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josh_caporale's review
2.0
2.5 stars
With the Winter Olympics being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, I thought it would be fitting to read a work of Korean literature during the month of February and a collection of short stories from an author that is advertised as a modern Franz Kafka definitely sounded appealing. I am very much fond of works that are outside of the box and absurdist as well, so for its face value, this collection looked like it was just what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I felt that this collection was mediocre at best. While the concepts were great, the characters were zero dimensional. While giving little depth to these characters could be a strategy, there was nothing that these characters had to offer that gave me, the reader, any interest to want to continue reading forward.
The stories in this collection were:
Rabbit's Tomb- A man takes in an abandoned rabbit and cares for it all while he is neglecting what he has found to be an insignificant job. There was an interesting snippet about how and why rabbit's are frequently abandoned as pets and how children are known for getting bored of what ever animal it is they get as a pet, but specifically rabbits.
Evening Proposal- Kim and his friend are preparing a funeral for a dying man, all while he is preparing to turn down a commitment to someone he is dating.
Monotonous Lunch- A man is stuck in his routine of eating the same lunch, taking the same train, and fulfilling the same kind of job in a copy room day after day. Will a sudden death that happens right before this man's eyes change that routine?
Would You Like to Take a Tour Bus?- S and K work with storage compartments as movers. What happens when they find themselves on a tour bus?
Out for a Walk- A man and his pregnant wife move into new living quarters in order to fulfill his job, but there is a guard dog within the quarters that is bound to be a handful for this couple.
Jungle Gym- A man's confidence is tested through a business trip.
Room with a Beige Sofa- Jin, his wife Seo, and their baby adjust to living in a new house.
Canning Factory- The strict, but punctual plant manager of a canning factory does not show up one day, drawing suspicion on his disappearance.
A lot of these concepts were interesting and I feel that this material will be subject to rereading and studying for its use of absurdism at some point in time. As works that exercise your mind and are meant to be thought about critically, this did a good job. As stories, though, they were difficult to get through with uninteresting characters and a vague ability to set the scene. I feel that with a writer like Franz Kafka, the information we learned about him and his ability to not limit his boundaries had an impact on how we saw his writing. I would even say that George Saunders writes in a similar manner and with a work like The Semplica-Girl Diaries, it explores an outlandish idea, but it connects to a very logical argument. These stories do not engage in this practice. They are very dull.
I may return to looking over some of these works at some point in time, but for now, I did not enjoy this and would not encourage others to check this out. There are so many other better absurdist writers, like Franz Kafka, George Saunders, and Lewis Carroll.
With the Winter Olympics being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, I thought it would be fitting to read a work of Korean literature during the month of February and a collection of short stories from an author that is advertised as a modern Franz Kafka definitely sounded appealing. I am very much fond of works that are outside of the box and absurdist as well, so for its face value, this collection looked like it was just what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I felt that this collection was mediocre at best. While the concepts were great, the characters were zero dimensional. While giving little depth to these characters could be a strategy, there was nothing that these characters had to offer that gave me, the reader, any interest to want to continue reading forward.
The stories in this collection were:
Rabbit's Tomb- A man takes in an abandoned rabbit and cares for it all while he is neglecting what he has found to be an insignificant job. There was an interesting snippet about how and why rabbit's are frequently abandoned as pets and how children are known for getting bored of what ever animal it is they get as a pet, but specifically rabbits.
Evening Proposal- Kim and his friend are preparing a funeral for a dying man, all while he is preparing to turn down a commitment to someone he is dating.
Monotonous Lunch- A man is stuck in his routine of eating the same lunch, taking the same train, and fulfilling the same kind of job in a copy room day after day. Will a sudden death that happens right before this man's eyes change that routine?
Would You Like to Take a Tour Bus?- S and K work with storage compartments as movers. What happens when they find themselves on a tour bus?
Out for a Walk- A man and his pregnant wife move into new living quarters in order to fulfill his job, but there is a guard dog within the quarters that is bound to be a handful for this couple.
Jungle Gym- A man's confidence is tested through a business trip.
Room with a Beige Sofa- Jin, his wife Seo, and their baby adjust to living in a new house.
Canning Factory- The strict, but punctual plant manager of a canning factory does not show up one day, drawing suspicion on his disappearance.
