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<DIV><FONT size=4>Dear friends and colleagues,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>A literary question, for the weekend:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG><EM>How often do Korean characters, or Korea
itself,</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><STRONG><EM>feature in works not by Koreans or Korea
specialists?</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Not a lot, I think. Three recent cases spring to
mind</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- there may be many others, which I've overlooked
-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>one of which has only just come to my attention:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>1. Margaret Drabble's ambitious <EM>The Red Queen</EM>,
on which I have</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>posted previously: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://koreaweb.ws/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws/2005-July/004938.html"><FONT size=3>http://koreaweb.ws/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreaweb.ws/2005-July/004938.html</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>2. Eunice Park, in Gary Shteyngart's <EM>Super Sad Love
Story.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=4></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>3. And now, someone is venturing into Inspector O
territory.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Adam Johnson's next novel, <EM>The Orphan Master's Son,
</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>is set in </FONT><FONT size=4>North Korea. An extract is
available here</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>
<DIV><FONT size=4>(part of which I fear qualifies as an entry for
the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><EM>Literary Review</EM>'s annual </FONT><FONT size=4>Bad Sex
award):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV></FONT><A href="http://electricliterature.com/blog/2010/09/03/excerpt-%E2%80%9Cfor-the-love-of-juche%E2%80%9D-by-adam-johnson/"><FONT size=3>http://electricliterature.com/blog/2010/09/03/excerpt-%E2%80%9Cfor-the-love-of-juche%E2%80%9D-by-adam-johnson</FONT>/</A></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Subscribers to <EM>Granta</EM> can read a rather better
passage</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>in that magazine's latest issue (not available
online):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.granta.com/Magazine/Granta-116-Ten-Years-Later"><FONT size=3>http://www.granta.com/Magazine/Granta-116-Ten-Years-Later</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=4></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>No doubt we should wait for the complete work,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>due out in January 2012. It already has a page at
Amazon:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A href="http://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Masters-Son-Novel/dp/0307939693">http://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Masters-Son-Novel/dp/0307939693</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>The author, who I gather teaches creative writing at
Stanford</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- does he mingle with the Koreanists and Korea programs there?
-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- discusses his purposes here:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://electricliterature.com/blog/2010/09/10/interview-adam-johnson/"><FONT size=3>http://electricliterature.com/blog/2010/09/10/interview-adam-johnson/</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Are there more such instances? I'm sure there must
be.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Kind regards</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Aidan FC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3>Aidan
Foster-Carter<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB>Honorary Senior Research
Fellow in Sociology & Modern Korea, Leeds University, UK</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 8pt" lang=EN-GB> </SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 8pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB>E</SPAN></EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic" lang=EN-GB>: <A title=mailto:afostercarter@aol.com href="mailto:afostercarter@aol.com">afostercarter@aol.com</A><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A title=mailto:afostercarter@yahoo.com href="mailto:afostercarter@yahoo.com">afostercarter@yahoo.com</A><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria">W</SPAN></EM>: <A title=http://www.aidanfc.net/ href="http://www.aidanfc.net/">www.aidanfc.net</A><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria" lang=EN-GB>W in Korea:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN></I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><A href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090202080126/http:/aidanfc.net/index.html"><FONT face="Times New Roman">http://web.archive.org/web/20090202080126/http://aidanfc.net/index.html</FONT></A></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Cambria; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 8pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Georgia; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-GB>Recent
articles, broadcasts and other activities on Korea
(mostly):<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB>15
October, 2011<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></I><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB>Soft-soaping Samsung<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold" lang=EN-GB>The lead
letter in the Economist, criticising their kid-glove coverage of the big beast
recently<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB><A href="http://www.economist.com/node/21532241">http://www.economist.com/node/21532241</A></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB>12
October, 2011<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN></I><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB>Oh no. Oh dear. An honest man bows out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold" lang=EN-GB>Farewell to Seoul’s former mayor,
Oh Se-hoon.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB><A href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/MJ12Dg01.html">http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/MJ12Dg01.html</A></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB>3 October
2011</SPAN></I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B>North Korea: The South changes
course. </B><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My latest monthly update on the DPRK for
<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">NewNations</I>: </SPAN></FONT></FONT><A href="http://newnations.com/headlines/nk.php#new1"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">http://newnations.com/headlines/nk.php#new1</FONT></A></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Candara; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-GB>27
September 2011<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN></SPAN></I><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB>To
catch a roach.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN style="COLOR: black" lang=EN-GB>It’s surprising who you meet in luxury Swiss hotels – and great to be
back in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">International Herald
Tribune</I>, on a subject other than Korea just for once.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB><A href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/opinion/27iht-edcarter27.html"><FONT color=#800080>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/opinion/27iht-edcarter27.html</FONT></A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P></DIV>
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