SG Writers Fest features ‘Itaewon Class,’ ‘Hellbound’ authors
The 2024 Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) is set to spotlight Korean literature and webtoon culture, featuring prominent creators Jo Kwang-jin and Choi Gyu-seok. Their webtoons, “Itaewon Class” and “Hellbound,” became internationally acclaimed K-drama series on Netflix, highlighting the growing influence of Korean narratives in global entertainment.
Running Nov. 8 to Nov. 17, SWF will host these authors in sessions exploring the intersection of literature, graphic storytelling and media adaptations.
Jo’s “Itaewon Class” chronicles ex-convict Park Saeroyi’s quest to transform a modest pub into a culinary empire while seeking revenge against the powerful conglomerate that wronged him. Originally serialized as a webtoon, it garnered immense popularity and was adapted in 2020 into a television drama featuring internationally famous Korean actor Park Seo-joon, winning the Best Drama Series at the 25th Asian Television Awards.
Choi, known for his realist comics, cocreated “Hellbound,” a dark fantasy thriller that portrays supernatural beings condemning people to Hell, sparking chaos and cultish fervor. Following its webtoon success, “Hellbound” premiered as a series at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, and upon release surpassed “Squid Game” as Netflix’s most-watched show. It starred another internationally renowned Korean actor, Yoo Ah-in.
Now in its 27th edition, the SWF will highlight Korea in its “Country in Focus” program. On Nov. 16, Jo and Choi will participate in the panel discussion “Drawn to Drama: Comics on the Big Screen,” where they will explore the challenges of adapting webtoons for television.
Jo will hold a “Meet the Author” session on Nov. 17. An exhibition at the Arts House throughout November will display original artworks from “Hellbound” and “Itaewon Class,” providing insights into their creative processes.
Globally accessible
Festival director Yong Shu-hoong emphasized that Korea’s influence in popular culture goes beyond K-dramas and K-pop to encompass literature, with English translations making these works globally accessible.
“Webtoon artists bring a literary element to visual storytelling, resonating with contemporary audiences through adaptations that bridge diverse media,” he told the Inquirer in a virtual interview. “We will have webtoon artists in the flesh talking about their process of coming up with ideas and how they adapt these ideas for the screen. It’s a fascinating opportunity to understand how visual storytelling can transform into different media.”
The festival will also feature Baek Sehee, author of the best-selling nonfiction book “I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” who will discuss her creative journey with dysthymia.
Award-winning Korean-Swedish author and translator Anton Hur will address pitching translated works to publishers, while Hwang Yuree and Gwee Li Sui will delve into cultural themes in Korean and Singaporean literature.
The festival keynote on Nov. 10 will be delivered by Canadian poet and professor of ecology Madhur Anand. On Nov. 16, the keynote will be delivered by Columbia-trained cognitive researcher-writer Cat Bohannon, whose latest book, “Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution,” explores how female biology has played a pivotal role in shaping human history and evolution.
Other internationally acclaimed writers who will grace the 27th edition of SWF include Sri Lankan Shehan Karunatilaka, who won the 2022 Booker Prize for “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”; Canadian Esi Edugyan, whose novel “Washington Black” was a Booker Prize finalist; and Thai-American Pitchaya Sudbanthad, author of “Bangkok Wakes to Rain,” named a notable book by New York Times.
Shehan Karunatilaka, who wrote the 2022 Booker-winning novel “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”
‘In our nature’
From the Philippines, featured are young adult horror writer Rin Chupeco; performance poet Jocelyn Suarez; illustrator Renren Galeno; Ice Lacsamana and Anama Dimapilis-O’Reilly, hosts of “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” a comedy fiction podcast on Philippine mythology and folklore; novelist Claire Betita de Guzman; and migrant poets Bhing Navato and Jenelyn Leyble. Fictionist Noelle Q. de Jesus and poet Catherine Cadano will moderate panel discussions.
SWF was established in 1986 and is organized by Arts House Limited and the National Arts Council of Singapore. It showcases international literary talents and highlights local and Southeast Asian voices. Over 10 days, it features panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and performances. As one of the few multilingual literary festivals, it celebrates Singapore’s official languages: English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil.
The Arts House is the main site of the 2024 Singapore Writers Festival.
Theme is “In our nature,” which Yong explained had “multiple layers (of meaning) that can be peeled away.”
“If you think of ‘In our nature’ as being in our natural environment, that’s something very relevant,” the SWF director said. “It’s also about what is it in our human nature or in our nature as a writer, in our nature as a reader… So then I came up with this idea of the theme of inner nature.”
To highlight the theme, SWF will feature over 300 local and international presenters across various programs, such as the Literary Pioneer Series, which celebrates significant literary contributions of local writers; Youth Fringe, focusing on young voices in literature; SWF Playground, interactive activities for families and children; SEA xChange, which showcases Southeast Asian literary talents; SWF In Conjunction, events with partner organizations; and SWF Encounters, the festival’s interdisciplinary program.
Festival sites are The Arts House, Asian Civilizations Museum, and Victoria Theatre.
Visit www.singaporewritersfestival.com.
