Please introduce yourself briefly!
Hello, I am Junghwa Lee, editor-in-chief of Minumsa Publishing House's foreign literature team. I edit foreign books and the complete world literature collection for Minumsa.
Why is Kafka’s novel “The Metamorphosis” so popular in Korea?
I believe Kafka's “The Metamorphosis” is popular in Korea because it resonates with the uncomfortable feelings of modern people. In the story, Gregor Samsa transforms into a useless insect, reflecting the pressure to always appear competent and useful. This pressure is particularly strong in Korean society where recognition and usefulness are highly valued. The book resonates with young people as it expresses these feelings, possibly indicating that the younger generation has internalized these pressures. I am a little bit bitter that the young generation in Korea has already internalized these feelings and can identify with the book so strongly.
Kafka’s novels are often about his struggle with his father and the fears associated with it. What was Kafka’s life really like?
Kafka was an outsider from birth. Although he was born in the Czech Republic, his mother tongue was German, not Czech. He was a Jew without Jewish faith. He spoke German but felt he never belonged anywhere. Kafka grew up in an oppressive atmosphere, with a father who ruled with an iron hand, and a relatively unprotective mother. This ambivalent upbringing had a significant influence on his personality traits.
Regarding his professional career, Kafka was passionate about writing and painting and aspired to make it his profession. However, he was pressured by his father to study law and worked part-time at an insurance company, only being able to express his creativity at night. Kafka was deeply in love with Felice Bauer and became engaged to her twice, but ultimately called it off. Unfortunately, the reason for this was his devotion to literature above all else. Later, he was diagnosed with lung tuberculosis and spent time in a nursing home, where he expressed his relief at having more time to write being freed from work.
The influence of Kafka's father on him was profound. In Kafka's novels, his father is symbolized by laws, regulations, and coercive power, indicating the significant impact of their relationship. In a letter to his father, Kafka expressed his anger and regret for his father's conditional acceptance and neglect, but his mother did not deliver the letter. Kafka's unresolved feelings towards his father seem to have had a significant impact on his life and work, with the father figure representing a crucial influence and perspective in Kafka's worldview.
There is an adjective called “Kafkaesque”. How do you, as Editor-in-Chief, understand this word?
The term “Kafkaesque” was coined by Youngae Chon, a translator who was working on “A Sudden Walk”. I find it so impressive that I often use it myself. This adjective is used to describe a world characterized by “no place to live”, “existential loss”, “bureaucracy”, and “absurdity”. When I think of Kafka, I associate the term “No Exit” and the concept of the "door”, which symbolizes being closed to oneself and open to others but unable to open to them. This concept feels very Kafkaesque to me.
Which Kafka novel do you recommend?
I love all of Kafka's works, but if I were to recommend one, it would be “In the Penal Colony”. It was first published in 1919 by Kurt Wolff, and it is said that Kafka first presented it to the world in a reading. He read it twice to his friends and acquaintances. I find it fascinating to imagine the atmosphere and how Kafka must have felt during these readings.
Written during the First World War, it tells the story of an officer who becomes infatuated with an execution machine. His obsession with the machine and rigid rules leads to inhumane situations, where prisoners are executed without being told why they were sentenced. I think this work is significant because it portrays how blind adherence to certain laws and regulations can make us lose touch with our humanity. It's a reflection of what happens when we unquestioningly follow these laws. With wars happening around the world, I believe this work sheds light on how we should confront the madness that comes with war, or how we should be mindful of it. Therefore, I feel that this work has taken on a deeper meaning for me in recent times.
You have frequently used Kafka's illustrations on book covers. Please share more information about Kafka's drawings.
I stumbled upon Kafka's drawings on the website of the National Library of Israel. The first thing I noticed was that they were “Kafkaesque”. They were concise and expressed certain impressive elements in bold words, which was very impactful. It is known that Kafka had a passion for drawing as much as for writing. During his studies at the University of Prague, he used to write and draw in a black notebook. I searched the archives of the National Library of Israel and found a drawing with a text entitled “The Journey, I Do Not Know” in Kafka's black notebook. The text seems to have been written in the 1920s and reads: “She sleeps. I do not wake her”. In my opinion, Kafka faced the decision of whether to write or paint, and I have wondered what kind of painting could be non-awakening. I think if Kafka had worked during the day and painted at night rather than writing, we might see more of his work in museums instead of libraries.
As the editor-in-chief, which Kafka quote do you prefer? Also, could you say a few words to readers who haven't yet explored Kafka's works?
In one of Kafka's letters, there is a sentence that says, “My whole being is focused on literature. Without literature, I can no longer live.” This sentence carries a lot of meaning and seems to capture Kafka's deep connection to literature. It raises the question of what kind of work a writer who feels this way would produce. Understanding Kafka's life gives insight into how deeply intertwined he was with literature, and how his works inevitably arose from this deep connection.
Recently, I have been asked, “Why should I read Kafka now?” It's a difficult question, but it has been a major concern for me throughout the editing process. If I lived without fear, without feeling like an outsider, and without encountering contradictions in the world, then perhaps I wouldn't feel the need to read Kafka. However, when I face these uncertainties in my own life, reading Kafka provides a strange form of solace. I find comfort in realizing that I'm not the only one who feels this way or perceives the world as contradictory. Kafka's works seem to evoke compassion, providing a sense of connection and understanding when I feel lost or out of place.
And then there is this feeling of being hit, if I may put it a little harshly when you just live your life and just go on and on, and suddenly you have the feeling of not being quite right... and you feel a bit nervous. Then you read a sentence by Kafka, and you have this feeling of being hit and you think, “Oh, maybe it's this loneliness that I felt back then, this fear that I feel, and maybe it's what I need in my life.” I thought about that yesterday before the interview, and I thought, “I read Kafka when I need an axe to grind in my life.”
(referring to the famous Kafka quote)
