The stories behind their books

“Elizabeth, the protagonist of the novel Pride and Prejudice. I admire her bold approach to life, even in a time when women were socially oppressed.”

“[Recently Read Book #2] This is The Path of the Dinosaur's Movement by KIM HWA JIN.”

“On my day off, I went to Kyobo Book Centre with my sister.”

“I just wanted to spend a day browsing books and stuff… [A literary girl's day].”

“So I went with my sister, browsed around, and bought this book.”

“[The reason she picked this book] When I got to Kyobo Book Centre, there were so many books—well, it is a bookstore—so I felt overwhelmed.”

“I wanted to buy a good one, something fun that I’d really enjoy reading. I wanted to pick the perfect book.”

“So, inside Kyobo Book Centre, I looked up book descriptions on my phone and tried to see which book caught my eye.”

“[The title alone sounds fun] I saw the title The Path of the Dinosaur's Movement.”

“[GAWON is a famous dinosaur lover] I love dinosaurs, right?”

“I thought, “I’m not sure about it, but let’s just go for it.””

“It’s also a novel, which I love. There was a line that really got to me.”

“Before I buy a book, I read the whole blurb.”

“[GAWON later found it and sent it] There was a line in the blurb that really resonated with me.”

“This book has a strong slice-of-life vibe, and the perspective changes in every section.”

“[The story of four friends] You can read each person’s perspective on the process of losing a cherished friend and the emotions they experience as they go through it.”

“I enjoyed reading that, too. There were lots of cute and relatable lines.”

““I wrote to hold, to leave behind, and to remember.” “So I wouldn’t forget.” “To record it before I forget.” “To keep it by recording it.””

““I still can’t tell apart the moments when lies and truth are stuck together. A lie is nothing else but the act of deceiving oneself—truly believing that what I’m saying right now is sincere. Lies come from sincerity.””

“Lines like these come up throughout the book.”

“So even within this kind of everyday story, thoughts you usually keep to yourself pop up from time to time, which made it a fun book to read.”

“The book for February was supposed to be this one, [the book in question] The Path of the Dinosaur's Movement, but I couldn’t finish it, so I finished it in early March.”

“Knulp is a book I found after reading Demian and becoming curious about Hermann Hesse’s work.”

“It's an interesting book. It's fun.”

“I thought it was art that I, as a Korean Confucian girl, couldn't understand. Maybe it was because some parts were difficult, or because the characters were hard to remember. Let's try reading it again in about six months.”

“Guillaume Musso's *Will You Be There?* is a book I read in middle school. I liked it so much that I read it several times.”

““Oppa, what book is that?” I tried reading it, and it was so good. [A book I turn to when things are hard] I think it’s a book I take out whenever I’m having a hard time.”

“Writer! I read *Human Acts* while I was in the military. Sniff, congratulations.”

“I was surprised while reading because things I usually thought about were expressed so well in words.”

“Watching this, I thought, “The mystery novels I’ve read up to now were only fragments. The real roots were here.””

“So we bought it together.”

“I have so much I want to talk about that even writing it as an epic novel on the scale of *Toji* wouldn’t be enough, but…”

““I’ve started another new book.””

“Having experienced it firsthand and then reread it, I thought, “This was totally a Kurly promotional book.” I was moved by a different aspect, thinking, “So you really can grow this much in six months.””

“Even as it makes you chuckle, there isn’t a single scene that doesn’t somehow leave a corner of your heart sad.”

“That is so true. I’m in such a good mood today. Even if something bad happens while I’m feeling happy, I feel like I have the leeway to just laugh it off.”

““I should look here for what I need to say.” Honestly, I fell asleep. I fell asleep, so I’m going to tell you the title on the cover of that book: “Love as if you’ve never been loved.” I’ll try to love you as if I’ve never been loved. Ah! I love you. Yes.”

““‘Sea’ is a song I began working on after being moved by the line in 1Q84, ‘Where there is hope, there is hardship.’””

