Paek Nam-nyong (or Paek Nam-ryong or Baek Nam-Ryong, ) is a North Korean writer. He was born on 19 October 1949 in
Hamhŭng. During the Korean War, his father was killed. At the age of 11, his mother died. After high school, he went to Kanggye, operated a lathe in a rural steel factory for a decade. Paek started to write stories in his free time, and got his works published. From 1971 to 1976, he majored in Korean Literature at
Kim Il Sung University
Kim Il-sung University, founded on 1 October 1946, is the first university built in North Korea. It is located on a campus in Pyongyang, the nation's capital. Along with the main academic buildings, the campus contains 10 separate offices, 50 l ...
part time. After graduation, he became a professional writer in Chagang Province Writers Union. Invited by the Central Committee of the Writers Union, he moved to Pyongyang, joined the elite group of writers called April 15th Literary Production Unit.
Works
His novel ''
Friend
Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
In some cultures, the concept of ...
'' ( ko, 벗), originally published in Pyongyang in 1988, was translated into English and published by
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...
in May 2020. The novel tells the story of a young couple on the brink of divorce, which based on his observations of proceedings at the divorce court in Kanggye. The English version of ''Friend'' was listed as one of Best World Literature of 2020 by the ''
Library Journal
''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...
'', because “this work is especially valuable for affording a rare glimpse into everyday life under the totalitarian regime”. The French version of the novel was published by
Actes Sud
Actes Sud is a French publishing house based in Arles. It was founded in 1978 by author Hubert Nyssen. By 2013, the company, then headed by Nyssen's daughter, Françoise Nyssen, had an annual turnover of 60 million euros and 60 staff members.
...
in 2011. His other works include ''Servicemen'', ''After 60 Years'' and ''Life''.
[
]
Personal life
He met his first love in the steel factory in Kanggye, however, her father, an entrepreneur, broke them up. His wife was also a colleague in the factory, who died in 2003. They have 3 children, two daughters and one son. He loves playing chess. He uses pen and paper to write stories, only using computer to do some researches, because he would get headache if he works on computers too long. [
The French publisher who met Paek several times described him as "ebullient, kind" and "an enthusiastic champion of North Korean literature".]
References
External links
*A summary of ''Friend''
Part 1Part 2Part 3
Threat to the Family Revolution in North Korea: Reading the Individual in Paek Nam-ryong’s Friend
Acta Koreana, 14.2 (2011): 1-21.
Review of Friend
by Amanda Wright (Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University () is a private women's university in Seoul founded in 1886 by Mary F. Scranton under Emperor Gojong. It was the first university founded in South Korea. Currently, Ewha is one of the world's largest female educational ins ...
), ''S/N Korean Humanities'', Volume 6, Issue 2.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paek, Nam-nyong
1949 births
Living people
North Korean writers