The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories

The Penguin Books of Short Stories

by Bruce Fulton (Other), Kwon Youngmin (Introduction)

This eclectic, moving and richly enjoyable collection is the essential introduction to Korean literature.

Journeying through Korea's dramatic recent past, from the Japanese occupation and colonial era to the devastating war between north and south and the rapid, disorienting urbanization of later decades, The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories captures a hundred years of vivid storytelling.

Here are peddlers and donkeys travelling across moonlit fields; artists drinking and debating in the tea-houses of 1920s Seoul; soldiers fighting for survival; exiles from the war who can never go home again; and lonely men and women searching for connection in the dizzying modern city. The collection features stories by some of Korea's greatest writers, including Pak Wanso, O Chonghui and Cho Chongnae, as well as many brilliant contemporary voices, such as P'yon Hyeyong, Han Yujoo and Kim Aeran. Curated by Bruce Fulton, this is a volume that will surprise, unsettle and delight.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Asia, Literature, Asian Literature, Contemporary

474 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2023

About the author

Bruce Fulton is an Associate Professor and Young-Bin Min Chair in Korean Literature and Literary Translation at the University of British Columbia. He has translated many major works of Korean literature over the past forty years.

Reviews

[Paul Fulcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flushed when I thought of the laughter of the interview panel two hours ago. M and I always took company recruitment exams together. We wanted to work in the same company. That was part of it. But the heart of the matter was that M and I couldn't take an exam on our own. We were inseparable, two sides of a coin, the front and back of a single person. Without M, I was a page of paper so thin I couldn't stand on my own. And I believe I meant the same to M. We took thirty company entrance exams together. A hundred games, a hundred losses. Our win ratio was zero, but we never once entertained the thought of taking an exam each on our own. We also took the interviews together. We even went into the interview room together. Some companies said they only wanted one new recruit. Still, we were obdurate. We insisted we had to do the interview together so that we could show our true worth, and we drove the personnel managers crazy in the process.

Edited by the long-standing champion of Korean literature in English translation, The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories is an impressive anthology spanning several generations of writers, with the original pieces written from 1934-2013.

It comes with an excellent introduction by 권영민 (Kwon Youngmin), Professor of Korean Literature at 서울대학교, although one where each entry is best read after each story, not before.

Most of the pieces have included have appeared elsewhere at some point or another - indeed I think only 3/25 haven't - but this was often in journals or magazines so there is relatively little overlap with any other one collection (e.g. 2/9 stories from the aforementioned Future of Silence), making this a worthwhile addition to almost any library.

As to the authors included:

Due to romanization inconsistencies, including the simple choice of whether to keep with the Korean system of having the family name first, the English language entries for many Korean authors on Goodreads are rather chaotic. To add to that difficulty, the editors here prefer the old McCune–Reischauer romanization system over the modern standard, or indeed (in some cases) each author's own preferred romanization - which leaves the reader to have to deduce that 'P'yŏn Hyeyŏng' is actually the best-selling writer who publishes her English novels as Hye-Young Pyun (and of course both are simply approximations to 편혜영).

But as far as I can cross-reference the authors featured are:
Hyo-seok Lee
Ch'ae Manshik
Chu Yo-sup
Yi Mun-Yol
Kim Tae-Yong (김태용)
Pak Taewon
Yu-Jeong Kim
Ch'oe Yun
Hong Seok-jung
Cheon Un-Yeong
Hwang Sun-won
Park Wan-Suh
Jo Jung-rae
Yi Sang
Seung-ok Kim
Oh Jung-hee
Shin Kyung-sook
Hye-Young Pyun
Choi Su-cheol (최수철)
Hwang Jungeun
Jung Young-Moon
Kim Jung-hyuk
Han Yujoo
Kim Ae-ran

Inevitably there are some gaps - no International Booker Award winning Han Kang for example - but it's an impressive and varied selection, perhaps lacking female writers among the older generation. Bruce Fulton, together with his partner Ju-Chan, did previously produce all all-female anthology The Future of Silence: Fiction by Korean Women.

The translators include Kim Chong-un, Bruce Fulton, Ju-Chan Fulton, Suh Ji-Moon, Sunyoung Park, Kevin O'Rourke, J.A. Gatrall, Na-Young Bae, Marshall R.Pihl, Cindy Chen and Janet Hong.