A lot of these concepts were interesting and I feel that this material will be subject to rereading and studying for its use of absurdism at some point in time. As works that exercise your mind and are meant to be thought about critically, this did a good job. As stories, though, they were difficult to get through with uninteresting characters and a vague ability to set the scene. I feel that with a writer like Franz Kafka, the information we learned about him and his ability to not limit his boundaries had an impact on how we saw his writing. I would even say that George Saunders writes in a similar manner and with a work like The Semplica-Girl Diaries, it explores an outlandish idea, but it connects to a very logical argument. These stories do not engage in this practice. They are very dull.
I may return to looking over some of these works at some point in time, but for now, I did not enjoy this and would not encourage others to check this out. There are so many other better absurdist writers, like Franz Kafka, George Saunders, and Lewis Carroll.
arirang's review
2.0
He would from time to time get a paper cut, and that was the only type of scar he'd ever have.
Evening Proposal by Pyun Hye-Young is another in the very worthwhile Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature, and the 16th of the 26 book series I have read.
This is a short-story collection - 8 stories, all a very uniform 20-24 pages. This is an important genre in Korean literature, arguably the dominant one, but not my personal favourite form and that rather influenced my view of the book. The stories seem to stop just as they get going and while there is some commonality of theme these are ultimately individual stories, originally published separately in various publications, before being bought together in this collection, and if anything some of the common themes wore a little with repetition. However, I very much look forward to the forthcoming novels in English from Pyun Hye-Young.
The translation is by Park Youngsuk and Gloria Cosgrove Smith, both new to me. It certainly reads well, although there was the odd awkward phrase. For example the opening story features the odd English phrase "older alumnus" multiple (20+) times. This would be a literal translation of the Korean 선배, but it is a much more natural and common term in Korean and here in English mentor / senior / superior would all work much better. Even odder, checking the Korean, the word used appears to be 상사 which anyway is closer to the English words I suggested.
Translators such as the inaugral MBI winning Deborah Smith, Jung Yewon (at the highly literary end of the spectrum) and Sora Kim-Russell (for natural English prose) have rather raised the bar on Korean-English and this isn't in that league. Indeed one can make a direct comparison in the opening story as [a:Sora Kim Russell|15494974|Sora Kim Russell|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] has also translated it (albeit under the rather odd title O Cuniculi) at Words Without Borders (Korean original also here http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/original/o-cuniculi). Taking a key line for example:
The Korean original:
"지시하는 사냥감을 단지 잡아오기만 하면 되거든. 무엇을 잡을지, 잡은 후에 구울지 삶을지 버릴지 박제를 할지 결정하는 것은 숲을 달리는 사냥개가 아니라 지시를 내리고 서서 구경하는 주인이지. 그러니까 개는 잡을 때까지 죽도록 초원을 달리기만 하면 되는 거야."
토끼의 묘
The translation in this book:
"You must catch and brings back the targeted object," the older alumnus continued. "It's as simple as that. What to catch and what to do with it afterwards, broil, boil, throw away or stuff, making those decisions isn't the role for a hunting dog nosing through the woods. It is for the owner, who orders and watches. Therefore, all the dog has to do is run in the field - even to his death - until he makes the catch."
Rabbit Tomb
Sora Kim-Russell's version reads, more naturally and compactly:
“You retrieve the game. The master decides what to catch and whether to roast it, boil it, toss it out, or stuff it. Not the hunting dog racing through the woods. The master gives the command then watches as you run like mad until the game is caught.”
Rabbit Tomb / O Cuniculi
Rabbit Tomb was actual my favourite of the stories - although in part because I read it first, before several other similar tales. A rather haunting tale of the futile, empty and monotonous life of a clerical worker sent on assignment to a distant city, and his own self-comparison to an abandoned rabbit he finds in a city park (As he gazed into the eyes, relief at the thought that he was not the only one in this world with eyes red from exhaustion washed over him from the Kim-Russell version)
The other stories can be summarised as:
For him the real disasters, disasters far worse than earthquakes or tsunamis, were the occasions when the flowers in the shop faded before he could sell them ... the misfortune he feared was the misfortune that affected only him, while the rest of the world was well and safe.
Evening proposal
A rather cynical flower seller is forced to wait late into the evening at a funeral parlour, while an elderly man, who he knew many years ago, stubbornly cling on to life. Meanwhile he conduct his love life (the evening proposal) over the phone.
