without prejudice against books didn’t find the title odd. Whether it’s books or videos, selling content is like being a merchant. So I decided to go with it."

Lee Yeonsil, CEO of Iyunsil Iyagijangsu, is posing before an interview on the 16th at Dear Life in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Industry people who initially opposed it later admitted, saying, "It’s strange, but unforgettable. It’s addictive." The imprint “Iyagi Jangsu,” launched that way, hit the jackpot last fall by publishing the hottest title The Era of the Fragile Woman. Recently, the drama production rights for The Era of the Fragile Woman were also sold. This novel is the first full-length novel by Lee Seul-ah, a well-known essayist and publisher of Daily Lee Seul-ah, and holds special meaning in the author’s life. For anyone in literature, publishing their first novel at Munhakdongne is a dream, so the fact that this author published her novel under “Iyagi Jangsu” was an unexpected “event.”

In fact, this editor had worked on three essay collections by Lee Seul-ah and had already arranged for her first novel to be published by Munhakdongne. But since he suddenly became independent and started an imprint, he couldn’t just suddenly suggest publishing the book under “Iyagi Jangsu.”

"I went to see Lee Seul-ah and said, ‘I desperately want to publish your novel and will put all my effort into it, but I fully understand your wish to publish it at Munhakdongne. This is your choice, so please think carefully and give me your answer.’ After saying that and getting into a taxi, tears poured down. I thought, ‘What am I acting all cool for? I should have just grabbed her by the leg and begged her.’ I immediately regretted it. A few days later, Lee Seul-ah contacted me and said, ‘Of course, I want to work with editor Yeon-sil Lee!’ and I cried again right there."

There is something between the two that allows them to work smoothly without even speaking much. He explains, "We share the same goals, especially in how to present the work to readers." Lee Seul-ah once said in an interview that she likes editor Yeon-sil Lee’s momentum. "Whatever he takes on seems destined to succeed. He seems like someone who would survive well anywhere." In fact, the author left a more specific dedication in the “Author’s Note” at the end of his novel The Era of the Fragile Woman.

"If I wrote the first sentence thanks to my mother, I wrote the last sentence thanks to editor Yeon-sil Lee. Without him, there are many writings I could not have completed. (Omitted) I want to keep making books with the best Story Merchant and irreplaceable publisher."

Lee Yeonsil, CEO of Iyunsil Iyagijangsu, is being interviewed on the 16th at Dear Life in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The last sentence the author mentioned is, "With the flow of time, the beauty of the world will also change." For editor Yeon-sil Lee, the beauty of the world is undoubtedly “stories.” Then, what would be the most impressive scene if the life of a person named Yeon-sil Lee were written as a story?

"Recently, I went on a trip alone with my mother for the second time in my life. While looking at my mother’s happy face after a long time, a scene from the past suddenly overlapped. When I was in high school, I won a big prize at a literary contest. After the award ceremony, there was a buffet dinner, and my mother, eager to feed me quickly, accidentally spilled food while hurriedly putting it on my plate. At that moment, the staff rushed over and scolded my mother loudly, but she kept apologizing repeatedly. My mother looked very shabby that day. They didn’t see her as the family of the award winner but treated her like some kind of peddler."

His eyes quickly became moist again, as he was still moved thinking about it. He was deeply hurt by how even people who pursue literature do not consider or respect the existence of ordinary people living at the bottom of this world. He vividly remembers every expression of the people whispering while looking at his mother at that moment.

"My mother had little education and raised me and my sister as a single mom doing all kinds of hard work. Although we were poor, she did her best to support me so I could read the books I liked abundantly. When I got a job at a publishing company, she didn’t rejoice like other parents but rather felt sorry, asking if I was giving up on writing novels. As someone who makes books, I try not to forget people like my mother."

Writer Kim Hoon, who is like a father figure to this editor and knows his situation well, never forgets to advise him every time they meet, "Don’t brag about writing or making books. Always treat your mother well. Your mother is a saint." These days, he records conversations whenever he meets his mother, planning to write about her someday.

"Even now, when I meet college friends, they say, ‘Now you should write your novel.’ But I want to be a better editor now. When I have a story I want to tell, I enjoy asking a better writer to write it, which results in something more fantastic. My dream is to be a Story Merchant who creates and delivers wonderful stories of the world until I die."

By Choo Myung-hee stella@

▶Editor Yeon-sil Lee is

Born in 1984. Joined Munhakdongne Publishing in 2007 while a senior majoring in Korean Language and Literature at Kyung Hee University. A star editor who made famous essay collections such as Kim Hoon’s Cooking Ramen, Ha Jung-woo’s The Walking Man, Ha Jung-woo, and Lee Seul-ah’s Diligent Love. He published How to Make Essays based on his long experience as an essay editor and has been serving as the head of the imprint “Iyagi Jangsu” (Story Merchant) within Munhakdongne Publishing Group since April 2022.