Each reader will find their own highlights but for me they included:

- the oldest story in the collection, 소설가 구보씨의 일일 = A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist, translated by Sunyoung Park in colloboration with Jefferson J.A. Gatrall and Kevin O'Rourke from the original by 박태원 (Pak Taewon). I had read this previously but this version includes the drawings by Yi Sang which the version I read had omitted;

- 김애란 (Kim Ae-ran)’s The Future of Silence, translated by Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton, which was the highlight of the anthology of the same name;

- The Last Of Hanako by 최윤 (Ch'oe Yun) translated by Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton

- Black and White Photographer by 한유주 (Han Yujoo), translated by Janet Hong

- and the story from which my opening quote is taken, The Glass Shield by 김정혁 (Kim Jung-hyuk) translated by Kevin Rourke, a wonderful comic story of two friends seeking work, who end up turning interviews into performance art, but with an underlying message of the difficulties experienced by the younger generation in modern Korea.

Recommended.

[hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such delicate and neat collection of 25 stories that were told through a portrait of one’s lifestyle, on friendship, love and family bond with gripping glimpses into the Korean history, culture and societal dynamic. Divided into 5 major parts—Traditions, Women and Men, Peace and War, Hell Choson and Into The New World, I love the diversity in its writing style although the theme, setting and characterization can almost be similar at times.

As stated in the editorial note that Korean fiction was somehow known to be gloomy and depressing (which I sort of agree), these stories too were mostly melancholic, heart-wrenching and felt a bit unsettling to me for how most dealt with one’s solitute, self-fragility, on morality, empathy as well alienation and inferiority issues. The fragment of its subtlety can be enticing and I find the stories despite some only averagely rated, to still having that compelling impact from the after-read.

3 stories that I love— Mama and The Boarder by Chu Yosop (a single mother story told from her child perspective; on love conflict and gender expectations), Wayfarer by O Chonghui (a psychological related story of abandonment, hope and a gripping observation on society’s prejudice) and Winter Outing by Park Wanso (a peek into the aftermath of war that was told from a woman’s perspective after a marriage conflict). Some stories can be quite bittersweet with its witty everyday life plot like When The Buckwheat Blooms by Yi Hyosok, A Man Called Hungbo by Ch’ae Manshik (also a folktale retelling) and Pig On Grass by Kim Taeyong (love the twist in this story!) that I also enjoyed reading.

An enthralling feast of Korean fiction and a great treat too to journey into the Korean lit history as these stories were written from 1930s to (almost) present-day narratives. Love the introduction page by Kwon Youngmin as I get to learn more about the writers (some with a sad life story) as well the backstory to their writings. Would go with 4.3 stars to this!

(Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy to review!)

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories on the library's new acquisitions shelf and thought it might give me a wider view of Korean literature than my erratic reading of novels. Notably, all the Korean novels I've read were written in the 21st century, while the stories here date from 1934 to 2013. The earliest six give the reader an insight into life prior to the Korean war. That said, the collection is arranged by loose themes rather than chronologically, so definitely doesn't read as a history lesson. Many of the stories trace cultural, social, and economic changes in psychological microcosm. The styles range from realist to experimental, some carefully grounded in material reality and others with strange or fantastical elements. The tone is generally bleak, though, and the humour dark and deadpan. I found the whole collection interesting and think it coheres well. Every story, even the less memorable, was elegantly written and thought-provoking.

For me the clear highlight was 'Land of Exile' by Cho Chonghae, a brutal and brilliant examination of the Korean War's legacy via the memories of an old man. The 44 pages of this story are carefully structured and perfectly paced to gradually reveal the man's past and ask what it means. Terrible violence and extraordinary kindness are juxtaposed. I found it a truly powerful and memorable piece of writing. By contrast, the funniest was 'The Glass Shield' by Kim Chunghyok, which considers the inherent absurdity of job interviews. My favourite imagery was in 'Needlework' by Ch'on Unyong, which centres upon tattooing and has a lovely last line: 'A needle - the thinnest, but the strongest and most tender of all things.' The female tattooist who narrates the story also makes a striking contrast to female characters in some other stories who are trapped by their gender.

The oddest and most unexpected of the collection was the oldest, 'A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist' by Pak T'aewon from 1934. This 41 page story (it seems I liked the longer ones most) includes many illustrations and unusual formatting to fragment a stream-of-consciousness-type narrative. Kubo's idle wanderings are curiously fascinating, full of compelling material details and conversation from 1930s artistic Seoul under Japanese occupation. I was amused to learn from the informative introduction that Pak T'aewon is director Bong Joon-ho's grandfather.