His heart pounded as he frantically opened the door of the copy room thirty minutes later than usual. The rest of the world remained calmly unaware of his being late for the first time in his life.
...
He would from time to time get a paper cut, and that was the only type of scar he'd ever have.
Monotonous lunch
This contains my favourite line in the book - a wonderful description of the rather sad and empty state to which humankind has been reduced by clerical work.
It took them quite a while to find a word with only two syllables starting with "b" which meant an unnecessary or useless thing.
Would you like to take a tour bus
Another in the pointlessness of most jobs theme, as two office workers are sent on an odd assignment to take a mysterious package to an unknown destination.
It wasn't the sudden flight of birds or even the thought of a wild boar that stopped him walking on the forest. It was the mayflies that hovered around him
Out for a walk.
One of the more dystopian and disturbing stories (and closer to Pyun's earlier work), as an office worker and his wife are sent to a rural branch office, where they find nature invading their lives.
There are no legal issues here?" he had asked, not being aware in three beginning that questioning Baik's orders wouldn't be appreciated. Later he came to realise that Baik regarded that question as an expression of agreement. He only wished that the [accounting] methods weren't illegal, or if they were illegal, they'd at least be handled clandestinely.
Jungle Gym
An accountant who has been cooking the books for his boss is sent out of town on a "business trip" before the auditors arrive.
The [old] sofa was a symbol of their cramped, tiresome life in company housing tucked away in a small city.
...
Finally she chose a beige sofa designed for a four-member family. The leather upholstery was strong it soft. It looked like the delicious layers of a freshly baked pie, and it seemed it couldn't possibly contain any spiral shaped springs, nailed wood, or cheap sponge... This beige sofa was to represent Jin and Seo's new life together.
Room With A Beige Sofa
Jin, who has been managing a regional branch office for a number of years is, much to his relief, being transferred back to Seoul with his new wife Seo and their 100 day old (baekil) baby. But en route they get tangled up with some local rowdy youth and the bright lights of Seoul remain literally just out of sight.
"Prior to the expiration date its assumed that the condition is perfectly maintained. Right after the expiration date, it's assumed that the condition has immediately broken down. At that point, we discard them regardless."
Canning Factory
Another in the why-do-we-bother theme, although with a twist. The plant manager of a canning factory (whose workers don't just can the goods they are supposed to) suddenly disappears, and a senior worker Park takes his place. Just like the opening story, Park finds himself doing exactly the things his predecessor did, and the story collection as well as life comes full circle.
Worthwhile.
Evening Proposal by Pyun Hye-Young is another in the very worthwhile Dalkey Archive Library of Korean Literature, and the 16th of the 26 book series I have read.
This is a short-story collection - 8 stories, all a very uniform 20-24 pages. This is an important genre in Korean literature, arguably the dominant one, but not my personal favourite form and that rather influenced my view of the book. The stories seem to stop just as they get going and while there is some commonality of theme these are ultimately individual stories, originally published separately in various publications, before being bought together in this collection, and if anything some of the common themes wore a little with repetition. However, I very much look forward to the forthcoming novels in English from Pyun Hye-Young.
The translation is by Park Youngsuk and Gloria Cosgrove Smith, both new to me. It certainly reads well, although there was the odd awkward phrase. For example the opening story features the odd English phrase "older alumnus" multiple (20+) times. This would be a literal translation of the Korean 선배, but it is a much more natural and common term in Korean and here in English mentor / senior / superior would all work much better. Even odder, checking the Korean, the word used appears to be 상사 which anyway is closer to the English words I suggested.
Translators such as the inaugral MBI winning Deborah Smith, Jung Yewon (at the highly literary end of the spectrum) and Sora Kim-Russell (for natural English prose) have rather raised the bar on Korean-English and this isn't in that league. Indeed one can make a direct comparison in the opening story as [a:Sora Kim Russell|15494974|Sora Kim Russell|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] has also translated it (albeit under the rather odd title O Cuniculi) at Words Without Borders (Korean original also here http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/original/o-cuniculi). Taking a key line for example:
The Korean original:
"지시하는 사냥감을 단지 잡아오기만 하면 되거든. 무엇을 잡을지, 잡은 후에 구울지 삶을지 버릴지 박제를 할지 결정하는 것은 숲을 달리는 사냥개가 아니라 지시를 내리고 서서 구경하는 주인이지. 그러니까 개는 잡을 때까지 죽도록 초원을 달리기만 하면 되는 거야."
