[Column] Books That Visually Impaired People Read First

A "Listening Novel" for the Disabled
A New Milestone in the Publishing Industry

Actor Park Jung-min, who runs a publishing company, released an audiobook version of writer Kim Geum-hee's book First Summer, Wanju for the disabled before the print edition was available in bookstores. Unlike the usual process where books for the visually impaired are supplied later than those for non-disabled readers, the audiobook was produced first and prioritized for the disabled before the paper book hit the shelves. This was a meaningful attempt that went against the conventional market distribution order. Currently, this audiobook is being provided primarily to welfare facilities for the disabled, such as the National Library for the Disabled.

Several years ago, when visiting the National Library of Korea to write a planned article, visually impaired individuals expressed their frustration about the long wait for mainstream books to be converted into braille or audiobooks. They said they always felt left behind because they could not enjoy culture at the same pace and in the same way as non-disabled people. At that time, Han Hye-kyung, whom I met, said, "Because of my visual impairment, I often miss dramas or videos, but I can read books just like non-disabled people and imagine the scenes described by the author. However, braille or audiobook versions for the visually impaired are available 3 to 4 months later than the general books." Generally, braille books require several months of additional work after the paper book is published. Audiobooks, especially those recorded with voice actors rather than simple text-to-speech (TTS), often take longer than the print edition due to cost and time constraints.

In this regard, this attempt is even more significant. The disabled, who have always had to wait patiently, were given priority in cultural enjoyment this time. The opportunity to confidently answer a non-disabled friend's question, "How is that book?" was a unique experience in itself.

Behind Park Jung-min’s initiative is his father. In 2020, the year after he founded the publishing company, his father suddenly lost his eyesight, and Park was unable to show him his first book. Park said, "I thought about how to give my father a book as a gift and came up with the idea of a 'listening novel'." Unlike typical audiobooks, which are narrated by voice actors after the paper book is published, the listening novel was created as an audiobook from the start.

Actors active in the film industry participated in the audiobook as a form of talent donation. Ko Min-si, Kim Do-hoon, Yum Jung-ah, Choi Yang-rak, Kim Eui-sung, Bae Sung-woo, Ryu Hyun-kyung, Lim Sung-jae, and Kim Jun-han added to the immersion of the work through their voice acting.

On the 17th, a book talk event for the disabled was held at the National Library of Korea. A dialogue between writer Kim Geum-hee and CEO Park Jung-min took place, along with performances by Gureum and Yoon Machi. The disabled participants expressed joy at the special opportunity to access the book before non-disabled readers and responded with gratitude. The campfire kindled for his father now warmly touches many hearts. Such initiatives are always welcome.