[Korean Literature Club] 'Alien Gods' (by Lee Suhyeon; tran by Anton Hur)

Dear Members and Friends,

For the March meeting, we will read and discuss ‘Alien Gods’, authored by Lee Suhyeon and translated by Anton Hur.

The meeting will be led by Jeremy Seligson and held IN-PERSON only.

WHEN_ Thursday. March 12, 2026. 7:30PM (Seoul)

WHERE_B1, North Terrace Cafe (near Anguk Station or Jongno-3 ga Station (Subway Line 1, 3, or 5))

LEADER_Jeremy Seligson

READ_ ‘Alien Gods’, authored by Lee Suheon (translated by Anton Hur)

BOOK PURCHASE: Kyobo https://product.kyobobook.co.kr/detail/S000217944271

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Minsuh, an anthropology student researching shamanistic rituals and the mudangs who perform them, has dismissed the supernatural her whole life. To her, mudangs are performers skilled at pleasing researchers. But as she gets deeper into her research, she’s afflicted with a mysterious shinbyeong— a holy sickness unique to Korea—causing her to start losing her mind. In her desperation, she turns to a “real” mudang, but will she find salvation for her affliction or will she be driven further into her madness?

Alien Gods is part of the Lovecraft Reanimated project, where leading Korean speculative fiction writers reimagine the works of horror master H.P. Lovecraft. While honoring his eerie, grotesque imagery and the blurred boundaries between reality and fantasy, they update his ideas for a global audience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lee Suhyeon is a speculative fiction writer and translator. She holds a master’s degree in anthropology, with research focused on Korean shamanism—a theme that frequently appears in her fiction. After debuting in 2002 with the Korean Fantasy Award, she has spent the next two decades introducing English-language SF and fantasy to Korean readers, playing a significant role in the genre’s growth in Korea. Her original works include ALIEN GODS, part of the Lovecraft Reanimated series; the modern fantasy WHEN THERE WERE GUARDIAN DEITIES IN SEOUL; and the climate fiction A DESERT OCEAN. She has also contributed stories to several anthologies, exploring speculative worlds through a unique lens.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Anton Hur translated CURSED BUNNY, YOUR UTOPIA, and RED SWORD by Bora Chung, THE UNDERGROUND VILLAGE by Kang Kyeong-ae, and co-translated THE AGE OF DOUBT by Pak Kyongni. He is the author of TOWARD ETERNITY.

VENUE:

The ‘North Terrace Cafe (Basement)’ is located at 12 Yulgok-ro 10-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Go to Anguk Station on the Orange #3 Line. Go out Exit 4 and do an immediate U-turn on the sidewalk. Then take a right in front of the Japanese Cultural Center and walk towards Changdeok-gung, but on the opposite side of the main street (Yulgok-ro) from the palace.