For the various aspiring authors in Korea who dream of changing into bestselling writers, not to mention Nobel laureates like novelist Han Kang, creator Kim Ho-yeon supplied a dose of realism.
“It’s essential discover ways to dwell a frugal life,” stated Kim, creator of worldwide bestseller “The Second Likelihood Comfort Retailer,” throughout a e book speak at Mapo Central Library in Seoul on Friday. “Till you change into well-known, you typically don’t earn a lot, so it’s a must to be taught to spend much less.”
Since 2021, “The Second Likelihood Comfort Retailer” has bought greater than 2 million copies in Korea and been translated into varied languages, together with English, Japanese, Chinese language and Polish.
The story, a mix of humor and drama, follows Dokgo, a homeless man fighting alcoholic dementia, and Yeom Younger-sook, a comfort retailer proprietor who hires him as a part-timer. To Yeom’s shock, he seems to be a diligent employee who improves the shop’s operations and gross sales.
Kim’s emphasis on frugality comes from expertise.
His profession as a novelist didn’t really start till 2013, when he was 30. Earlier than that, he jumped between jobs, together with screenwriting and dealing at a publishing firm.
His novel “Mangwon-dong Brothers” received a literary award and allowed him to pursue writing full-time, however the subsequent seven years felt like “a wilderness,” he recalled. He revealed a number of books earlier than “The Second Likelihood Comfort Retailer,” however none bought properly.
Kim stated that when issues are bleak, that’s when writers work out whether or not writing is admittedly their ardour.
“You won’t get any outcomes for some time. Writers write anyway,” he stated. “Can we change into writers to win awards? To crank out bestsellers? No. As soon as I finished worrying about that stuff and simply saved writing, the nice issues finally adopted.”
To aspiring writers, he burdened the significance of recognizing whether or not they really benefit from the craft.
“The true query is whether or not you truly like writing. And the one strategy to know is to write down loads. Should you actually love writing — in the event you get hooked on it — that’s what makes somebody an actual author.”
The success of “The Second Likelihood Comfort Retailer” has taken him throughout Korea and abroad to fulfill readers, together with a memorable current journey to Poland.
“Polish readers like my e book, and I went to Poland earlier this yr for a e book honest,” he stated. “There, I met many readers, and one stood out to me. She informed me she was a refugee from Ukraine. I didn’t know what to say.”
He added that he has bought the copyright to a Ukrainian writer, so the e book “could also be revealed in Ukraine someday sooner or later.”
The occasion was organized by the library as a part of a marketing campaign to encourage studying. Singer Zitten additionally participated, and the 2 shared tales about their artistic processes and struggles.