Overall, this is a top quality short story collection that introduced me to some wonderful Korean writers. It certainly isn't a cheerful read, but includes powerful insights into love, loss, war, poverty, and alienation, among other things. The translations certainly seem to do the writers justice, as I found them both fluid and distinctive. Had I not been in need of something less depressing to read last week, I'd have given it five stars. While I'm very glad I picked The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories from the library shelf, it was not a good choice of book to read while struggling not to despair.

[Kairavi Pandya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to divide the rating of this book into two parts. First, the authors that have featured in the collection and secondly, the collection itself.

The featuring authors are fabulous on their own. Their craft, characters, and stories contributes a voice to the small nation in the east that is achieving greatly around the globe. If I had to individually rate them then it would be a good 4 and 5 star ratings.

But when their works are collected into this anthology it becomes a herculean task to wade through them. I have a perticular soft spot for Korean literature, history, and entertainment. I also have certain knowledge about it yet it was greatly difficult to read this collection.

Firstly, because it was thoroughly dull and sorrowful. I hardly remember reading any other emotions in this collection of 25 stories. South Korea has experienced many ups and downs; they do not lack emotions. I wish there was emotional diversity in selection of the stories.

Secondly, the translation is bumpy. Some of the translation of the words reminded me of my early days of trying to learn the language through poor romanization. This is not something that one would expect or should be subjected to from Penguin.

Alas, I am gald to have read it as it did featured good authors.

[Johann Slovens]

I was very excited for this book. I haven't read it yet, but I am already disappointed in a couple regards.

Firstly, the production quality of the physical object. Penguin has become very cheap with their hardcover gift editions. The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories and The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories were both sturdy volumes with sharp structure, and cover boards that used fabric and had a nice sheen to them. This volume is loose, barely aligned, with cover boards that look like soggy cardstock. The Amazon box it came in had a similar feel to the book itself: not great. What's more, the pages are poorly glued in and can easily fall out. Please don't make garbage products, Penguin.

Okay, but what really raises my eyebrows is Bruce Fulton's editing. He is an expert in the field of Korean Literature, and he has been doing this for a long time. I might contend his lens is not the best one for this kind of popular anthology. Korean literature in translation is on the rise because contemporary Korean culture is on the rise. Fulton's editorial slant seems to be very far removed from that wave of interest, and stolidly historical in its philosophy. For contrast, I look at the two chapbook series of Korean short stories that have been released by Strangers Press, or the Korean titles issues by Honford Star - you dip into those, and you feel yourself touched by the momentum of Korean culture's global moment.

What bothers me most though is that he insists on using McCune–Reischauer to romanize Hangul, which is not reader-friendly and marks up the pages with ugly diacritics. I understand that for the majority of Fulton's career McCune–Reischauer was the system of choice, and probably persists academically, but today it looks like an artifact to ordinary western readers. The Revised Romanization system is the official one of South Korea, and has been since 2000. To use the older system puts this anthology at odds with the entire universe of Korean entertainment that has captured the West's attention in this Millennium.

To me, the most representative example of this problem is Hwang Jungeun, whom I have read three novels by. Her name, 황정은, has been rendered as Hwang Jungeun by at least five different English-language publishers (Tilted Axis, Open Letter, Strangers Press, Astra House, Erewhon). What does her name look like in McCune–Reischauer? Hwang Chŏngŭn. It would not occur to the average reader in English that these are the same author. Period. With this choice, Fulton seems to be making difficulties for readers interested in Korean literature, rather than making it more accessible. No curious BTS fan is going to start writing the name of their favorite idol as Chŏn Chŏngguk. It's just alienating.

I worry that this obstinate disregard of readability will carry over in larger ways once I get into the stories themselves. I hope not.

[Jessica]

DNF @ page 166

My first DNF 🥲 I wish I liked it. Enjoyed it at the beginning but there is a certain person you would like this and it's not me.

I started losing steam at A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist, then having Spicebrush Blossoms following it straight after made me seriously contemplate how much more I should power through.

Spicebrush Blossoms about a boy and a girl who continuously abused the boy's roster. It's supposed to convey how naive the boy is to the girl's affection for him, and how she channels for frustration into hurting his roster? In the end he kills her chicken and they fall into the field with the air cleared. Even when the introduction gives thoughtful overviews of the theme of each story, I just?? Don't get it?

