Love, books, and blueberries: author Park Sang Young in Manila
“Do you really like frozen blueberries?”
That was one of the first questions I asked author Park Sang Young when I met him last week.
The protagonist in his book, “Love in the Big City,” loves frozen blueberries so much that his best friend and roommate Jaehee made sure they always had some in their freezer.
“They’re my favorite,” Park said with a smile.
Park flew from Seoul, where he is based, to Manila for a series of talks and book signings at the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Taguig, the Rizal Library at the Ateneo de Manila University and on the main stage at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) for National Book Store.
Park is used to readers thinking he is Young, the narrator and main character in his bestseller. In fact, it was something he wanted, he said. “The main character’s name is Young and my name is Sang Young and my hope is that the readers will actually think that the narrator is the writer.
“When I first wrote this novel, I was really interested in the relationship between the writer and the narrator. I always thought that when the narrator is seen as the writer, that’s when readers can actually get more into the story. Lots of readers ask me, ‘Is the narrator actually you?’”
Park, who has previously worked as a magazine editor, copywriter, and consultant, had a full-time job when he was writing “Love in the Big City.” “I was an office worker. I had to go to a company every day. So I wake up at 5 a.m. and I write the book until 8:15 and then I go to work.”
Love and loneliness
“Love in the Big City” is the story of a gay man navigating love, loneliness, friendship, family and growth. Park likens working on the structure of the book—which is divided into four chapters or stories—into making a castella cake.
“There were some characteristics I wanted to show in each chapter. For example, in chapter one, with Jaehee, I wanted to demonstrate friendship as a loving relationship … In chapter two, through Young and his mother, I wanted to show how love is also painful at the same time. In chapter three, I wanted to show how romantic love is from A to Z, and in chapter four, I wanted to show the emotions that are left when a loving relationship is ended. It’s actually like eating a castella, because of the stages from the beginning to the end.”
He added, “Through the characters in the story, who all have various loving styles and love stories, I hope that the readers would realize what is true love.”
The book also explores queer culture and tackles subjects such as abortion and HIV—topics many still consider taboo in Korea, just like in the Philippines. “When I first wrote this novel, I was a new writer, so I never expected lots of people would love and show interest in my novel so I was really brave.”
But lots of people did show interest and it quickly became a bestseller. It sold so well that in Korea it has gone through 33 printings. After the book’s release, Park was inundated with lots of comments and reviews—both good and bad.
“I realized that queer culture in Korea is actually a very careful thing and, at the same time, there’s lots of prohibited things. So through my novel and as a writer, I was able to learn about the actual queer culture status in South Korea.”
But things are changing, he said. “When I first released my book in 2019, queer culture was not normalized … However, in a short time, it’s quickly, rapidly increasing and people are being aware of it. It’s not easy at the same time, but I would like to say that it’s developing right now.”
How did the book’s success impact him as a writer? Did the attention change the way he writes?
“As a writer, for some time, this much love and interest actually felt like a pressure to me. I really had to spend lots of time reading the feedback and thinking about it. My hope is to spread the queer culture status in South Korea as a universal thing. It’s a mission, but at the same time, it was also a burdensome pressure.”
He added, “But when I sit at my desk and try to write, I always try to first find my heart and my intention while writing. My hope is to write a fun novel and have lots of readers empathize with it.”
It’s important to Park that his readers find his book easy to read. “As a reader, I really hate books that are really difficult to read. When I write a novel, I really hope that readers would find it easy to understand.”
Translations
“Love in the Big City” has resonated with many readers—and not just in Korea. His book has become a global success. It has been translated into many languages, the latest one being Danish.
Readers’ reactions are the same, whether in Korea or Europe, Park said. They thank him for telling their story, that they see themselves in the characters. They say his book is like a friend who lives next door. They tell Park that it feels like they know him.
“I think fiction, or a novel, is like a friend,” Park said, recalling a book he read in high school. “I could relate to the story and really felt that the story was comforting my heart. That made me realize the power of novels. I’m so glad that my book actually could be the same comforter or friend to the readers.”
When asked if he finds it difficult to give up control and leave his work in the hands of translators, Park said, “The first translations were Japanese and English, and at that time, I was very close to the translators since they also gave reviews about my book, so I didn’t really have any concern. At the same time, I also think the translation is an independent book. It’s like an independent material. So I never felt any nervousness or anxiety [about it] … I let them freely translate my book.”
That trust has paid off—“Love in the Big City” was longlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize.
Park is no stranger to awards. In 2016, he won the Munhakdongne New Author Award for his short story “Looking for Paris Hilton.” He also won the Munhakdongne Young Writer Award, the Heo Gyun Literary Award and the Shin Dong-Yeop Literary Award.
His first book is the bestselling short story collection, “The Tears of an Unknown Artist, or Zaytun Pasta.” Since “Love in the Big City” came out in Korea in 2019, he’s written other books in Korean: “Tonight I Will Go To Bed Hungry,” “I Want To Be a One-Dimensional Being,”
“On Faith” and “100% Pure Relaxation.”
Will there be English translations of these books as well?
“It is not decided yet. However, my upcoming two books, there are offers from the England book market so I’m looking forward to that. Those are also going to [show] love through various perspectives, with lots of universal and world aspects. So whoever loves ‘Love in the Big City,’ I expect that you’re also going to love my upcoming books.”
“I’m also eager to start a new theme. For season two in my life, I’m thinking about the chaebol life… and it’s going to be related to a mystery,” he said at the session at KCC, making the audience go “oooh” in unison.
Adaptations
But before that, fans of his work have two more things to look forward to: the movie and the drama based on “Love in the Big City.”
We’ve seen books turned into TV shows, we’ve seen books turned into movies… but having a book adapted into both at the same time is really unusual—and a testament to Park’s success.
“When I first published my book, I never thought that it would be loved like this… But there were lots of proposals regarding movie and dramas from lots of film companies.”
The hardest part was casting the gay characters, with actors fearing backlash and potential loss of endorsements. “Thankfully, very smart and brave actors were cast in the project. I’ve already seen the drama and movie and my review is they are so fresh.”
The movie, which just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and comes out Oct. 1 in Korea, stars Kim Go Eun (“Goblin,” “Yumi’s Cells,” “Little Women”) and Noh Sang-Hyun (“My Military Valentine,” “Soundtrack #2,” “Pachinko”).
“The movie actually tackles Chapter One, the story of Jaehee,” said Park.
“Regarding the drama, I’m actually the writer of the script,” said Park. There will be eight episodes. The cast includes Nam Yoon Su (“Extracurricular,” “Today’s Webtoon,” “The King’s Affection”) and Jin Ho Eun (“All Of Us Are Dead,” “Revenge Of The Other”). It will come out Oct. 21 on TVING.
During the session at MIBF, an audience member spoke to Park. “As a queer person growing up here in the Philippines with not as much representation in our literature, [your book] was really inspiring to me… Something that really touched me as I read it were the women characters… Here in the Philippines, I believe that I wouldn’t have survived my childhood without the women in my life who’ve been there to support me.”
It was Park’s first time in the Philippines and he spent most of the few days he had here meeting his readers. He said, “I’ve only encountered the Philippines through lots of media. The one thing I was really familiar about is that Filipinos are very good singers. And then I came to the Philippines and realized that they’re [also] serious readers. I’m so glad about that.”
