By Honorary Reporter Ana Sofia Ribero Cuadro from Uruguay

Image = Ana Sofia Ribero Cuadro

(Ana Sofia Ribero Cuadro)

Despite being a traditionally patriarchal society, Korea has recently seen several famous fiction writers who are women. The following five authors have earned recognition in and out of Korea for their popular and provocative works.

Gong Ji-young
One of the country's most famous writers from the 1980s and 90s, Gong is a native of Seoul's Mapo-gu District who became famous in 2005 for her bestseller "Our Happy Time"; the film adaptation came out the following year under the English-language title "Maundy Thursday." An upper-class young woman unhappy with her life begins to visit a death row inmate after she makes several unsuccessful suicide attempts. Her visits lead to an interesting connection between the two. Gong's other novels include "My Sister Bangsoon" (1998), "Human Decency" (2006) and "The Crucible (2009)."

Han is the winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize and author of the 2007 bestselling novel "The Vegetarian." In the book, she tells the tale of a woman who becomes a vegetarian after having a dream but is unaware of her decision's consequences for her and her family. This story shows how the simplest decisions can affect more than just the individual. "The Vegetarian" was also made into a film released in 2009.

Shin Kyung-sook
A native of Jeongeup, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Shin in 2012 won the Man Asian Literary Award for her 2008 bestselling novel "Please Look after Mom," which sold a million copies in Korea in less than a year and was also a hit worldwide. The plot is about a woman who gets lost in Seoul while going there to visit her children. During the search for her, many secrets are discovered and her family wonders how well they knew her. In addition, the author wrote "I'll Be Right There" (2013), "The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness" (2015) and "The Court Dancer" (2018).

Kim Sagwa
One of Korea's youngest and most successful female writers is Kim Sagwa, who is described by award-winning poet and translator Don Mee Choi as "the young, brilliant and fearless writer from (Korea)". Kim has written on controversial topics such as emotional state and mental health. In her 2008 novel "Mina," the writer weaves a complex story about modern adolescence centered on Crystal, a teenager who looks tough but is also vulnerable and confused. She faces several problems and their ensuing consequences.

Cho Nam-joo
This writer is best known for her 2016 feminist bestseller "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," which struck a chord with women not just in Korea but around the world. Cho also ignited a wave of feminist activism in Korean society with her book, which sold more than a million copies and was translated into several languages. In the novel, a young woman faces sexism at every stage of her life, from birth to marriage. A film version was released in 2019.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.