'Love in the Big City' author was obsessed with love while writing it

The bestselling South Korean novelist Park Sang-young revealed during a recent appearance at the Seoul International Book Fair that his acclaimed novel *Love in the Big City* was deeply influenced by his intense focus on the theme of love. During a panel discussion titled “How to Write,” Park shared insights into his creative process, emphasizing how his exploration of romantic relationships consumed him during the writing of the novel.

Park described how his fascination with love turned into an all-consuming preoccupation. He likened his experience to the Korean term "deokjil," which refers to the enthusiastic immersion in a subject one loves. This deep dive into the nature of relationships led Park to study works such as Erich Fromm’s *The Art of Loving*, which further fueled his reflections on why relationships often fail. According to Park, these inquiries naturally evolved into the narrative of *Love in the Big City*, which he described as a form of "fan diary" documenting his own obsessive engagement with the topic.

Writing, for Park, has always been a means of grappling with personal concerns rather than simply creating fiction. He noted that each of his projects begins with a specific question or issue that occupies his thoughts. Once he completes a book, he experiences a temporary sense of closure, as if having resolved the matter that initially consumed him. Park humorously mentioned that after finishing *Love in the Big City*, he refrained from dating for several years, believing he had finally addressed the central question of love in his life.

Published in 2019, *Love in the Big City* marked Park’s international breakthrough. The novel-in-stories format has resonated globally, leading to translations in over 15 languages and earning nominations for prestigious awards such as the International Booker Prize in 2022. The work has also inspired adaptations, including a film featuring actors Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun, as well as a Tving drama series in which Park served as a screenwriter.

Despite the novel’s widespread acclaim, Park expressed surprise at the similarities between the responses of international readers and Korean audiences. He noted that the themes and questions raised by readers abroad mirrored those of domestic readers, offering him a sense of comfort. However, some of his most memorable interactions occurred during bookstore tours in Europe, where elderly readers invited him to their homes for meals, an experience he found uniquely different from his expectations.

During the panel discussion, Park spoke candidly about the early stages of his writing process. He emphasized the joy of the planning phase, where ideas seem limitless and unstructured. Park uses multiple note-taking applications to collect fragments of inspiration encountered in daily life—such as unusual bus advertisements, book excerpts, or cinematic scenes—which he stores until they can be woven into a larger narrative.

Once the initial ideas are gathered, Park moves into the structuring phase, where he organizes these elements like puzzle pieces. He allows them to "ferment" while conducting research and reflecting on their potential meanings. This period, according to Park, is the most intellectually stimulating, as his mind becomes highly active with possibilities.

Looking ahead, Park teased the release of a new novel tentatively titled *The Woman Wearing a Straw Crown*. This upcoming work will explore themes of murder, ambition, and the internal conflicts within a powerful chaebol family. Marking his debut in the crime genre, the novel promises to offer a fresh direction for Park’s storytelling, showcasing his ability to adapt and expand his literary repertoire beyond the emotional landscapes explored in *Love in the Big City*.