The book is full of stories like this. On face value slightly odd with an air of mundane melancholy, mixed with hidden messages. I found it inaccessible and maybe even a little bit pretentious. I don't doubt they are amazing writers though, and for the right person I'm sure these would HIT. I'm probably just not nuanced enough of a reader to enjoy fiction like this.

[Const · Rating 3 out of 5]

Siempre es difícil darle una puntuación a un libro de relatos y, más todavía, cuando son diferentes autores. Mi mayor problema con este libro es la manía de Bruce Fulton de romanizar los nombres coreanos (de personas, comidas, ciudades...) con el sistema de McCune–Reischauer. Sinceramente, me parece que solo consigue que las traducciones resulten alienígenas; los símbolos que se utilizan no ayudan al lector a leer los nombres bien y, encima, lo confunde y lo aleja de aquellos que ya conoce (un claro ejemplo: todo el mundo conoce Busan, pero al leer Pusan pueden pensar en un lugar diferente; o la escritoria Hwang Jungeun, que en este libro es Hwang Chŏngŭn... dudo que aquellos que no tienen ni idea de coreano lleguen a la conclusión de que son la misma persona).

Dicho esto, pongo por aquí aspectos destacables que he encontrado según iba leyendo:

«Pig on Grass» tiene a uno de los narradores más irritantes que he leído y me da rabia que sea un relato turbio y, encima, el más reflexivo y mejor contado de casi todo lo que he leído de literatura coreana.

«The Last of Hanako» empieza hablando de un hombre que está de viaje en Italia y, de pronto, dice que tiene 32 años y me he quedado boquiabierta porque me he dado cuenta de que no conecto con la literatura «de mi edad» como lo hacía de adolescente con la de adolescente porque la mayoría de personajes de mi edad viven vidas que no alcanzamos hoy en día... son los 30 de hace 30 años.

«The Last of Hanako»: un grupo de hombres tienen un total de una (1) amiga, todos en el fondo quieren algo con ella, acaban acosándola y ella deja de verlos y se va a Italia a vivir con su única «amiga» (novia, claramente). La verdad, el mejor final.

«Needlework»: If Mum embroidered upon cloth I would embroider upon the frail body of a man.

«The First Anniversary»: increíble que pueda identificarme con un personaje de un relato corto coreano escrito en 2007. La titulitis es un problema global y transgeneracional.

«The Poplar Tree»: Every morning I'll jump over that tree. And one day I'll jump over the clouds and at long last meet up with him in that other word, that unusual place he disappeared to.

Qué entretenido ha estado «The Glass Shield». Creo que este y «Mama and the Boarder» han sido los que más me han gustado.

También me ha hecho ilusión encontrar aquí dos relatos que ya aparecían en «The Future of Silence».

[anaeliteratura]

out of 25 short stories, i only enjoyed 8... i don't really know how to rate this collection...

one of the main issues i had with this collection was the fact that all of the stories had the same underlying themes of despondancy, sorrow or desolation and i was eagerly expecting it to be a selection of a wide range of themes and emotions to get a good grasp of the korean writing from the past couple of centuries. instead, i was left with a sense of misery throughout the reading experience. if that's an accurate representation of the korean writing scene from the past couple of centuries then... yikes.

another problem was the lack of female voices (9 out of 25). although this imbalance started to diminish towards the end of this collection (which i can understand it may be reflective of the korean culture), it was not enough, personally.

in fact, i found myself enjoying most stories written by women and finding myself either disgusted or bored with the ones written by the men.
the ones i enjoyed were: needlework, winter outing (amongst my favorites, the kind of story i was expecting to find in this collection! very cozy with a heartfelt theme), house on the prairie (another favorite, i am obssessed, this would make a great horror movie!!), the poplar tree (the only man i actually felt sympathy towards, plus i enjoyed the magical realism aspect!), the glass shield (another favorite and my most tabbed story; moving yet funny exploration of growing up and feeling lost in your 20's with your best friend), black and white photographer (another great work to adapt to the big screen imo) and, finally, future of silence (it was so cool to see a speculative work of fiction in this collection! it was beautifully written with a moving concept, reminded me of ted chiang's work).

overall, i think a more careful selection would have been benefitial to offer a richer reading experience.

[Barry Welsh]

KBS Korea 24 @KBSKorea24 Excited for Book Club Wednesday? 📚

For #KoreaBookClub, @barrywelsh will review author Ch'oe Yun’s short story 'The Last of Hanako' translated into English by Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton.

The story is said to expose the prejudices against women that men collectively exhibit in their daily lives.