“‘Sea’ is a song I began working on after being moved by the line in 1Q84, ‘Where there is hope, there is hardship.’”

“'Contradiction'”

“This is a book called *Mythology*.”

“I’ve been really interested in Greek mythology since I was little. When I was young, I only liked the main figures, but there are so many other gods too, you know. I want to read about them because I’m curious about them…”

“The premise of the novel is very unique.”

“I really related to it as I read. As I wondered whether I might be that person—or maybe I was that person—and tried putting myself in one situation after another, I found myself at the last page. After reading the final page, I bought it right away and brought it home.”

“I'd like to recommend Osamu Dazai's *No Longer Human*.”

“I bought volumes 1 and 2. I’ve finished volume 1, and I have about half of volume 2 left.”

“Cool, cool. #LifeBalancer”

“If I had read The Stranger earlier, I wouldn’t have chosen my original name, Rap Monster.”

“I regretted thinking, “Why did I only read your books now?””

“And I like poetry collections. I really enjoyed reading the collection The Definition of Love Is a Cat.”

“And this book—I'm reading it now.”

“I think I was tempted by that blurb and read it. But it was such a predictable story... I read it in the bookstore and left it there.”

““Strangely, I feel as though I’ve taken a step closer to my senior, Park Jun-myun, through a single cookbook. As I read through the recipes one page at a time, I feel as though I’m cooking alongside her; those delicious words make my mouth water and leave my heart feeling full and reassured.””

“This is also a book I really did order from Yes24 recently, you know? It arrived really quickly (laughs). I bought volumes 1 and 2; I’ve finished volume 1, and have about half of volume 2 left.”

“Congratulations, I read 'Human Acts' while in the military,”

“Yes, Director Bang said that this book was his bible in his twenties, and that it would be very helpful for someone like me. I’m going to make time to read it.”

“Because *Memoir of a Murderer* was the book that introduced me to the world of books, and”

“[Unread Book with a Pretty Cover #1] 'Don't Let Your Mood Become Your Attitude' by Lemon Psychology”

“The book I read yesterday was one called Maldok, and it was really interesting.”

“I think they came up with a really good title. We often say, “I want to die.” But even while saying we want to die, it’s true that we also feel like having soju or eating tteokbokki. As someone who has also gone through dark times, I couldn’t help but relate deeply.”

“I got it as a gift, and brought it from home to start reading today.”

“The first book I read while crying.”

“I held it in and held it in until the tears finally came.”

“A book that made me look back on my life.”

“I became grateful for everything.”

“Author! Human Acts. I read it in the military. Sob, congratulations!”

““It’s something like a debate among philosophers about love. It makes you think seriously once again about how love is being consumed in modern society and about our attitudes toward dating.””

“Rather than self-help books that offer comfort, just something intuitive…”

“I’m really enjoying it.”

“It felt like a drama that portrayed a very mature love.”

“I recommend the Japanese novel *Please Eat Something Warm*.”

““The person who knows how to love themselves is the greatest person.” (From *315 Proverbs Worth Reading Even a Hundred Years from Now*)”

“Reading this book made me think that I should cherish and love myself more.”

“Author, I read *Human Acts* in the military. Sob, congratulations!”

“I think I first saw this in the bestseller section [Actor Park Jeong-min’s PICK, “The Real Thing”]. I also understood that actor Park Jeong-min had recommended it, and hearing that made me even more curious about the novel.”

“[I like long novels] I tend to like long novels, but since The Real Thing is a short-story collection, it reads really easily and quickly × 2, you know? So [Gaeul’s Book Club reading journal / Recommended for people who find reading difficult] I think it would be a really good book for people who find books difficult and want to challenge themselves.”

