A Conversation with Bora Chung
Adam Sudewo: Hi, Bora! How it was going? I have read your book “Cursed Bunny” and in your book, you address the horrors and cruelties of patriarchy and capitalism. How do you use the fantastical elements in your stories to create a powerful commentary on these societal issues?
Bora Chung: Most of the stories from “Cursed Bunny” comes from my own experience or from something I found in history books. So they are reflections of real life in Korea. And mostly I don’t like the events that were going on in the stories (I apologize to the readers…). So I imagine how to right the wrong, how to respond to these unpleasant or incomprehensible events. So my social commentary starts out very simple: “I don’t like these kinds of things. They are unfair and illogical. These things should not happen to people.”
Adam Sudewo: Your stories often feature female protagonists who challenge societal norms. Can you discuss the specific ways in which these characters navigate and subvert patriarchal structures within your narratives?
Bora Chung: I never thought my female characters were subversive. They are just normal, ordinary human beings who have their own thoughts and feelings. But they are put in strange situations and they try to understand what’s going on and how they’re supposed to get out of it. That’s why they seem subversive, I suppose. Because from a patriarchal point of view, women do not and should not have that ability to think, feel, and search for answers on their own. Because patriarchy is a system of delusions.
Adam Sudewo: As a writer who explores themes of loneliness and isolation, how do you approach depicting the emotional journeys of your characters and conveying these complex emotions to your readers?
Bora Chung: Different readers feel different emotions, and it is the reader’s right to interpret the text. So I don’t intend to convey a certain emotion to the readers. I just imagine what the character would do and describe it. Living one’s life in the world is a lonely thing in and of itself after all.
Adam Sudewo: Your writing has been described as both experimental and accessible. Can you elaborate on the techniques or narrative devices you employ to strike this balance and engage readers with your unique storytelling style?
Bora Chung: I like ancient historical texts. I read a lot of Korean myths and legends as a child and later studied medieval Slavic texts in graduate school. They all have very short and often incomprehensible lines. For example, in the year 57 A. D., some Korean king went out to hunt and caught a white fish with red wings. That’s the entire record and there is no explanation. These are amazing sources of imagination. And they are all the more interesting because they are short, words and grammar are very easy to understand, but strange and abrupt. I love that style.
Adam Sudewo: In your stories, you often incorporate elements of horror and the grotesque. How do you use these elements to evoke strong emotional responses from your readers and enhance the impact of your narratives?
Bora Chung: I describe the events and not the character’s emotions. Describing every single changes going on inside the character’s head will only bore the readers. In my experience, the readers imagine what they themselves might feel, and they guide themselves to strong feelings and rich imagination.
Adam Sudewo: Your work has been praised for its exploration of the child’s perspective. How do you capture the innocence, curiosity, and vulnerability of children in your writing, and what do you hope this perspective adds to your stories?
Bora Chung: A child’s perspective is useful when questioning the norms of the society. Any outsider’s perspective can be equally effective, but adult visitors can simply leave if they want to. Children, on the other hand, have to stay in their own communities and they are also expected to learn those norms and internalize them. And then they often break and/or change them and that’s how we advance as a society.
Adam Sudewo: As a writer who addresses social issues through magical realism, horror, and science fiction, how do you navigate the fine line between creating thought-provoking narratives and potentially alienating or confusing readers who may not be familiar with the genre?
Bora Chung: I study reality. I try hard to learn about real people who are my contemporaries and what’s happening in their real lives. History also helps, since there have been so many events that seem downright unbelievable. I try to follow these examples or simply guide the story away from reality to the opposite direction. But to go the opposite direction, I still have to keep in mind where reality stands. I am not interested in creating a new world of my own because reality is always more interesting, good or bad.
Adam Sudewo: Your stories often delve into the complexities of identity and cultural background. Can you discuss how your own experiences and heritage influence the development of your characters and the themes you explore in your work?
Bora Chung: I spent a lot of time outside of Korea, sometimes being the only Asian in the room. I learned that having a clear idea about one’s identity (“I am comfortable with who I am and this is what I want to do in life”) has nothing to do with being a bigot (“my heritage is superior to yours and all others!”). I try to depict characters who know what they want to do and struggle to be themselves in an environment that often does not allow it. I think most people can sympathize.
Adam Sudewo: Your writing has been described as subversive and challenging. How do you respond to readers who may find your work difficult to understand or interpret, and what do you hope they ultimately take away from engaging with your stories?
Bora Chung: I wrote horror, science fiction and other unrealistic stories that primarily belong to the category of popular literature. I just hope the reader enjoys my works, (if not, I apologize ☹ ) but feeling something is enough, even if they don’t clearly understand what’s going on. To give some kind of emotional experience is my goal. If I can scare my readers or otherwise strongly engage them, even better.
Adam Sudewo: In your collaboration with translator Anton Hur, how do you ensure that the cultural nuances and subtleties of your writing are effectively conveyed to English-speaking readers? Can you discuss the importance of maintaining the integrity of your voice in the translation process?
Bora Chung: I trust my translator. Anton is a native speaker of Korean so I don’t really have to worry about conserving the cultural nuances. And in the end, each translation is its own work in the target language. The reader will each have their own experience no matter what I try to do and that is the best result.
Adam Sudewo: Your cultural background is Korean, but you write in both Korean and English. How do you navigate the complexities of writing in multiple languages, and how does this influence your writing style?
Bora Chung: I don’t write stories in English. I tried and failed. I can write interview answers (haha) and I did write a few research papers but I can write creative work only in Korean. I think my Korean is a bit of a mess and in a way I try to incorporate different styles from different languages into the stories I write in Korean.
Adam Sudewo: The last, what advice do you have for aspiring writers who want to explore themes of magical realism or address societal issues through their work? And what kinda book they must read?
Bora Chung: Read Indonesian and Southeast Asian mythology! The Asian history and tradition are full of myths and legends and magical stories and they are a wonderful source of imagination. Even when modern writers are addressing their contemporary societal issues, using elements of Southeast Asian imagination will make their stories more fun and approachable for their readers.
*Bora Chung was born in 1976, in Seoul. Her parents were dentists. She completed graduate studies in Russian and East European area studies at Yale University, then went on to gain a PhD in Slavic literature from Indiana University. She taught the Russian language, literature and science fiction studies at Yonsei University. She is a social activist.