'The Last of Hanako' was included in @penguinrandomhouse’s recently published collection 'The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories.'

To learn more, check out today's show on Youtube (KBS World Radio) or listen to our podcast via the KBS Kong app or the Naver audio clip.🎧

#KBSWORLDRadio #KBS월드라디오 #KBS국제방송 #Korea24 #코리아24 #영어라디오 #영어공부 #영어책 #책스타그램 #북스타그램 #하나코는없다 #최윤 #한국문학

http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/progra...

[Taina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hieno kokoelma korealaisia novelleja 1900-luvun alusta viime vuosiin saakka. Tietynlainen melankolia on läsnä useimmissa, vaikka aiheet vaihtelevat maaseutuarjesta rakkaustarinoihin ja nykyajan työelämähaasteisiin. Oma suosikkini on yhä Kim Ae-ranin "The Future of Silence", jonka kuvaus kuolevien kielten keskuksesta on dystooppisuudessaan pistävä.

Ärsytyksen kohteena oli kuitenkin korealaisten aakkosten eli hangeulin (teoksessa han'gŭl) vanha romanisaatio. Tutut sanat näyttivätkin yhtäkkiä omituisilta ja tekivät lukemisesta hankalaa. Voisipa hangeul olla vain 한글!

[Beau]

Dnf at page 95.

These are great short stories, don't get me wrong. But I bought this thinking I would write a term paper on it and I didn't so now I just don't have the motivation to finish this. I might in the future but I've had this marked at "currently reading" for going onto half a year now and it's not going to happen anytime soon.

[Max Stolk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I just read this book at the wrong time, I think I needed a book with a bit more pacing which was more in line with my last couple of weeks. Still, I like the calm in the stories, the feel like there were while worlds in which the stories took place, and the characters are just amazing. Highly recommend if you want stories that are great vignettes!

[Felicitas]

Favourite Stories:
- Mama and the Boarder
- The Last of Hanak'o
- The chapter from Hwang Chini
- Time for You and Me
- House on the Prairie
- Home on the Range

[Ben Sledge · Rating 2 out of 5]

This feels a bit harsh but it just wasn't for me. Most of these stories were written in the early 20th century, in a style befitting that time and about subject matters that were often difficult to care about over the course of 20-50 pages.

I much preferred the newer stories in the collection, and there were a couple that I really enjoyed. It's an interesting look at the history of 20th century Korea through the eyes of its writers, if nothing else.

[Rockey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories” illuminates Korean Literary Master

In 2019, Penguin Classics delighted readers with "The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories," edited by Jay Rubin. Following its success, Penguin has now expanded its horizons to Korean literature with "The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories." Co-curated and edited by Bruce Fulton, a distinguished translator and professor of Korean Literature at the University of British Columbia, this anthology is a landmark as the first collection of Korean literature in the esteemed Penguin Classics series.

Fulton, inspired by the Japanese fiction anthology, approached the publisher with the idea for a Korean counterpart. The result is a compilation of twenty-five stories that journey from the 1930s under Japanese colonial rule to contemporary times, with the latest piece written less than a decade ago. Fulton, alongside his wife Ju-Chan Fulton and other translators, has meticulously translated these works to present an excellent introduction to Korean literary masters.

The anthology is thoughtfully organized into thematic sections such as "Tradition," "Women and Men," "Peace and War," "Hell Chosŏn," and "Into the New World." This arrangement, borrowed from Rubin’s successful Japanese anthology, offers a balanced selection of short fiction spanning nearly eighty years, from 1934 to 2013. It includes works by authors from various regions of Korea, reflecting a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

Despite many authors in the anthology being well-known in Korea, they remain relatively unfamiliar to Western readers, with exceptions like Hwang Sŏgyŏng and Shin Kyŏngsuk. The stories capture the evolving landscape of Korea, from its days as a kingdom to its status as a Japanese colony, through war, division, and South Korea's transition from military dictatorship to a hyper-consumerist democracy. Standout pieces include Pak Wansŏ’s "Winter Outing" (1975), a subtle exploration of Korean War traumas; an excerpt from North Korean author Hong Sŏkchung’s historical novel "Hwang Chini" (2002), which recaptures the richness of Korean culture; and Ch’oe Such’ŏl’s "River Dark" (2001), a forewarning of ecological catastrophe.