“[Munsu: left behind by Granny Jangsu, a shaman with no god] And since the subject itself is shamanism, [Granny Jangsu / Sin-aegi: Granny Jangsu, who left Munsu and became the tutelary deity of a spirit-afflicted person] it feels very fresh, but also has that eeriness. And I didn’t know this, but when I looked it up, [honmono: real / nisemono: fake] I found that “honmono” means “real.” So, between me (Munsu), who goes mad and devotes myself to it like that, and Sin-aegi, who received the spirit initiation, which one is the real one? At the end, the two of them perform a gut ritual like mad [Spoiler warning]. That scene was, as expected, the most memorable. [A book that made me think a lot about “what does ‘real’ actually mean?”] It was a book that made me think a lot about what it means to be real.”

“[Author Sung Hae-na, born in 1994] So I understand that this author is young, and our generation really is one that grew up watching videos rather than reading books, right? I heard that when the author writes, she writes in a way that makes it play out like a video, and I felt that too. I was impressed, thinking, “So a picture can form in my mind just from imagining it.” But I think it would be fun if this came out as a drama or a movie. I think that would be even more fun, because a gut ritual has such strong imagery.”

“So, it was a fun book to read.”

“Jeolchang is really fun.”

“It’s difficult.”

“I recommend it.”

“What is the most important book you have read?”

“I asked a friend: “Hey, I want to read! Do you have any books to recommend?” And he got really excited and recommended books by Han Kang and Keigo Higashino. So, that was literally everything I read. There was also a book called “Eleven Steps.” It was kind of a book about philo…”

“Personally, I found the book more interesting.”

“I really like it, and <A Certain Secret>.”

“Little Women also goes really well with spring. When I was young, you know how there’s always that thing that suddenly comes to mind… So this was a book I used to read when I was in elementary school, because we were told to read it during school vacation.”

“The first book I cried while reading”

“Writer, I read *Human Acts* in the military. Sob, congratulations.”

“I actually don't like science fiction that much. I hardly ever watch sci-fi movies, either. Did I get this book recommended to me on social media? Not directly, but I saw someone recommending it, got interested, and decided to read it.”

“This book—[there's so much to say about this one]—as you can see, is incredibly long and hefty... [in a nutshell,] not an easy book to take on. But! [Here comes the sales queen] The appeal of a long novel is that... once you get past the beginning, where you memorize the characters' names and get some explanation of the situation, [the twists never end &] there really are endless twists and [one shocking scene after another] so many scenes that leave you stunned.”

“Honestly, I find these doorstopper books challenging, too. I tend to read them over the course of several months. Me, too? But this book is really difficult in terms of its ideas. It makes you think a lot, but the sentences themselves aren't difficult! [Thoughts that keep spiraling / Easy to read, but full of ideas you can't simply brush aside] It's a book that's easy to read, but makes you go back and think about it afterward.”

“When I try to sell people on this book, I tell them that even in a world this advanced, after so much change, the feeling of love is still so precious and powerful. [If you don't understand how wonderful love is, I feel sorry for you] There are so many things the characters do because they love each other. Rowan thinks he could die in Citra's place because he loves her, and Citra risks danger and takes action because she loves Rowan. Watching things like that made me feel that, in every generation, [an emotion that transcends time: love] emotions have such a powerful effect on people. That's what lies at the heart of who we are.”

“That's right. I felt the same way while reading it, too—the translator, Lee Soo-hyun, seems to have done a great job. [A style that draws you in without difficult sentences] There aren't any difficult sentences, so every line really catches your eye, and each and every one is a gem. I really want more people to know about the red-covered book Scythe. [I want to finish it and talk about it with everyone] While reading Scythe, [a book that makes you reflect on respect for life and ethics], I found myself thinking a lot about how we regard life and about ethics.”

“"thrilling"”

“"like a movie."”

“I made “Zeze” from the perspective of Minginho, the lime-orange tree in the novel, and Zeze is innocent while also cruel in some ways. Looking at the character alone, he has many contradictions. That’s why I found him appealing and sexy.”

“A book I read while at the TWICE dorm. A book that made me focus on myself. A book that helped me not be consumed by pressure.”

“I read Human Acts while in the military. Congratulations.”

