The Bird That Drinks Tears, a full-length fantasy novel by writer Lee Yeong-do, has been named a finalist in the foreign novel institutional sector of the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire, regarded as France's representative genre literature prize.
Hwanggeumgaji, the publisher of The Bird That Drinks Tears, said on the 31st that it had shared the news. Hwanggeumgaji said the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire in France is the country's most prestigious science fiction and fantasy literature award, carefully selected by a jury of experts from various fields, including journalists, writers, and critics.
Hwanggeumgaji said the local French publisher noted that merely making the final shortlist signified recognition of the work's artistic merit in France and across Europe.
The Bird That Drinks Tears is a four-volume full-length fantasy published in 2003. By weaving uniquely Korean elements such as dokkaebi, ssireum, and yutnori into an original worldbuilding, it earned acclaim from critics. It sold more than 1 million copies in Korea alone, establishing itself as a signature work symbolizing Korean fantasy literature.
The work has now been translated and published in more than 30 countries worldwide, including Germany, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. In particular, Hwanggeumgaji said that the first French-language volume has sold more than 20,000 copies in just four months since publication, drawing intense interest locally.
Translated by Anton Hur, renowned for his translation of author Jeong Bora's Cursed Bunny, the first volume is also set for official release in the United States and the United Kingdom in June.
The final winner of the prize will be announced on May 18 at La Comedie du Livre, a major literary event in France.