Kim Young-ha

Young-ha Kim is a South Korean novelist and short story writer. He is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Korean literature, known for exploring themes of urban alienation, identity, and modern capitalism. His debut novel, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself (1996), established his reputation and has been translated into more than ten languages including English, French, German, and Chinese. His historical novel Black Flower (2003) won the Dong-in Literary Award in 2004, and Your Republic Is Calling You (2006) won the Manhae Literary Award in 2007. Several of his works have been adapted into films and a musical. He was a visiting scholar at Columbia University from 2010 to 2011.