"For the marginalized." Actor Park Jung-min, known for his acting skills, transformed into the representative of the publishing company Mujé. This challenge, which declared a continuous observation and examination of everything marginalized, has led to the 'listening novel.'
On the 17th afternoon, at the International Conference Hall of the National Library of Korea located in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, the 'How I Read Books - My Library Concert' took place. This event was organized by the National Library for the Disabled. This event featured a discussion about the audiobook 'First Summer, Wanju,' published by the company Mujé, represented by actor Park Jung-min, along with writer Kim Geum-hee and Baek In-ha, the director of the Actor Research Institute.
'First Summer, Wanju' depicts the story of the protagonist Son Yeol-mae, who wanders to find her best friend Ko Su-mi, who disappeared with her money, and travels to Su-mi's hometown Wanju, where she meets various people, including Su-mi's mother, the village chief, the middle school student next door, a farm actor, and a redevelopment villain, and undergoes change and growth. As an audiobook, it has been donated to the National Library for the Disabled, various foundations, and welfare centers, allowing people with disabilities to engage as readers and listeners.
Author Kim Geum-hee debuted in 2009 through the Korean Daily New Year's Literary Contest, and has published numerous works, including 'The Heart of Kyung-ae,' 'To Bok-ja,' 'Greenhouse Repair Report,' 'Only One Person's Possession,' and 'The Love of the Daytime.' Additionally, she has swept major Korean literary awards such as the Young Writer's Grand Award, Shin Dong-yup Literary Award, Modern Literature Award, and Kim Seung-ok Literary Award by sensitively capturing the sensitivities of contemporary times.
The publishing company Mujé was established in 2019 by actor Park Jung-min with the intention of telling stories about the marginalized. Following the previous works 'Saving Lives' and 'Sister's Diary,' this 'listening novel' project suggests a new reading experience that conveys the touch of literature not only through text but also through voice.
This background contains Park Jung-min's experiences. Previously, he revealed in emails sent to several journalists that the background of the 'listening novel' project stemmed from the time when the first book 'Saving Lives' was about to be published, and his father lost his eyesight. He noted, 'I was a bit saddened by the thought that I couldn't show my first book to my father, and while pondering how I could gift a book to him, I came up with the idea of the 'listening novel.' I thought that those like my father, who have poor eyesight, are among those farthest from reading, and I considered how I could gift them books, eventually thinking that creating an audiobook would be a good solution.'
Reflecting Park Jung-min's earnestness, his close colleagues participated in voicing the audiobook 'First Summer, Wanju.' From actors Ko Min-si, Park Joon Myun, and Yum Jung-ah, who starred together in the film 'Shipment,' to Kim Joon-han and Lim Sung-jae who appeared in the Coupang Play series 'Newtopia,' and comedians Choi Yang-rak and Kim Eui-sung, along with Bae Sung-woo and Ryu Hyun-kyung, all contributed their voices.
Some scenes from the audiobook 'First Summer, Wanju' revealed during the book talk included moments reminiscent of a radio drama, featuring Ko Min-si voicing the protagonist Yeol-mae and Choi Yang-rak, her grandfather, along with a conversation between Ko Min-si and Kim Do-hoon evoking summer day fantasies, and Park Jung-min's voice reminiscent of the late singer Shin Hae-cheol's DJ days. In the meantime, Park Jung-min focused on the audiobook with his eyes closed, alongside writer Kim Geum-hee.
Kim Geum-hee, speaking about the glamorous casting that resembled a radio drama, stated, 'I realized that there were so many people inside me. I generally told the story with my voice, but as new characters continuously approached through the audiobook, the people within me came to life anew.'
Additionally, she mentioned, 'I forgot that it was my work and boasted about the masterpiece on social media. It was a new experience to see new characters coming to life through the voices of the actors. I used a Chungcheong dialect, and since Choi Yang-rak-sensei is the original of the Chungcheong dialect, I corrected it later after listening to the audiobook. I even included the trademark phrase 'Eollariyo?' in the paper book.'
Not just one actor voicing the audiobook, but an impressive casting. Park Jung-min expressed gratitude, saying, 'It was around last summer. When I received the manuscript from the writer, I pondered who I should ask for casting. It was a request. I couldn't offer money. But, as if by magic, all the actors I imagined came with good hearts to help.'
He remarked, 'So I felt great, but the key was to ask Choi Yang-rak. I wondered who could embody this role, and I wanted to ask him, but I had no way of contacting him, so I sought out his contact information. I sent him a long text asking if he could help with preparing this. He called me right back saying, 'Who is it?' The text was so long that he probably didn’t see ‘I am actor Park Jung-min.’ This made people laugh.
Then Park Jung-min said, 'With such amazing actors, how could I do anything?' When I suggested that it would be nice if my senior could help, he replied, 'It's a good thing, so I should do it.' He then asked me to send just one photo. So I took a selfie and sent it. He said, 'Oh, I really enjoyed it. I watched 'Dongju' well; I couldn't match the name with the face.' He was the first to record. Each of them recorded separately. With such wonderfully talented actors, I think they could do it naturally without any awkwardness.'
