Author Talks: Cheon Myeong-kwan 천명관

June 27, 2023 - Shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize and translated by Chi-Young Kim, Whale is the first novel by Cheon Myeong-kwan to be published in English, by Archipelago Books in the U.S. and Europa in the U.K. Set in a remote village in South Korea, Whale follows the lives of three linked characters: Geumbok, an extremely ambitious woman who has been chasing an indescribable thrill ever since she first saw a whale crest in the ocean; her mute daughter, Chunhui, who communicates with elephants; and a one-eyed woman who controls honeybees with a whistle. Brimming with surprises and wicked humor, Cheon’s story widens to embrace a motley assortment of characters, many of them motivated by lust or vengeance. Spun with the whimsy and humor of a demented deity, Whale curves toward uncharted waters. In this episode of Author Talks, Cheon Myeong-kwan discusses his career in Korea and his English debut. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-cul...