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Le prophète
Yi Ch'ong-Jun was born in 1939 and graduated from the department of German language and literature at Seoul National University in 1966. He has long been recognized as one of Korea's most prolific and demanding authors. Since his debut in 1965, he has enjoyed consistent critical and commercial success. His characters are ordinary people--writers, farmers, photographers and artisans--all struggling to survive in an increasingly materialistic and complicated society. They search for life's significance in the whirlwind change of modern Korea only to discover that the answers to their questions run deep beneath the surface of reality. This collection provides a cross-section of Yi's work, beginning with the haunting novella, The Falconer (1968) and ending with The Fire Worshipers, which won the National Literary Award from the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation in 1986.
Contents:
Introduction --
The falconer --
The prophet --
Footprints in the snow --
Time's gate --
The fire worshipers.
Contents:
Introduction --
The falconer --
The prophet --
Footprints in the snow --
Time's gate --
The fire worshipers.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Yi Chong-Jun
21 books15 followersSee: 이청준
Yi Chong-jun (This is the preferred Romanization per LTI Korea) was a prominent South Korean novelist. Throughout his four decade-long career, Lee wrote more than 100 short stories, 13 novels. He died from lung cancer at the age of 68 on July 31, 2008.
Yi Chong-jun (This is the preferred Romanization per LTI Korea) was a prominent South Korean novelist. Throughout his four decade-long career, Lee wrote more than 100 short stories, 13 novels. He died from lung cancer at the age of 68 on July 31, 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 27, 2013
Un típico bar en Seoul Corea con sus clientes habituales, pero uno de ellos tiene el don de predecir el futuro mientras departe con sus paisanos una cerveza, El bar pasa a una nueva administración, la nueva dueña, para darle más vida a sus negocio inventa un juego que a primera vista se ve inocente, un simple juego que consiste que al entrar a "La Abeja Reina" el cliente debe ponerse una máscara, sus meseras también las portan, pero lo insospechado pasa conforme los días van pasando las máscaras se van adueñando de la personalidad de cada uno de ellos y sus "alter-egos" salen a flote.
El final es inesperado......
El final es inesperado......
March 21, 2018
La abeja reina, un extraño bar, en el cual los clientes pueden dejar de ser sí mismos a través de máscaras. También, es un cliente asiduo un profeta, al cual los otros temen su enigmático poder. La nueva política del uso obligatorio de las mascaras traerá un trágico desenlace. Excelente esta pequeña novela e inesperado su final.
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September 20, 2022gece elime bu geldi öyle okudum bitti pek bi numarası yok istemiyosaniz gitmeyin biz mi soyleyelim bunu da illa
November 6, 2022
Çevirinin çevirisi olduğundan mı bilmiyorum ama vasat. 6️⃣
March 12, 2025
“No trate de comprender lo que se le escapa. El que no siente, no puede saber.” (Pág. 99)
Un cuento que se lee bastante rápido con un estilo particular y una temática extraña, rozando lo maniático. No obstante, los aspectos positivos fueron pocos y la obra aborda situaciones que no fueron de mi interés, los personajes no terminan de trascender y el final es abrupto y anticlimático.
“Digamos que una máscara es una costumbre que normaliza la expresión de nuestros deseos instintivos... La máscara hace aceptable la expresión de ciertos deseos repulsivos. Es una sensatez socarrona.” (Pág. 104)
- La trama gira en torno a las pasiones humanas y la desinhibición. A un juego excéntrico de usar máscaras en una taberna llamada La abeja reina, regentada por la patrona, la sra Hong, junto con sus camareras y los clientes que asiduamente consumen en el lugar. Entre ellos, Na Uhyŏn, al que apodan El profeta precisamente por las profecías y vaticinios que hace a las personas del establecimiento.
- La obra tiene aspectos interesantes como la metáfora de las máscaras que usan las personas para camuflar sus intenciones o, por el contrario, comportarse como nunca lo harían normalmente.
- Sin embargo, para gustos los colores, y la cuestión es, que el libro aborda momentos y personajes desagradables, lo cual va acorde al tono, pero la historia no concluye de un modo más sorprendente o, al menos, satisfactorio. Es demasiado abrupto. Así mismo, los diálogos se sienten algo secos y parcos.
