British-American publishing agent Barbara Gitwer
Introduction to Han Kang’s representative works including ‘The Vegetarian’
Dol Ki-min, Son Won-pyeong, Pyeon Hye-young, Jeong Yoo-jeong, attention
“Han Kang’s writing provides a similar experience to listening to the chanting of Buddhist prayers at Unmunsa Temple.”
Barbara Zitwer (71), an English-speaking publishing agent, said in a written interview with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 15th, “Han Kang’s works are so meditative and moving, and lead readers to a higher level of thinking.” Living in New York, USA, he has introduced Han Kang’s representative works such as ‘The Vegetarian’, ‘Here Comes a Boy’, and ‘White’ to the English-American world. He is also the person who introduced British translator Deborah Smith to Han Kang.
He said, “I was not surprised because I had expected Han Kang to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for many years,” adding that Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian” was compared to Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” and “Here Comes a Boy” to Graham Greene’s “Power and Glory.” It was comparable. He said, “Han Kang’s winning the Nobel Prize in Literature was the destiny of Korean literature. “I am glad that the high level of Korean literature has been verified through this,” he said.
He cited the power of Han River literature to “make readers more compassionate and hopeful,” and said, “Han River insists that we not turn a blind eye to the horrors of violence and war.” Regarding the ‘white’ of the Han River, “It can be compared to a dream of celestial clouds. “It’s not like anything I’ve ever read.”
Earlier, in an email he sent to a reporter right after Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature, he said, “A truly historic day! “History was literally made,” he recalled, adding, “When I discovered Han Kang’s amazing book ‘The Vegetarian’ about 10 years ago, no one knew about Korean literature, and Han Kang was not well known even in Korea.”
Before the Korean Wave began in earnest, he recognized the potential of Korean literature and introduced books by not only Han Kang, but also Shin Kyung-sook, Jeong Yu-jeong, Pyeon Hye-young, Kim Ae-ran, and Cho Kyeong-ran to the English-speaking world. He also mentioned young writers who are noteworthy for their ‘post-Han River’ work. In particular, he praised Dol Ki-min’s ‘Walking Practice’, saying, “It is the most interesting and courageous work I have read since ‘The Vegetarian.'” He continued, “Son Won-pyeong, who wrote ‘Almonds’ and ‘Strike Back at Thirty,’ is good at writing social satire and heartbreaking stories, and Pyeon Hye-young’s ‘Hole’ reminds me of Stephen King or Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein.” Regarding Jeong Yoo-jung’s new work ‘Eternal Heaven’, he did not hold back on his expectations, saying, “It is a new masterpiece.”
Reporter Kim So-min [email protected]
Reporter Hojae Lee [email protected]
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