By Honorary Reporter Monthi Rosselini from Indonesia
Photos = Monthi Rosselini and LTI Korea

Korean literature over the years has grown more popular in tandem with Hallyu, especially in Indonesia. Popular Korean novels such as "Kim Ji-young: Born 1982," "The Plotters" and "Almond" are often seen on bestseller shelves in bookstores in my country. 

To reach more readers, especially lovers of Korean literature, LTI on its website provides free Korean literary content in e- and audiobook formats in a variety of languages. 

The website of LTI Korea has editions of Korean literature in several languages.

In June, LTI held a contest in which competitors had to make drawings or paintings of their interpretations of Korean novels chosen by the organizers. Entering this event, I chose "Almond," "The Good Son" and "Kim Ji-young."

'Puzzle' ('The Good Son')
This work was inspired by the word "puzzle," as the author Jeong You-jeong formed the pieces of the protagonist Yu-jin's life story. He wakes up covered in blood and retraces the bloody path leading from his room to find his dead mother. This novel makes readers wonder who did this and why, and I love how Jeong ended the book with the last piece.

'No Words For Emotions' ('Almond')
This painting inspired by Sohn Won-pyung's novel has the keyword "alexithymia," a subclinical phenomenon that the protagonist Yun-jae suffers in which he struggles to identify, describe and distinguish feelings of bodily sensations from those of emotional arousal. The textured colors in this painting represents emotions, while black interprets Yunjae's inability to recognize emotions and their subtleties and textures.

'Ambient Anxiety' ('Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982')
I was inspired to do three paintings after reading "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982" by Cho Nam-joo, The main character Ji-young portrays the plight of Korean women in their 30s who suffer from sexism in a male-dominated society. These pieces reflection my impressions of Ji-young's feelings. I allowed my paintbrush to decide the shape of the final images in expressing her anxiety, fear and desperation to escape her stifling gender roles.

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.