En conclusión, no fue para mí, pero tiene elementos llamativos.
Traducción de la edición en francés al español de: David Suárez Rivero.
Un cuento que se lee bastante rápido con un estilo particular y una temática extraña, rozando lo maniático. No obstante, los aspectos positivos fueron pocos y la obra aborda situaciones que no fueron de mi interés, los personajes no terminan de trascender y el final es abrupto y anticlimático.
“Digamos que una máscara es una costumbre que normaliza la expresión de nuestros deseos instintivos... La máscara hace aceptable la expresión de ciertos deseos repulsivos. Es una sensatez socarrona.” (Pág. 104)
- La trama gira en torno a las pasiones humanas y la desinhibición. A un juego excéntrico de usar máscaras en una taberna llamada La abeja reina, regentada por la patrona, la sra Hong, junto con sus camareras y los clientes que asiduamente consumen en el lugar. Entre ellos, Na Uhyŏn, al que apodan El profeta precisamente por las profecías y vaticinios que hace a las personas del establecimiento.
- La obra tiene aspectos interesantes como la metáfora de las máscaras que usan las personas para camuflar sus intenciones o, por el contrario, comportarse como nunca lo harían normalmente.
- Sin embargo, para gustos los colores, y la cuestión es, que el libro aborda momentos y personajes desagradables, lo cual va acorde al tono, pero la historia no concluye de un modo más sorprendente o, al menos, satisfactorio. Es demasiado abrupto. Así mismo, los diálogos se sienten algo secos y parcos.
En conclusión, no fue para mí, pero tiene elementos llamativos.
Traducción de la edición en francés al español de: David Suárez Rivero.
January 22, 2024
A fabulous collection of stories from an author I had never read before.
Since Goodreads doesn't give me enough space in the private notes, I will leave notes on each story here, so there are spoilers. You've been forewarned.
The Falconer
A melancholic story about the changing times. I read that many of Yi's stories were criticisms of the Park regime, and this one seems to be exactly that, with the falconer (and Min) not being able to adapt to the new ways.
The Prophet
I remember recently reading about an attraction where people could wear masks and costumes and how people started acting extremely differently when they were anonymous in that way. I can't find it right now (any search for masks brings up coronavirus), but this story reminded me of that, and made it that much more believable. This was probably my favorite story. It had a sort of Murakami feel to it, possibly because of the fortune teller in the bar.
Footprints in the Snow
There is another book by Yi Chong-Jun called "The Snowy Road", but it seems like this is the same story (and has the same title in Korean). It was a sad story. Another example of "Han" in Korean fiction.
Time's Gate
I enjoyed this very much at first, but it soon became too deep and/or convoluted for me. It could be that it was a question of translation. I don't know.
The Fire Worshippers
This was also a tad too deep for me, although I enjoyed it quite a bit (another contender for favorite story). I got the impression that it was another criticism of the Park regime, but it seemed like the dancers in front of the fire represented the student protesters, but I might have understood that incorrectly.
Since Goodreads doesn't give me enough space in the private notes, I will leave notes on each story here, so there are spoilers. You've been forewarned.
The Falconer
A melancholic story about the changing times. I read that many of Yi's stories were criticisms of the Park regime, and this one seems to be exactly that, with the falconer (and Min) not being able to adapt to the new ways.
The Prophet
I remember recently reading about an attraction where people could wear masks and costumes and how people started acting extremely differently when they were anonymous in that way. I can't find it right now (any search for masks brings up coronavirus), but this story reminded me of that, and made it that much more believable. This was probably my favorite story. It had a sort of Murakami feel to it, possibly because of the fortune teller in the bar.
Footprints in the Snow
There is another book by Yi Chong-Jun called "The Snowy Road", but it seems like this is the same story (and has the same title in Korean). It was a sad story. Another example of "Han" in Korean fiction.
Time's Gate
I enjoyed this very much at first, but it soon became too deep and/or convoluted for me. It could be that it was a question of translation. I don't know.
The Fire Worshippers
This was also a tad too deep for me, although I enjoyed it quite a bit (another contender for favorite story). I got the impression that it was another criticism of the Park regime, but it seemed like the dancers in front of the fire represented the student protesters, but I might have understood that incorrectly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews