[New in Korean] ‘A Thousand Blues’ writer brings dystopian quick story assortment

“Mouer”

By Cheon Seon-ran

Munhakdongne Publishing

In a distant future the place humanity has endured 3,000 years of punishment following Judgment Day, language itself is banned, deemed the basis of greed, distrust and hatred. As an alternative, folks talk by way of “ui-eum” — a type of thought-transmitted meaningless sound. With out the constraints of verbal language, people now not age.

On this society, Chou discovers a crying child by a lakeside. She names the kid Mou and brings him to the village. However in contrast to others, Mou reacts extra sensitively to spoken sounds moderately than ui-eum and shortly begins to interrupt the principles by repeating verbal sounds aloud. Branded as a heretic for his curiosity about language, Mou faces the terrifying prospect of being burned on the stake.

The story is from the titular story of “Mouer,” the newest quick story assortment by Cheon Seon-ran. Greatest recognized for her award-winning debut novel, “A Thousand Blues,” Cheon explores a dystopian future the place humanity grapples with the absence of components as soon as taken without any consideration.

The gathering consists of eight quick tales written between 2020 and 2024. From kids recruited to suppress alien entities, to youngsters with extraordinary talents and android undertakers, every story examines distinctive sides of survival and identification.

“A Thousand Blues” might be launched in English in March 2025, translated by Chi-Younger Kim.

Earlier this yr, the guide made headlines for securing a multi-million-dollar advance from Penguin Random Home. It has additionally been tailored right into a play by the Nationwide Theater Firm of Korea and a musical by the Seoul Performing Arts Firm, this yr.