The anthology showcases common themes of anxiety over tradition, familial obligation, and modern dislocation. Kim T’aeyong’s "Pig on Grass" (2006) poignantly portrays an elderly man’s struggle with dementia and familial separation. Pak T’aewŏn’s "A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist" (1934) and Yi Sang’s "Wings" (1936) reflect the alienation and anti-colonialist sentiment of their times. Han Yuju’s "Black-and-White Photographer" (2007) offers a nuanced narrative resisting simple interpretation.

Overall, "The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories" is a profound exploration of Korea’s tumultuous century, illuminating its tragedies and triumphs through the lens of its finest writers.

[Ruby Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a lot of interaction with Korean students through my job, and I think it’s really important for me to learn more about the country and culture. I’ve read a few Korean novels, but I don’t have much knowledge of the larger literary tradition and history, so I figured this was a good place to start. I read one story a day so I could have time to consider them all separately, which worked really well.

I really appreciated the introduction by Kwon Youngmin. There was a timeline and discussion of Korean literary history, notable authors, as well as modern examples. This collection is edited by Bruce Fulton, and I also found the sections on translation and reading recommendations useful.

I sometimes struggle with short stories because I generally prefer long stories with more plot and developments. So I went into this knowing I might not love the format, which wouldn’t necessarily be the fault of the book. However, I enjoyed these much more than I expected.

The Korean novels I’ve already read were very short anyway, and a lot of the themes and stylistic choices of Korean literature seem to fit well in short stories. Instead of chronologically, this collection is organised by loose themes: tradition, women and men, peace and war, hell chosŏn, and into the new world.

Of course, not every story worked for me, but I was surprised at how accessible some of the earlier stories were given that they are almost 100 years old. I don’t know Korean so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the translations, but I found them great to read.

I really enjoyed A Man Called Hŭngbo by Ch’ae Manshik. The main character felt vividly crafted and the dynamics between characters were interesting. Similarly, I loved the focus on family in Mama and the Boarder by Chu Yosŏp. The last story in the collection, The Future of Silence by Kim Aeran, really spoke to my interest in language and translation.

The slightly longer stories worked really well for me. Often, the characters described were very flawed and this made them even more distinct. I found this especially true in Land of Exile, by Cho Chŏngnae, and A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist by Pak T’aewŏn. I also was really gripped by the narrator’s inner thoughts in Wings by Yi Sang, and there was a lot of tension in Black-and-White Photographer by Han Yujoo.

There were some that I wished had more of a resolution to them. Some of the endings felt a a bit abrupt or unrelated to the content of the stories, which led to a bit of confusion and less satisfaction. As a result, I didn’t love every story, and some were more forgettable than others.

Still, I really enjoyed this collection as a whole. I loved the organisation by theme and the introduction really helped to give me some context for the literary history. I would definitely recommend this!

[Fictionandme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Name : The Penguin Book Of Korean Short Stories
Editor : Bruce Fulton
Genre : Translated Korean Short Stories

My 💭:
[09/07/24 6.11PM]

Reading this book was absolutely an exercise of my brain's retaining capacity 🤭!

Okay so, I have been a Kdrama fan and BTS ARMY for a long time. I loved them to the point that I started incorporating their comfortable fashion, food habits and even their sense of responsibility and good manners. I'll credit BTS more for the latter though 😉! So obviously, I had been planning to try out classic Korean literature, hence this book!

This one is a collection of many short classic Korean stories, translated to English. It is divided into 5 categories: Tradition, Women and Men, Peace and War, Hell Chosōn and Into The New World. There's a very informative introduction given by the book's editor detailing the significance of the categories. This introduction helped me greatly to understand the tone and vibe of each short story.

First of all, I'll suggest readers not to read this book at one go. This is because, the undertone of all stories is very very sad and melancholic and somewhat depressive. And all of this roots back to the main source of sadness in Korean history - war. Koreans have been in war since God knows how long, from Japan's rule and then among themselves. Currently also, North and South Korea are still a state of war since truce had not been signed. And the trauma of all this constant war can easily be seen in Korean literature and as a result all of the classic stories in this book will seem really sad. And it kind of broke my heart to know this and now I will watch Korean entertainment shows in a new light.

My favourite story in the book is 'Mama and the uncle'. It is told from the perspective of a little girl who looks at her life with her single mother in that innocent childlike way. The unexpected doomed love story in that book really tugged at my heartstrings and this story really makes us take a hard look at society's cruel expectations from us and how it takes away simple happiness from life.

