<Strolling Through Asian Cities,
Exploring In-Betweens>
Review of the 2023 Asia Literature Forum
Summary
- Article
- Performance
- #interview
- #asia
- #writer
Can one truly understand a country without understanding its literature? Literature written in the language of that country conveys social and cultural messages. We participated in the 2023 Asia Literature Forum, which was centered around the theme of “Exploring Asian Cities, Cultures, and Young Writers.” The vibrant narratives of various Asian cities unfolded through engaging conversations with popular writers from Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan in dialogue with the moderator, novelist Lee Ki-ho, showcasing the rich tapestry of Asian literary voices at the forum.
No Matter Which City It May Be
My first novel, “Stackable,” was published in Japan in 2013. This novel depicted individuals suffering within the organizational structure of a Japanese company, presenting a microcosm of Japanese society. I wrote the novel based on the building of the company I was working for at that time. This novel contains various uncomfortable emotions that I, as a woman, experienced while living within a patriarchal system. It also reflects all the time I spent pondering the reasons why the society I live in feels unfamiliar.
There may be some differences, but regardless of which city it may be, similar issues tend to repeat themselves. As a writer, one of my missions is to raise objections from various perspectives to what has been considered normal within patriarchal systems up until now.
- Aoko Matsuda, Japanese Novelist -The Soul of the City
I arrived in Gwangju late in the evening. Surrounded by mountains, it reminded me of Taiwan and felt familiar to me. I pondered on how writing can illuminate the soul of the city. Publishing a multitude of historical novels on an endless thread is driven by the belief that we should tell the story of a forgotten city trapped in a maze. (The author has written such novels as “The Promised Land and the Dance of Formosa,” focused on major figures in the arts and music scene in Taiwan.)
Indeed, many cities in Asia have a presence that permeates throughout Taiwan. I believe that purity, maturity, humor, simplicity, extravagance, novelty, and traditional values come together to form a culture.
As I write, I contemplate on the question, “Where do I come from?”
The act of writing is a “journey to discover and understand oneself.”
Now: Shining, Names from Asia
Recently, Asian names have been shining in prestigious awards such as the Nobel Prize, the Oscars, and the World Cup. I strongly feel that the world has begun to take an interest in Asia, especially its cities. Modern cities with rich identities like Gwangju, the “City of Democracy,” where I am standing right now, are promised lands for aspiring writers. People often praise Hanoi as the “City of Peace,” Seoul as the “City that Never Sleeps,” and Mumbai as the “Bollywood Capital.”
Cities are bending and riding the dynamic and charming waves due to the allure of cultural sediment hidden in the souls of Asian cities. They always offer golden opportunities for aspiring writers to swim in the sea of hope, overcome those waves, and go further and faster.
- Le Quang Trang, Vietnamese Novelist -Familiar, Yet Unfamiliar Scenery
A city is not just a “space,” but rather a mystical entity where countless indescribable people come together, leave, and where uncountable stories are woven. It possesses a mysterious “name” that is filled with those tales that are hard to fathom.
Let’s think about a gigantic tree.
Now, the tree in front of me holds layers of hundreds of years of time.
Now, I cannot merely look upon Gwangju in front of me as a familiar and nostalgic landscape. The sight of countless bodies filling the Sangmudae Gymnasium, and the images of those who are missing and their fates unknown, have constantly haunted me, leaving me with no sense of freedom. Then, I suddenly realized that I had to write a novel. There were too many words inside me waiting to be spoken. I believed that writing a novel was the act of someone who had survived, sifting through those experiences to share them with people in the form of stories.
Along with this, a pre-event was held with a total of nine programs, including lectures and literary tours, under the theme “Encountering Asian Literature Together” in various locations such as ACC, Gwangju, Wanju, and Seoul.
Chae Hee-yun, the head of the forum organizing committee, stated, “Finding the starting point to establish the position of Asian literature in world literature is in line with Gwangju’s literary significance. Above all, it is not easy for the books of emerging Korean writers to be translated and circulated internationally. I am thrilled that this forum will provide an opportunity to connect editors, translators, and young writers from Korea. I convey my gratitude to you all.”
For the Time Being, Perhaps, I…
A city is not just a “space,” but rather a mystical entity where countless indescribable people come together, leave, and where uncountable stories are woven. It possesses a mysterious “name” that is filled with those tales that are hard to fathom.
I think that I will continue to have a strong attachment to Asian literature. I am proudly collecting the books I discovered during the pre-event and stacking them on my desk. I am currently reading works set in Vietnam, such as “Eating Lobster Time” by Bang Hyeon-seok (Changbi, 2003), and works by Japanese authors that are set in the Meiji era, such as “I Am a Cat” by Natsume Soseki (Yeolin Books, 2009). I am immersed in reading such literature from Asia.
So, I think, “Now, that’s it, now I am starting to understand.”
The time, space, and stories of various Asian cities that were once close to us but felt distant, are now revived with a warm and subtle sense of nostalgia.
- by
- Lee Yu-jin (npan211@korea.kr)
- Photo
- ACC