“I think young adult literature would probably be best for our baby DIVEs. I thought a book called The Wizard’s Bakery would leave more of an impression on your heart if you read it when you’re really young. So, our baby DIVEs, let’s read a fun book together sometime.”

“I thought this really summed up the book The Contradiction very well.”

“I really enjoyed reading a book called *One Very Light Feather*.”

“This is a book I started reading because it was at the TWICE dorm, and I think this book is exactly what its title says: “doing something for myself.””

“Writer! I read Human Acts in the military. Congratulations.”

“Since it was recommended in many places as a classic masterpiece, I trusted those recommendations and read it. There’s a reason a book is a proven classic.”

“Give it a read. It’s short, so you can finish it quickly.”

“As soon as you turn the first page of this book, the voices you’ve missed may come tumbling out in a lively chorus.”

“A book that had been at home after my older brother received it as a gift.”

“A book I find myself turning to whenever things are hard.”

“Through this book, I was able to reflect on myself, even if only a little.”

“I heard it was interesting.”

“I regretted not having read this book sooner.”

“A book I'm reading these days. I'm still in the early part, so it's too soon to say what I think of it.”

“I read your book Human Acts while I was in the military. Congratulations.”

““I enjoyed reading Animal Farm, so I’m looking for other works, too.””

“The Door of Morning is a really, really shocking and good work. It’s a beautiful work, so I’ll recommend it to you.”

“I think I can take one step closer to becoming that kind of person only if I’m happy first and receive energy.”

“I am still near the beginning, but I already find it fascinating.”

“Although you may think it’s difficult because it’s a classic, once you open the book, you can enjoy reading it.”

“"I read 'The Vegetarian' (2007) while serving in the military. Congratulations,"”

“I naturally found myself listening to the Analects. If the Analects seem difficult, maybe you could start with short phrases like this so they’re a little easier to read?”

“When I get stuck writing lyrics on my own, I find myself wondering, “How would Aunt Ina work it out?” As someone who does that, I’m genuinely glad this book exists.”

“I read your book *Human Acts* while I was in the military. Congratulations.”

““Torrent””

“I watched the movie and read the book, and the book is overwhelmingly more fun. It's really fun.”

“Congratulations, I read 'Human Acts' while in the military,”

“I regretted not having read the writer’s book sooner.”

“As I turned the last page of the book, I thought how lucky I was to have met you, teacher, as a child who could hear those precious stories for free.”

“Recently, the book I’ve been trying to read is Philip Chesterfield’s My Son, Life Is Too Short to Waste Time.”

“I recommend it because it’s such a realistic, relatable read about how suffering can be unavoidable.”

““It’s really, really interesting””

“There was also a book called _Eleven Steps._ It was kind of a philosophy book. But with any of the different books, I found myself putting myself into the text. Like imagining myself as a character in a novel, for example. I was so deep in my imagination at the time. Was it helpful? I’m not sure.”

“I chose Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha as my first book. Appearing on Minumsa TV’s YouTube channel got me interested in classical literature, and since it was a story about Buddhism, I thought it might calm my mind. I usually like mystery and thriller genres, but for the first book of this year, I wanted to start with one that could help me find peace of mind.”

“It’s difficult 🤤”

“I read your book *Human Acts* while I was in the military. Congratulations.”

“This book was written by my uncle, you know?”

“I’m reading the Neapolitan Novels!!”

“I recently started reading the book “I Want to Go Home Even Though I’m at Home.””

“Because I enjoyed reading Animal Farm so much”

“These days, I'm reading a book called *Such Clumsy People* for about the fifth time...”

“I regretted not having read your books sooner.”

“Recently, I enjoyed reading a book called Little Nicolas. It's like a fairy tale for adults.”

“This book was written by my uncle—my aunt’s husband, you know?”

“I still like this song, just as I did before the album came out.”

“Actually, I was in the library club in my first year of high school, and around my second year I joined another club. Was it the economics club? We read things like 『The Prince』 and 『An Essay on the Principle of Population』, summarized them, and gave presentations in PowerPoint.”