SEOUL, South Korea – Renowned South Korean novelist Cheon Seon-ran's critically acclaimed novel, 'The Rescuer Who Comes at Night,' will be published in the United Kingdom next month. This marks a significant milestone for the author and for Korean literature, as the work is set to reach a broader international audience through Bloomsbury Publishing, the prestigious house behind the globally beloved 'Harry Potter' series.
The upcoming UK release of 'The Rescuer Who Comes at Night,' titled 'The Midnight Shift' for its English translation, is facilitated by content production company Safehouse, which confirmed the impending publication by Bloomsbury. The novel has already secured impressive international rights deals, with contracts signed with prominent publishers such as Mondadori in Italy and Galera in Brazil, underscoring its widespread appeal.
Originally published in South Korea in 2021, 'The Rescuer Who Comes at Night' delves into the intriguing world of human women and vampires. The narrative follows the intertwining lives of several isolated characters whose loneliness draws the attention of vampires. Among them are Suyeon, a detective who has grown numb to solitude; Wanda, an adoptee grappling with her identity as an outsider in a foreign land; and Nanjoo, a nurse struggling to support her family. Their individual battles with isolation and the scent of their lonely blood attract the nocturnal creatures, setting in motion a unique and captivating story. The English translation of the novel is praised for its exploration of societal isolation, loneliness, grief, and marginalization, presented as a "biting, fast-paced vampire murder mystery exploring queer love." The story begins with a series of mysterious deaths at a hospital, initially dismissed as suicides, but which Detective Su-Yeon suspects are far more sinister, especially after discovering victims are drained of blood. Her investigation leads her to Violette, a vampire hunter seeking her former lover, Lily, who insists a vampire is responsible.
Cheon Seon-ran is a highly regarded figure in contemporary Korean literature, best known for her novel 'A Thousand Blues,' which received the Grand Prize in the 4th Korean Science Fiction Literature Awards for long-form novels. 'A Thousand Blues' has also garnered international attention, with a global content studio securing adaptation rights for a film production, further solidifying Cheon's growing influence in the global entertainment landscape. 'A Thousand Blues' itself has been described as a heartwarming science fiction novel set in 2035, centering on a humanoid jockey named Collie and a racehorse named Today, exploring themes of grief, healing, and the importance of slowing down in a fast-paced world. It has also been adapted into both a play and a musical in Korea.
Safehouse is actively involved in promoting Korean literary works to the international market. In addition to 'The Rescuer Who Comes at Night,' the company has facilitated several other significant international publishing deals. These include Jo Ye-eun's 'Teddy Bear Doesn't Die,' slated for UK release in May next year; Park Seo-ryun's science fiction novel 'Project V,' which has secured a publishing contract with a US publisher; and Kim Bo-hyeon's 'Bloody Mother,' also under contract with a UK publisher. These developments highlight the increasing global recognition and demand for diverse voices and narratives emerging from South Korea's vibrant literary scene.
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