Kim Geum-hee remarked about this audiobook, 'I actually didn't ask on purpose. When I heard the results, I reacted with, 'Great job, Director, hurrah!' considering how much effort he put in. I also wanted to tear the wrapping paper at an official event. I remember that Choi Yang-rak-sensei mentioned he was nervous while recording.' In response, Park Jung-min added, 'We were both nervous. I was nervous, and my senior was worried, 'What if I can’t do well while the actors are recording?' But the laughter sounds, like interjections, were taken from the sounds we made while talking together. They were truly representative of the Chungcheong dialect.'
Regarding Ko Min-si, who played the protagonist Yeol-mae, he expressed, 'She struggled a lot. She came to record 3 to 4 times. So I couldn't contact her; I felt like I only troubled her. I want to repay her with the results once the book is out, so I am preparing diligently.'
Kim Geum-hee echoed, 'They did so well. I listened to it about twice, and later I could feel Yeol-mae gradually becoming more resilient, reflecting her personal growth. I felt an immense gratitude.'
Park Jung-min noted, 'While listening, I felt that Ko Min-si could now handle a work where she is the sole protagonist. I couldn't provide any direction. If I gave direction, it would actually be worse. Later, I heard that Min-si did really well on her first attempt. An actor is indeed an actor. I truly felt that her interpretation was excellent.'
The work has been created considering the 'listening novel' from the beginning of the creation stage, just as the impressive casting suggests. Kim Geum-hee shared, 'I kept in mind that it is a novel to be listened to rather than read. I thought, 'Can this be done with sound, Park Jung-min?' which led to laughter.
Park Jung-min smiled and pointed out, 'There were many things we couldn't manage.' This being our first time, we tried to deliver the words the writer wrote as faithfully as possible through sound. There are indeed peculiar sounds and unexpected sounds we didn’t have. When trying to express the sound of wind more sharply, it turned out to be different from imagining it like the sound of swinging a badminton racket. This is where the engineer put in a lot of effort. I just had to select and organize what I received.'
In addition to acting and sound effects, musical details were also taken into account. Musicians Cloud and Yoon Machi worked on background music and the original soundtrack. At the concert that day, Cloud and Yoon Machi attended in person to live debut the soundtrack of the work, which did not yet have a title. Additionally, Park Jung-min received applause for delivering 'LOVE IS MAGIC,' a song through which he got to know Yoon Machi. Park Jung-min remarked, 'The two musicians, Cloud and Yoon Machi, expressed the music so well. The sounds we couldn't create, we had to rely on the music. When I went into the studio, I realized that what genius is truly about.'
Park Jung-min also participated in the recording for a certain scene—specifically, he reenacted the scene from 'Ghost Nation,' where Shin Hae-cheol worked as a DJ in his lifetime. Park Jung-min shared, 'While recording, I sometimes thought, 'I can’t really ask for this part.' I truly didn’t want to be greedy. There must have been friends who would handle it well.' Kim Geum-hee added, 'The first tape I ever bought in elementary school was one by Shin Hae-cheol. I really liked it. As things from my childhood came up, naturally, I thought of my idol. Listening to it as an audiobook makes it sound like my idol's voice.'
Park Jung-min revealed, 'While listening to Ghost Nation at home, I tried to imitate his speech. The content is very heartfelt, but the tone is rather blunt. The way he ends his sentences might sound a bit curt to someone. I thought about trying to imitate it, but I felt that doing so might break the fantasy, so I tried my best not to imitate it.'
Park Jung-min stated, 'It’s quite unusual for a representative of a publishing company to appear at such a book talk, so I feel very shy.' He added, 'I hope to play a supporting role and listen to the writer while being here. Thank you for your support.'
As a film actor, Park Jung-min's identity is also reflected in the work. Kim Geum-hee explained, 'I began with a sense of gratitude and remorse, viewing the state of a film actor bravely trying to step into the world of books as floating just before drifting away. Also, when thinking that I would perform as an actor in an audiobook, I hoped they could carry away a kind of small self-redemption. The fact that the voice actor gave a job to Son Yeol-mae was also about elevating the status of voice actors in some ways with film actors and writers. It is about creating characters without revealing one's appearance, living within creation, and considering how those who listened to the audiobook would perceive it. I initially thought it was purposeful writing when a stone is thrown into a pond and ripples spread out; however, it seems that writing has transformed away from its purpose as the network of supportive relationships has broadened. This was a truly rewarding project for me.'
Park Jung-min confessed, 'I actually started planning to create an audiobook around August last year. I kept wondering, 'Can I finish this?' I returned in early December but had to be away for about 100 days for overseas filming. I thought some parts needed to be done quickly, while others could wait until later, so I hesitated and didn’t manage to accomplish much before leaving. I mostly left everything recorded. I made various requests to the engineer and listened to what was recorded, sent music, and made final edits up until the night before delivering it to the disabled library. I came to deeply respect all the directors in the world. Just before showing it to everyone, I felt so difficult letting go. Even until that point, I felt some doubts like, 'Did I actually finish this?' It seems I worked with that mindset for about eight months.'
