The Munhak Tongne Phenomenon: The Publication of Literary Fiction in South Korea Today

In this essay I outline some of the profound ways in which the literary culture of South Korea has changed since the mid-1990s, particularly with respect to the publication of literary fiction. I discuss four prominent publishers of literary fiction in South Korea. I argue that among these four publishers, Munhak Tongne has spearheaded a movement toward a more reader-friendly posture among publishers of literary fiction. I suggest in conclusion that Munhak Tongne has established a paradigm for the publication of literary fiction in South Korea in the new millennium