SEOUL — The rapid advancement of technology, from artificial suns to ubiquitous robots, is compelling humanity to fundamentally question its existence and future. This complex relationship between technology and society is the central theme of Splendid Silicon World, a new science fiction anthology compiling works by eight prominent authors from Korea, China, and Japan.
Conceptualized as an "STS (Science, Technology and Society) SF" collection, the book was spearheaded by South Korean author Jang Kang-myoung, who previously explored the societal upheaval caused by AI in his non-fiction work, The Future That Arrived First. Jang, a prolific writer often introducing himself as a "book-writing professional," aimed to gather diverse perspectives on the challenges that new technological environments pose to our lives, societies, and sense of humanity. He poses the critical question: "Is this a welcome future?"
The anthology features international heavyweights, including Chinese sci-fi master Liu Cixin, best known for The Three-Body Problem, and Japanese award-winner Taiyo Fujii. Korean participants include Jang Kang-myoung himself, along with actively working authors like Danyo and Woo Da-young.
Liu Cixin's short story, "China's Sun," fictionalizes a massive project where the Chinese government uses a constructed artificial sun to regulate rainfall in arid regions. While the scale is immense, the story's focus remains on the human element: a window washer named Suiwa, whose role transitions from maintaining the artificial structure to becoming a vanguard for humanity in deep space.
Jang Kang-myoung’s contribution, "Animal + Friend × Robot," is set in a world where animal robots are commonplace. Through a powerful line—"True friendship only sprouts in a relationship where one cannot track the other's real-time location or arbitrarily peek into their memories"—the narrative probes the meaning of genuine connection in an era where technology can manipulate human behavior and emotion.
The collection, by examining possibilities ranging from artificial suns to miniaturized black holes (as in Fujii Taiyo's story), serves as a critical mirror reflecting the present moment. It encourages readers to engage with the profound philosophical and ethical dilemmas presented by a world where the boundaries between the human, the technological, and the natural are increasingly blurred.
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