A Korean Literature Night has been held in Havana, Cuba, a country known for its passion for books and literature.

The event was held on February 13 on the sidelines of the 2015 International Book Fair of Havana. As part of the event, poet Moon Chung-hee and novelist Oh Jung-hee hosted a Q&A session for their Cuban readers.

Some 100 people attended the event, including Cuban Minister of Justice Maria Esther Reus Gonzalez and Vice President Edel Morales of the Cuban Book Institute (Instituto Cubano del Libro). Moon read excerpts from her poetry book "Yo soy Moon," while Oh gave a reading from her novel "Evening Game." Afterward, an awards ceremony was held to hand out prizes to those who wrote book reviews and drew pictorial poems related to works by the two Korean writers. Some Cuban students wowed the crowd with their K-pop dance performances, too.




The next day, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (KLTI), which organized the Korean Literature Night, spoke with officials from the Cuban Book Institute at the Cabana Castle. It donated 50 books of Korean literature to the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC).

Later on, there was another Korean literature event held at the house of José Lezama Lima, now a museum. Some 50 people, including Alberto Marrero, the president of an association of Cuban poets, attended the occasion. Marrero and Raquel Marrero, a journalist, spoke about the works of the two Korean writers.




The year 2015 marks the first time for Korea to officially attend the International Book Fair of Havana. Spanish and English versions of some 100 works of Korean literature and children's books were prepared for the book fair. A range of books were on display there, too, from "Hanjungnok," a memoir by Crown Princess Hong, the wife of ill-fated Crown Prince Sado (1735-1762), to author Shin Kyung-sook's "Please Look After Mom."

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: KLTI
jun2@korea.kr

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