토끼의 묘
The translation in this book:
"You must catch and brings back the targeted object," the older alumnus continued. "It's as simple as that. What to catch and what to do with it afterwards, broil, boil, throw away or stuff, making those decisions isn't the role for a hunting dog nosing through the woods. It is for the owner, who orders and watches. Therefore, all the dog has to do is run in the field - even to his death - until he makes the catch."
Rabbit Tomb
Sora Kim-Russell's version reads, more naturally and compactly:
“You retrieve the game. The master decides what to catch and whether to roast it, boil it, toss it out, or stuff it. Not the hunting dog racing through the woods. The master gives the command then watches as you run like mad until the game is caught.”
Rabbit Tomb / O Cuniculi
Rabbit Tomb was actual my favourite of the stories - although in part because I read it first, before several other similar tales. A rather haunting tale of the futile, empty and monotonous life of a clerical worker sent on assignment to a distant city, and his own self-comparison to an abandoned rabbit he finds in a city park (As he gazed into the eyes, relief at the thought that he was not the only one in this world with eyes red from exhaustion washed over him from the Kim-Russell version)
The other stories can be summarised as:
For him the real disasters, disasters far worse than earthquakes or tsunamis, were the occasions when the flowers in the shop faded before he could sell them ... the misfortune he feared was the misfortune that affected only him, while the rest of the world was well and safe.
Evening proposal
A rather cynical flower seller is forced to wait late into the evening at a funeral parlour, while an elderly man, who he knew many years ago, stubbornly cling on to life. Meanwhile he conduct his love life (the evening proposal) over the phone.
His heart pounded as he frantically opened the door of the copy room thirty minutes later than usual. The rest of the world remained calmly unaware of his being late for the first time in his life.
...
He would from time to time get a paper cut, and that was the only type of scar he'd ever have.
Monotonous lunch
This contains my favourite line in the book - a wonderful description of the rather sad and empty state to which humankind has been reduced by clerical work.
It took them quite a while to find a word with only two syllables starting with "b" which meant an unnecessary or useless thing.
Would you like to take a tour bus
Another in the pointlessness of most jobs theme, as two office workers are sent on an odd assignment to take a mysterious package to an unknown destination.
It wasn't the sudden flight of birds or even the thought of a wild boar that stopped him walking on the forest. It was the mayflies that hovered around him
Out for a walk.
One of the more dystopian and disturbing stories (and closer to Pyun's earlier work), as an office worker and his wife are sent to a rural branch office, where they find nature invading their lives.
There are no legal issues here?" he had asked, not being aware in three beginning that questioning Baik's orders wouldn't be appreciated. Later he came to realise that Baik regarded that question as an expression of agreement. He only wished that the [accounting] methods weren't illegal, or if they were illegal, they'd at least be handled clandestinely.
Jungle Gym
An accountant who has been cooking the books for his boss is sent out of town on a "business trip" before the auditors arrive.
The [old] sofa was a symbol of their cramped, tiresome life in company housing tucked away in a small city.
...
Finally she chose a beige sofa designed for a four-member family. The leather upholstery was strong it soft. It looked like the delicious layers of a freshly baked pie, and it seemed it couldn't possibly contain any spiral shaped springs, nailed wood, or cheap sponge... This beige sofa was to represent Jin and Seo's new life together.
Room With A Beige Sofa
Jin, who has been managing a regional branch office for a number of years is, much to his relief, being transferred back to Seoul with his new wife Seo and their 100 day old (baekil) baby. But en route they get tangled up with some local rowdy youth and the bright lights of Seoul remain literally just out of sight.
"Prior to the expiration date its assumed that the condition is perfectly maintained. Right after the expiration date, it's assumed that the condition has immediately broken down. At that point, we discard them regardless."
Canning Factory
Another in the why-do-we-bother theme, although with a twist. The plant manager of a canning factory (whose workers don't just can the goods they are supposed to) suddenly disappears, and a senior worker Park takes his place. Just like the opening story, Park finds himself doing exactly the things his predecessor did, and the story collection as well as life comes full circle.
Worthwhile.
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