Korean Culture Month: Cheon Myeong-kwan (via video-link) talks to Martin Colthorpe

Literature

In partnership with the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea

To celebrate the Korean Culture Month at Foyles, we are delighted to announce an Author-Talk with Cheon Myeong-kwan, the celebrated author of ‘Whale’. In partnership with the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, we are setting up an online Q&A with Cheon live from Korea.

This is an in-person event at Foyles Charing Cross Road, hosted by Martin Colthorpe. Please note that Cheon Myeong-kwan will be joining us live via video-link.

Following his visit to London in May 2023, we are pleased to extend another invitation for him to introduce his earlier works to readers who may have discovered him through his 2023 Shortlist for the International Booker Prize. Originally published in Korean in 2004, 'Whale' secured Cheon the prestigious Korea New Writer Award and this year the book has experienced a resurgence in popularity among global readers, nearly two decades after its initial release.

We invite you to join us to discover more about Cheon Myeong-Kwan's motivations, the inspirations that fuel his storytelling and more. Whether you are an avid fan of his work or new to his literary universe, this is an opportunity to delve into the heart of Korean literature, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and connect with fellow book enthusiasts.

Cheon Myeong-kwan is a South Korean novelist and screenwriter. Upon publication of his first story, ‘Frank and I’ (2003), he received the prestigious Munhakdongne New Writer Award. His debut novel, Whale, published the following year, won him the 10th Munhakdongne Novel Award, and in 2023, Chi-Young Kim’s translation was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Cheon’s novels have been translated into Chinese, English, French, Thai, Russian, and Vietnamese.

Martin Colthorpe is the Director of Modern Culture, an agency specializing in international literary event and festival programming. He worked at Southbank Centre for 10 years, where, as Senior Literature Programmer, he launched the London Literature Festival. From 2015-2022, he was the Programme Director of International Literature Festival Dublin.