[KPIPA March Recommended Books]③ ‘#Gender_Novels: Hashtag Literary Selection'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency's Book Sharing Committee announced seven titles, including Horangi Saengilnaliryottae (Urihakgyo), as the recommended books for March 2022.

The Book Sharing Committee is composed of experts from various fields. To expand publishing demand and promote reading culture, it introduces books in seven categories?literature, humanities and arts, social sciences, natural sciences, practical/general, picture books and fairy tales, and youth?each month along with recommendations.

The "Recommended Books for March" include seven titles: Horangi Saengilnaliryottae (Urihakgyo), Adolescent Philosophy Journey (Chorokseojae), #Gender_Novels: Hashtag Literary Selection (Munhakgwa Jiseongsa), The Humanities of Poop (Yeoksabipyungsa), Women Should Also Serve in the Military (Dongnyeok), When Light Becomes Fascination (Influential), and Game Treatment Manual for Everyone (Hankyoreh Publishing).

The Book Sharing Committee includes Chairperson Jung Subok (sociologist), Kwon Bokgyu (Ewha Womans University professor), Ryu Daesung (writer), Jo Gyeongran (novelist), Jin Taewon (Sungkonghoe University professor), Choi Hyunmi (Munhwa Ilbo reporter), and Pyo Jeonghun (critic).

Detailed information about the recommended books and recommendations from the Book Sharing Committee can be found on the Publication Promotion Agency’s website or the Dokseoin website.

'#Gender_Novels: Hashtag Literary Selection' | Kim Ji-eun & Lee Gwang-ho | Munhakgwa Jiseongsa | 326 pages | 14,000 KRW

If you are close to adolescents preparing for entrance exams, you will notice that it is not easy for them to find time to read voluntarily. I had hoped there would be more domestic literature that helps with exams and also helps one become a better person, when I came across this “Hashtag” literary selection series.

The #Hashtag Literary Selection seems to be organized with the intention of “selecting literary works related to the most powerful keywords of our time” and sharing them with readers. It literally “bundles the literary work’s ‘hash’ symbol as in ‘hash’ and ‘tag’.” The currently published keywords are gender and ecology. Each volume contains carefully selected Korean poems and short stories related to these themes. Among them, this book, '#Gender Hashtag Literary Selection: Novels,' introduces works by Korea’s representative female writers such as Park Wan-seo, Oh Jeong-hee, Choi Yoon, Han Kang, Bae Suah, Kim Ae-ran, and even Baek Sin-ae’s short story , which can be described as the origin of “problematic works performing feminine writing.”

At the end of each short story, the interpretations and several questions under the title “Threads of Thought” for discussion or writing after reading the work are particularly impressive. For example, in Kim Ae-ran’s masterpiece , one question reads: “The company sports day is a symbolic event showing class disparities and gender power structures. Find which part of the company sports day scene contains such meaning.”

Besides the hashtags attached to this book, “Beyond Prejudice and Discrimination” and “A Literary Must-Read for Understanding Korean Society,” I would also like to add “A book for adolescents and parents to read together” or “A book recommended for nieces and nephews,” if possible. Moreover, it is a book that allows countless unique # interpretations by readers. This fresh curation can vividly convey the sharpness of contemporary themes through delicately written women’s literary works to readers.

- Jo Gyeongran, Novelist

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