He also shared, 'These days, I find myself frequently searching for places reminiscent of Wanju Village, which is a fictional space. Every weekend, I wander around looking for such places. As I roam about, I feel that this feels like Wanju Village and that feels even more like Wanju Village, and I am experiencing busy yet pleasant days. I aimed to capture a sunrise by looking for similar mountains and set out at 4:30 a.m. Suddenly, hail fell on the dark mountain, and I almost got stranded. It was 'First Summer, Wanju,' yet the mountain turned out to be 'First Winter.' I wasn’t able to claim anything and came back down. That was last weekend.'
This reflects how much Park Jung-min is immersed in the 'listening novel' project. This is particularly significant, as last year, author Han Kang stirred a reading frenzy by becoming the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, while visually impaired individuals remain marginalized in reading culture. Although their audiobook usage rate reaches 80%, creating them is filled with limitations. Thus, the compatibility between the National Library for the Disabled’s desire for alternative reading materials and Park Jung-min’s intent to champion the 'listening novel' led to the realization of this book talk.
In actuality, the 'listening novel' project follows a reverse order of the conventional publishing industry practice where paper books are published first, followed by audiobooks. The first unveiling of 'First Summer, Wanju' was done for visually impaired individuals, who are seen as the first readers and listeners. The formal release of the audiobook will occur on the 28th, followed by the paperback edition for general readers in May.
Regarding this endeavor, Park Jung-min shared, 'I honestly don’t know what this 'listening novel' project means for the visually impaired readers and disabled readers present here. In my personal judgment, I thought it might be an opportunity to gift them. With 'First Summer, Wanju' out, there are those listening to it, and so I wanted to ask here. I want to continue this. The library is also putting efforts into improving the reading culture for disabled people. Our series was produced with that intent. I want to keep it going, although there needs to be progress. I plan to keep studying it.'
He also listened to the readers’ voices regarding convenience improvements like rewind and segment repeat playback, stating, 'I’ll try to do better. Since it’s the first time, there were many trial and error. Our role is to best express the writer’s excellent writing, and additionally, it is our duty to convey this format tailored for the visually impaired. It seems we have many things to ponder. Overall, it appears that we've developed some expertise as we resolved issues in various ways this time. If permitted, there may be other projects besides the 'listening novel.' I will strive to provide as many gifts as possible.'
Park Jung-min added, 'I am not sure of the answer either. When I was planning this book, my first thought was that visually impaired individuals probably would not be able to receive a book first before anyone. So I wanted to gift a book to them as a priority, being the first to receive it.'
Reacting to the unexpected applause, Park Jung-min waved his hand, saying, 'I wasn’t trying to seek compliments.' He stated shyly, 'I was planning to print the paper book later. I heard there might be reading discussion clubs among you. I thought it would be good to let you enjoy it first before the reporters do. If this method pleases you, I would like to stick with it. I will continue to make efforts. As Park Jung-min encourages me, Kim Geum-hee added, 'This form is becoming an issue among writers. This is a great plan that experiences how books can be published in such a way.'
Could Park Jung-min have a book he wants to introduce to his father? After finishing filming director Ryu Seung-wan's movie 'Humint,' while focusing on his role as the representative of Mujé, Park Jung-min mentioned, 'I haven't read a single book in the last two months. I leave for work at 7 a.m. and come back at midnight. That's why I can't read. I feel embarrassed as the representative of the publishing company.' He added, 'There is a play I really love called 'R.U.R.' This is the play in which the term 'robot' first appeared, created by Karel Čapek. It is presented in a script format. With AI developing so much, there are many pitfalls arising. This work is nearly 100 years old, yet it encapsulates stories that are being discussed today. I think my father might not like it if I read it to him, but I would still like to do so,' he said with a laugh.
Moreover, he stated, 'Actually, the audiobook had to be recorded with the mindset of a director. No matter how nice an actor is, there’s a chance they could be unruly. There are points in art that need to be expressed; the director should guide them into their path. This time, since actors came and performed, I was in the position of directing from outside the studio.' He added, 'Because of the heart the actors brought along and their performances, I hope these actors shine. I want their performances to provide a good feeling to listeners. Conversely, I also felt that when I go to a shooting site to do something, directors likely think, 'I want to create a film that allows Park Jung-min to shine and grow.'
In conclusion, Park Jung-min expressed, 'I may be taking a break from my main job for now, but I think I need to do well when I go back to the set. Additionally, I need to find ways to grow further. I feel deeply moved to meet those who completed our book first. This gathering feels different from the initial encounter. Our publishing company Mujé will continually strive to be a publisher that carefully considers and executes such projects. If you support and welcome us, we will participate with good content anytime.'
[Photo] OSEN reporter Kim Seong-rak.
[OSEN]