The stories were VERY descriptive and written in a very slow-classics-writing format, as in with lots of metaphors and deep meanings. I had a hard time finishing this book, I won't lie. The only reason is that I simply don't have the maturity to understand the depth of the stories properly, so I'll have to reread this book, maybe 50 years from now 🤔?

So, my fellow BTS ARMYs and Kdrama and Kpop fans, don't expect the brightness of the Korean entertainment in this book. It's a bit complex. Because, not all of us have RM's IQ 🤭.

[theromantasynerd (adnan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've been obsessed with Korean pop music, Korean skincare, Korean food, Korean makeup, and Korean dramas lately. It's time we also introduce ourselves to Korean literature.

This book is a compilation of 25 short stories that were told through a portrait of one’s lifestyle, on friendship, love and family bond with gripping glimpses into the Korean history, culture and societal dynamic.
Divided into 5 major parts — 'Tradition', 'Women and Men', 'Peace and War', 'Hell Chosŏn' and 'Into The New World' — it includes works by authors from various regions of Korea, reflecting a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

It has a bit of everything to showcase Korean history and modern day Korea. The stories are vibrant, moody, lingering. You’ll want to keep reading one story after another and reread them.

A few stories that I loved were — Mama and The Boarder by Chu Yosop (a single mother story told from her child's perspective; on love conflict and gender expectations), Wayfarer by O Chonghui (a psychological related story of abandonment, hope and a gripping observation on society’s prejudice) and Winter Outing by Park Wanso (a peek into the aftermath of war that was told from a woman’s perspective after a marriage conflict).

Some stories can be quite bittersweet with their witty everyday life plot. It is a rich book to add to any literature collection and a must read for anyone that is interested in Korean culture.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad gave this to me! This is the type of present you receive if you are a person who professes any interest at all in any East Asian country.

Too many lovely little stories to talk about any individually I think- overall it was a really well thought out collection. I liked that it was set out in themes rather than chronologically, it was really interesting to read how different South Korean authors have perceived the same topics over centuries/decades!

The thing that was the most striking and has stuck with me above any of the stories, however, was the little anecdote in the introduction about when the author of the introduction to the collection was studying literature in university and Japanese professors came to visit. They asked his professors about Korean authors and Korean literature and he watched his professors squirm at their own inability to answer the question. From then on he knew the author knew he wanted to be able to highlight Korean literature to the world.

He never mentions the Japanese occupation, he doesn’t go into the power dynamics so obviously present in that situation, he doesn’t even speak about the situation with any bitterness. It was such a a small moment, and yet immediately made me understand completely how important this book is. It is a great thing to be able to champion Korean culture and its heritage in the face of all the oppression they have suffered in their history.

Was a lovely read!

[DRx Salim Ansari · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up *The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories* because I enjoy Korean movies and thought this book would offer me some captivating stories. However, it didn't meet my expectations. The reading experience was quite challenging, to the point where I often found myself needing a dictionary in one hand just to understand what was on the page.

The book feels like a collection of random words strung together rather than coherent narratives. At times, I was tempted to put it down and move on, but I pushed through to the end. Unfortunately, the overall experience felt more like reading a dry textbook meant for higher academic studies rather than engaging with a collection of short stories.

Even after finishing it, I struggle to remember much of what I read—it just didn’t resonate with me. While I believe stories can be subjective and vary in appeal from person to person, the problem with this book lies in its overly complex and inaccessible writing style. It was a difficult read, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't prepared for such a challenging experience.

[Edzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A minor disappointment. This anthology of short stories may be representative of short fiction written in the Korean Peninsula in the 20th and 21st centuries; however, in terms of variety, plot, and techniques, they lag behind those written by Chinese and Japanese authors, their most immediate East Asian neighbours. The Korean writers mostly utilize a realistic style, although a few may be a bit more daring in their postmodernist approach. Yet ultimately what this anthology made me feel is that Korea has not yet ushered in a true master of short fiction. Not every story is memorable, so interesting is about the best I can say about these stories; none of them exactly wowed me and bolted me upright with excitement or engrossment. Could it have been the translation? I'm not sure, as I don't read Korean. The most "modernist" story is definitely Park Taewon's "A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist", though it shows more promise than fulfilment; this story seems heavily influenced by Joyce's Ulysses and Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz.

[Lazellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally, short story collections aren't my favourite thing. I keep trying them but always end up with a couple of stories I like, and a dozen more that I have to force myself to finish, only for them to go nowhere.

This book, however, was a refreshing change - almost all the stories were hits for me, and every time I finished one, I was eager to read the next.

