Chae In-pyo's Novel on Comfort Women Becomes Required Reading at Oxford University, UK

Actor Cha In-pyo, Also Active as a Writer
Featured at the 'Oxford Korean Literature Festival'
Novel on 'Japanese Military Comfort Women' Selected as Essential Reading

Actor Cha In-pyo's novel addressing the issue of Japanese military comfort women has been selected as a required reading at the prestigious University of Oxford in the UK. Cha In-pyo's wife, actress Shin Ae-ra, posted a photo from her visit to the UK on social media on the 30th of last month, stating, "My husband's novel has been selected as required reading at Oxford University. Starting next semester, it will also be used as a textbook in the Korean Studies department and will be available in all Oxford libraries." Shin Ae-ra added, "What a grateful event in the world. I hope that through the annual Oxford Korean Literature Festival, Korean literature and authors will be introduced to Europe."

Cha In-pyo giving a lecture as a writer at Oxford University in the UK.
[Image source=Captured from Shin Ae-ra's Instagram]

Professor Jo Ji-eun's research team from Oxford University's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies reportedly held the "1st Oxford Korean Literature Festival" on the 28th of last month (local time) in a large lecture hall at the Oxford Ao Nao Center. This festival selects outstanding Korean novels suitable for introduction to Europe and invites authors to share their literary worlds directly. At this event, Cha In-pyo's novel If We Ever Look at the Same Star was introduced. Approximately 100 people, including Cha In-pyo, Shin Ae-ra, Oxford students, and faculty members, attended the event.

Cha In-pyo has published three full-length novels as a writer: Today's Forecast (2011), If We Ever Look at the Same Star (2021), and Mermaid Hunting (2022). If We Ever Look at the Same Star centers on Soon-i, who was born and raised in the Baekdu Mountain Tiger Village in the 1930s, and deals with the issue of Japanese military comfort women. Professor Jo's team stated, "This work addresses the important issue of Japanese military comfort women while also conveying a message of reconciliation with the past, making it a unique piece."

Cha In-pyo and Shin Ae-ra couple. [Image source=Captured from Shin Ae-ra's Instagram]

In a special lecture held afterward, Cha In-pyo emphasized forgiveness and empathy. He said, "The comfort women grandmothers demand an apology in order to forgive," and stressed, "How can one forgive without an apology?" He continued, "Forgiveness is a very noble decision that humans can make," adding, "If many people empathize with and stand in solidarity with the grandmothers' pain as if it were their own, an apology can be drawn out."

Professor Jo's team announced plans to include this work in the required reading list for Oxford students studying Korean Studies and to organize classes where students will read and translate the novel together. They also plan to translate it into English, as well as German and French, to promote K-literature worldwide.