'Korean Literature Month' Literary Exchange Event Held in Osaka, Japan

Discussion Programs Featuring Writers and Bookstore Owners Held
Event to Conclude with Translator Talk on the 28th

The Korean Cultural Center in Osaka and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea announced on the 22nd that they held the 'Korean Literature Month - Five Conversations Around Books' event in Osaka, Japan, from September 20 to 21.

Novelist Hwang Jung-eun is speaking at the 'Korean Literature Month - Five Conversations Around Books' event. Provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

This year marked the second edition of the event, and it brought together various stakeholders in the world of books, including writers, publishers, bookstores, translators, and readers from both Korea and Japan. The event provided an opportunity to examine and exchange ideas about the publishing and literary ecosystems of both countries.

On September 20, a book talk with novelist Hwang Jung-eun took place at the Umeda branch of Tsutaya, a leading Japanese bookstore. During the talk, moderated by translator Mariko Saito, Hwang Jung-eun read excerpts from her works and discussed her writing process and the backgrounds of several of her books. More than six of her works, including "Nobody" and "Didi's Umbrella," have been translated and published in Japan, enjoying continuous popularity among Korean literature fans. The event attracted a large audience, who listened attentively to the author's stories.

Prior to the book talk, there were discussions at the same venue featuring Korean and Japanese publishers and bookstore owners. In the publishers' session, Cho Sungwoong, CEO of UU Publishing, and Kunihiro Mishima, CEO of Mishimasha, shared their perspectives on the differences in publishing environments between the two countries, as well as common challenges such as digitalization and the decline in readership.

In the bookstore owners' session, Jung Ji-hye, owner of the independent bookstore Sajik Bookstore and author of "The Perfect Book," and Tatsuya Isogami, owner of Osaka's independent bookstore toi books, discussed bookstore management and communication with readers. The session was moderated by Shintaro Uchiuma, owner of Tokyo's independent bookstore Honya B&B. The participants agreed that the challenges of running a bookstore are not so different between the two countries, and they also shared their own tips for introducing books and promoting their stores.

On September 21, a reading workshop titled "Finding the Perfect Book for Me" was held at the Cultural Center, led by book prescriber and author Jung Ji-hye. She explained how to discover books that suit oneself, using examples from her book prescription cases, and then recommended Korean literary works based on stories submitted by the participants, receiving an enthusiastic response.

Kim Hyesu, director of the Cultural Center, stated, "This event made me feel firsthand that there is a strong fan base for Korean literature in Japan. I was also surprised to see so many people interested in the process of creating and selling books, such as publishers and bookstores." She added, "I believe the way participants from both countries shared empathy through their love of books left a deep impression on everyone."

'Korean Literature Month' will conclude with a Korea-Japan translator talk at the Nuri Hall of the Cultural Center on September 28. Japanese literature translator and essayist Kwon Namhee, Korean literature translator Nagi Yoshikawa, and Seungmi will participate to discuss the characteristics and appeal of Korean and Japanese literature from the perspective of translators.