Cartagena will host one of the most special editions in 2025. de The Sea of Letters, literary section of the festival The Sea of Music, with South Korea as a guest country. During del 14 al 22 de julio, the Murcian city becomes a meeting point between the tradition and modernity of Korean literature, offering a unique panoramic view which ranges from poetry They shine to the innovative narrative that today conquers readers around the world.
This proposal Organized by the Cartagena City Council and coordinated by Belén Rosa de Gea brings together both established authors as new voices. In addition to activities aimed at the dissemination and cultural analysis, there will be poetry recitals, talks and debates that build bridges between Korea and Spain.
Morning sessions: Korean language, identity, and cultural keys
The cycle opens on July 15th with the intervention of the translator Eun Jin Moon, which will invite attendees to approach the korean culture shelling Key concepts such as jeong, han and nunchiThese terms, difficult to translate, encapsulate social values, collective emotions and ways of understanding life in Korea, serving as a basis for exploring the Korean identity and sensibility from a linguistic and social perspective. The talk seeks to foster a greater empathy and intercultural understanding, inviting the Spanish-speaking public to discover the richness of nuances that the Korean language holds.
El July 17th it's the turn of Chaeyeon Park, professor of East Asian Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid. She focuses her talk on the emerging role of Korean women authors in global literature, taking a historical look at the moments that have marked Korean women's writing: from the Japanese occupation, the feminist awakening and literary activism, to the current international recognition. Her analysis highlights how the literature written by women has contributed to the debate on identity and social change in Korea.
Already the July 18th, the teacher Eun Kyung Kang (University of Malaga) delves into the so-called hallyu o Korean Wave. His exhibition reviews the international impact of contemporary Korean culture—including music, film, comics, and literature—and how this phenomenon has transformed both the image of Korea and global pop culture. Korean Wave It is thus presented as an example of cultural hybridization, where the local merges with the universal.
Literary Encounters: Korean Authors in Cartagena
Programming The Sea of Letters includes highlights meetings with Korean authors. The July 14th, The exhibition hall of the Roman Theatre Museum welcomes dialogue between Kim Ho-yeon y Bae Suah, moderated by Manuel Madrid. Kim Ho-yeon—considered one of the most translated Korean authors—stands out for works such as “Mrs. Yeom’s Amazing Shop”While Bae Suah has attracted attention for the intimate approach and dreamlike atmospheres of novels such as “Ayami's Night and Day” o "Nowhere"Both trajectories represent the diversity and vitality of contemporary Korean fiction.
El July 17thAt 20:00 p.m., a meeting will be held between Bora Chung y Cheon Myeong-kwan, moderated by the journalist and writer Margaretha Yakovenko, In exhibition hall of the Town HallBoth finalists of the Booker Prize International, present a bold and critical view of Korean society. Highlights include stories of Bora Chung , the “Cursed Rabbit” —where folklore and the fantastic dialogue with the human— and “The Fox,” as well as the novel "Whale" de Cheon Myeong-kwan, which reconstructs, through the lives of several women, the dizzying changes that have occurred in Korea in recent decades.
Literary bridges and recitals: cultural exchange between Korea and Spain
El July 16 at 11:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, the intervention of will take place Park Chul, Hispanist and Korean philologist, recognized for his work on Cervantes y the Quijote. 2024 Cervantes Institute Ñ Prize winner, offers his perspective on the dissemination and influence of Spanish literature in Korea, reflecting on the importance of this exchange to strengthen the cultural understanding and dialogue between both nations. In addition, the 70th anniversary of the teaching of Spanish in Korean universities is being celebrated.
That same afternoon, in the Cornisa gardens, Along the Roman Theatre, the recital will take place “Bridges over the Han River”. Presented by Lara Lopez, will bring together poets and musicians such as Vicente Cervera, Carmen María López, Alberto Chessa, Ani Galván, Charo Guarino and the pianist Guillermo PintadoThe event connects Korean sijŏ poetry with Spanish lyric poetry, and includes participations by Eun Jin Moon y Pio E. Serrano, responsible for the Verbum collection.
Literature and music: special guests and festival anniversary
Anton Reixa, Galician poet and musician, presents his anthology “Encyclopedia of Perplexity” in conversation with Lara Lopez el July 15thReixa combines his literary talent with his role in Galician rock music, fusing the written word and experimental sound in his work.
To close the program, The Sea of Letters commemorates thirty years of La Mar de Músicas with a meeting between figures of journalism and historical collaborators of the festival, among them Amelia Castilla, Arturo Paniagua, Angel Sopena, Jam Albarracín, Jutxa Ródenas, Ana Sánchez, Lara López and Miguel TébarThis collective meeting serves to review the cultural impact of the festival in Cartagena and its evolution since its beginnings.
El The full program can be found on the official website of the festival and is part of the offer of UPCT summer courses, integrating workshops, debates and activities open to the public.
This edition of La Mar de Letras reflects the strength of Korean literature., but also the festival's commitment to cultural exchange and the creation of spaces for dialogue between East and West. Cartagena will thus become a literary and cultural reference point. during the month of July, opening new avenues for understanding and appreciating the international literary scene.