Author Jonamju's 'Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982' Nominated for National Book Award

Author Jo Nam-joo. Photo by Minumsa

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Author Jo Nam-joo's (photo) novel 'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982' has been nominated for the National Book Awards, the most prestigious literary award in the United States.

The National Book Foundation, which operates the National Book Awards, announced the nominees in five categories?Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Young People's Literature?starting from the 16th (local time).

'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982' was nominated in the Translation category. Ten works, including 'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982,' were nominated in the Translation category. The Japanese novel 'Tokyo Ueno Station' by Korean-Japanese author Yu Miri was also included.

The National Book Foundation introduced 'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982' as "a novel that has sold over one million copies in Korea and has been translated into 12 languages." The foundation will announce the final shortlist of five works next month on the 6th and decide and announce the winners on November 18.

'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982' is a novel published by author Jo Nam-joo in 2016. It was translated and introduced in the UK in February and in the US in April. Last year, a film of the same name was also released, attracting 3.68 million viewers and achieving box office success.

In the Poetry category, Korean-American poet and translator Donmee Choi's poetry collection 'DMZ Colony' was nominated. It includes conversations with long-term unconverted prisoner Ahn Hak-seop, photos and handwriting of her father, all centered around the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Donmee Choi is well known for translating Kim Hyesoon's poetry collection 'Autobiography of Death,' which won the Griffin Poetry Prize in Canada last year, into English.

'Kim Ji-young, Born 1982' was also nominated for the ?mile Guimet Asian Literature Prize in France this July. It was translated and published in France in January this year. The leading French literary magazine LIRE introduced the novel as "a work dealing with social discrimination experienced by Korean women, conveying a universal message beyond Korea to the entire world." The ?mile Guimet Asian Literature Prize will select five final nominees this month and announce the final winner in November.

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