SIWA Monthly Book Club: A DISTANT & BEAUTIFUL PLACE by Yang Kwija

Our Book Club is coming to the last piece  of 1 year’s reading list and what would be a better ending than a collection of interconnected short stories from none other than the place we all call home, Seoul, South Korea. Written by Korea’s most cherished and respected author, this book is set up in a distant and beautiful neighborhood of Wonmi-dong before the country was democratized in 1987. From the lightning speed of industrialization and economic development in the 1980s, these stories capture Korea in its transformation to modernity with its characters striving for a successful and a better life. Each story is  unique in their own way and yet form together a captivating novel as a whole.

Short story names:

1. A Distant and Beautiful Place (멀고 아름다운 동네)
2. The Spark (불씨)
3. The Last Land (마지막 땅)
4. The Wonmi-dong Poet (원미동 시인)
5. A Vagabond Mouse (한 마리의 나그네 쥐)
6. On Rainy Days I Have To Go to Karing-dong (비오는 날이면 가리봉동에 가야 한다)
7. Bellfinch (방울새)
8. The Tearoom Woman (찻집 여자)
9. Our Daily Bread (일용할 양식)
10. The Underground Man (지하 생활자)
11. Cold Water Pass (한계령)

Join us this October to discuss this book and learn more about the life of people in this city in the era of 1980’s and to shape our future in this city. Don’t forget to submit your recommendation for the next SIWA reading list!

As of October we will meet in a new location due to the construction work in our regular venue.

The new venue is PAUL BASSETT HANNAM and we will meet on the 4th floor to have our quiet space for great conversations. 🙂

Event date & time: 2023.10.13. 10:30 – 12:00

Event host: Sejung Jang, bookclub@siwakorea.com 

Venue / meeting spot: Paul Bassett Hannam , 폴바셋 한남 커피스테이션점 서울 용산구 한남대로 48

Naver map: https://naver.me/x3qL1MkV  

Additional Information: BC events are exclusively for SIWA members.