Love Between a New Yorker Grandmother and a Korean Youth... Breaking Taboos in Korean Literature

Author Goyohan's Novel 'Getting Married About Three Times Is Good' ... An Honest Journey About Love and Life

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Young-chul]

A ghost called ‘Sneuggler’ is wandering around New York. Jang, a Korean illegal immigrant in his 30s, makes a living by working as a Sneuggler. A Sneuggler is a profession where one gets paid to hug lonely people and share body warmth.

What kind of city is New York that such a job has emerged? Surrounded by skyscrapers, New York is a huge city that makes people intimidated and lonely just like its name, so it might be natural for such a strange profession to arise. The author said he started writing this novel out of curiosity after accidentally reading an article about Sneugglers.

◆ ‘It’s Good to Marry About Three Times’ (written by Goyohan, &·And)

This is a story about the love between a 70-year-old American mainstream society grandmother and a 30-year-old Korean illegal immigrant young man. The title itself is shocking. It is provocative. Exactly one year ago, the author Goyohan, who was recognized as a hidden gem in the Korean literary world by presenting a groundbreaking love story between men and women in the short story collection ‘Love is Steak,’ has returned with a full-length novel. The short story ‘Paper Airplane’ included in this collection was introduced in the world-renowned translation literature journal ‘Asymptote’ and received high praise from critics as a ‘terrifyingly beautiful and cruelly sad novel.’

What exactly is love? Goyohan’s novel is a primal question about love and an ultimate thirst. The author says, “Since I was young, I have been interested not in beautifully completed love but in shocking and broken love stories.” The author’s curiosity and imagination about love are projected onto the character Jang.

Jang, who works as a Sneuggler, says he is not ‘selling his body’ but rather a Santa Claus who legitimately hugs lonely people. Then one day, he meets Margaret, a 70-year-old New Yorker from the upper class, and makes a marriage deal.

“Shall we stop the deal here?”

“This time, let’s make a real deal.”

“A real deal?”

“From now on, let’s love for real.”

In fact, Jang’s initial approach to Margaret, who lost her husband, was driven by impure intentions aiming for permanent residency. Margaret knew Jang’s intentions but accepted his proposal. Margaret gives Jang what he wants with a loving heart. As time goes by, Jang begins to feel emotions he never experienced hugging countless women. The two fall into a strange but undeniable, completely different dimension of love, constantly asking readers: Is this love?

The poor and unstable status of the young man and the loneliness of old age. Will the love born from their mutual deficiencies have a happy ending? Through this special relationship, the author offers an honest opportunity for reflection and insight into love and life.

We fall in love today as well. But we do not know love. That is why we are always curious about love.

At the beginning of the book, the author starts the journey of seeking love with this question about love.

“There is love that cannot be called love at the time but later becomes love like an awakening. There is also love that one is sure is love but later realizes it was not love.”

Goyohan Writer

About Goyohan (Novelist)…

Born in Jin-an, Jeonbuk, she majored in Journalism and Broadcasting at Wonkwang University. After working as a newspaper reporter, she became a full-time writer. She debuted in 2016 by winning the New Writer Literary Awards from ‘Literature and Society’ and ‘Writer’s World.’ Her short story ‘Paper Airplane’ was translated and introduced in the globally prestigious translation literature journal ‘Asymptote.’ In 2020, her first short story collection ‘Love is Steak’ was published, drawing attention as a promising figure in the Korean literary world.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.