The collection is divided up by themes, war, relationships, tradition, etc. My favourite was the tradition section, but they were all entertaining and interesting.

Particular highlights for me were The Old Hatter, Time for You and Me, Land of Exile, Wayfarer, and The Glass Shield.

Some I liked less, I admit I struggled with Spicebush Blossoms, and A Day In The Life of Kubo The Novelist did become a bit of a slog.

Overall though, this was a really delightful collection of stories, and well worth reading. I'm glad I took a chance on it.

[Morgan]

Read for class.

I only read about half of the stories included in this selection of stories; however, I don’t see myself continuing the rest of the stories.

I read a total of 9 short stories — a few were interesting and engaging while the rest were confusing and unsettling. After reading some of these stories, they left me with some level of discomfort and unease because of what some of the stories detailed. I know there is the issue of translation, but even with that, some of the content and narration created a weird reading experience. I constantly wondered, am I reading this the right way? Am I missing something?

I am still interested to discuss the stories in my class so that I can see how everyone else perceived them.

Leaving unrated since it is a collection of short stories so my rating for each would range from 1 star to 5 star depending on the story.

[Daniel Gallimore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A common theme of these stories is survival, but they go way beyond any cliches one might have about modern Korea in their focus on the natural world and quirks of human relationships. I loved Choe Yun's subtle account from the 1990s of how a young woman is able to step away from social expectations for a new life as a fashion designer in Italy while very much retaining her Korean identity, and found Pak Taewon's 'Day in the Life of Kubo' from 1936 revealing both thematically and stylistically of how educated Koreans lived under colonial Japanese rule. Cho Chongnae's 'Land of Exile' (1981) about a man who keeps his soul despite almost every possible disaster and humiliation defies description.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the introduction discovering the chronology of Korea and the history of Korean literature.

In the introduction, it states that the editor was inspired by The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories which I adore.

My favourite stories from this collection were Pig on Grass, Needlework and The Poplar Tree.

[Elizabeth Chew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm enamoured with Korean literature currently and this anthology is a gem. It features 25 short stories, highlighting recurring themes in Korean literature - tradition, women and men, peace and war, hell Choson, into the new world - and offers insight into the lives of past and present Koreans.

The Introduction, written by Kwon Youngmin, offers helpful historical and cultural context for each section as well as a brief introduction to each featured writer. Each story was a joy to read and I'm delighted to have met so many more amazing Korean writers.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of 25 short stories, written between 1934 and 2013. That alone makes it interesting, but the editing makes it a heavy read. The stories are arranged in an idiosyncratic manner by themes, then loosely chronological within those sections I think. For me this made it difficult to see developments over time. Also the stories have a similar emotional atmosphere, either through the editor's translations or their selection. In being overly literary, the collection becomes overly earnest, which makes Kim Chunghyõk's more humourous tale near the end a welcome breath of fresh air.

[Iris (Yi Youn) Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this alongside a Bruce Cumings Korean history book, I felt the stories bring history to life. Also b/c Korean students are tested on many of these for their exams, it felt like I was stepping into their shoes for a bit. Most of the stories were tragic and melancholy, but some were magical and playful. I will say the ones I found most delightful were the ones by women authors where characters making the most of the hands they're dealt within the war-ravaged shitty patriarchy. I wish there had been more contemporary North Korean authors included in this collection, somehow.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Glass Shield [2006/23] by Kim Jung-hyuk - ★★★★

Translated by Kevin O’Rourke, this is a story of two inseparable young men (our narrator and M) who go to a series of job interviews together because they cannot bear the thought of not working for the same company. They try very unconventional techniques to impress their interviewers (including untangling a yarn), but because of their togetherness and unique interviewing style, they have had no luck so far landing anything. That is, until the two friends-pranksters become an internet sensation, and finally have a chance to shine in the crowded job market. This story brims with comic originality, and is about trying to triumph through one's eccentricity and individualism in a big city governed by monotony and predictability. It ends on the reconsideration of one's life purpose. The story is part of The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories [edited by Bruce Fulton, Penguin Classics, 2023].

[Simran · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels good to be connected to the Korean culture, their tradition, war, Korean literature, history & their writing style.
I’m new to all the writers in this book but that’s the fun part, exploring new writers and their writing style ❤️

[P.S. this is NOT a romance book so you’ll not find your “kdrama love” here 🤭🤭 but yes you’ll be connected to the Korean side of the world]