- Overview
-
Mysterious stories from all corners of the country gather at Samgae Tavern & Inn—stories that have never been told anywhere else!
- Book Intro
-
(English) *Where stories gather, Samgae Tavern & Inn **
At the port of Mapo, about 4 km southwest from the capital Hanyang, there is a tavern/inn called Samgae, the name coming from the second name of Mapo. It is always crowded with sailors who work at the port, vendors of salt and salted seafood, and peddlers who seek to stay overnight. The place is run by Kim, a blunt lady but a great cook; Seonnomi, her oldest son who manages the chores; and Bok and Ok, Kim's two daughters who assist her in the kitchen. And this is where all the strange stories from across the whole country flock together…
*The old man who draws the spouse’s face **
One summer day, at the time of dusk, a peddler named Palsaeng visits the tavern to grab something to eat after work. He engages in a conversation with Jangoe and his pals, a regular of the tavern. Jangsoe asks Palsaeng if he could share any strange incidents he has experienced while traveling the country, and reluctantly, Palsaeng tells a story about a mysterious old man he met.
Nobody knew where he came from or how old he was. He was a wanderer who made a living by drawing. This may not have set him apart from ordinary artists, but this old man had a special power. When asked to draw a portrait, he was able to accurately draw the client’s spouse just by looking at the client.
As an old bachelor, he asked the old man to draw his future wife’s face. The artist refused to do so, insisting that knowing the future would not help Palsaeng at all. Palsaeng begged and begged, and finally, he managed to get a portrait of his future wife. Later, he miraculously ran into a woman that looked exactly like the drawing—only this woman was already married. Grappling with the fact that the woman of his destiny was already married, he decided to do the unthinkable.
*Strange stories meet Yeonam Park Jiwon **
Countless people visit Samgae after Palsaeng. An old female peddler who has a mistake buried deep in her heart that she had made in her youth; a servant with his young master who is not in his right mind because of his family problem; and a young scholar whose mother died because her in-laws family had been overly strict of her virtue…
Seonnomi, with his amazing memory, keeps his own record of the stories he hears from the visitors. One eccentric scholar recognizes his talent and suggests a “strange story club.” This man who often drank at the tavern with his colleagues is Yeonam Park Jiwon, a famous scholar. Seonnomi accepts his proposal, and the “strange story club at Samgae Tavern & Inn” commences.
(French) Une réunion de l'auberge en trois volets
Samgae Jumak, situé à Mapo Naru, à environ 10 ri au sud-ouest du mur de la ville de Hanyang.
L'auberge, qui doit son nom à "Samgae", un autre nom pour "Mapo", est toujours bondée de marins travaillant sur le ferry, de marchands de sel et de fruits de mer salés, et de bobusans pour passer la nuit. Dans l'auberge à trois volets dont la famille Jumone est devenue le point central, il y a des histoires aussi étranges que les différentes personnes réunies de tout le pays...
Une histoire horriblement vivante avec un rebondissement choquant qui bascule en un instant. Et le sens de la vie qui en découle. Six histoires étranges et mystérieuses que vous ne pouvez voir nulle part ailleurs.
- About the Author
-
Oh Yoonhee
(English) Oh Yoonhee studied English Literature at the graduate school of Seoul National University and worked for 15 years as a World News, Business, and Society reporter for Chosun Ilbo. She now works at Economy Chosun, a weekly paper.
She wrote the bestselling business management book Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis, and a novel about a daughter who sets out to discover the secret of her mother’s dramatic life, entitled What Mom Left Behind. She also wrote the Strange Story Club at Samgae Inn series, a set of horror story collections based on Korean traditional culture, and The Suspicious Patient Aide, a novel about the heartwarming friendship between an old man with advanced Parkinson’s and an unlikely care assistant.
The second book in the Samgae Inn series was published last year, demonstrating the high demand for creepy, traditional short stories in Korea. Along with Book One, it was a top-selling title in the horror category. Book Three of the series depicts the characters’ journey to China under the Qing dynasty’s rule. The book contains captivating stories that seem at once familiar and utterly bizarre. Based on the real-life trip that Park Jiwon made to Qing, it offers the extra fun of comparing the stories to his travelogue, The Jehol Diary.
(Japanese) ソウル大学大学院で英文学を専攻し修士学位を取得後、『コリアヘラルド』を経『朝鮮日報』に入社した。2005年から社会部警察記者を経て社会政策部、産業部で勤務し、東ヨーロッパ特派員を経て『ウィクリービズ』チームで海外有名企業人や碩学に会って取材した。外国の碩学や企業人にインタビューした経験を活かした経営書『正反合』を出版した。東ヨーロッパ特派員とニューヨーク特派員を歴任した後、朝鮮日報を出て、物書きに力を入れている。小説『母が残して行ったもの』を書いた。
(Vietnamese) Sau khi theo học chuyên ngành văn học Anh tại trường cao học Đại học Quốc gia Seoul, tác giả làm phóng viên cho tờ Chosun Ilbo tại phòng xã hội, phòng công nghiệp và phòng quốc tế trong 15 năm. Sau khi làm phóng viên đặc phái ở Đông Âu, tác giả được đặc phái sang làm ở New York. Hiện đang làm việc cho Economy Chosun, một tạp chí kinh tế hàng tuần. Cuốn sách quản lý kinh tế 『Chính phản hợp』 được viết khi tác giả còn làm việc tại Chosun Ilbo, đã trở thành cuốn sách bán chạy nhất. Về tiểu thuyết thì có 『Mẹ đã bỏ lại gì và đi』, kể về cô con gái đi tìm bí mật của người mẹ đã sống một cuộc sống bất hạnh, và câu chuyện sáng tạo truyền thống của Hàn Quốc, 『Câu chuyện kì lạ tại quán trọ Samgae』 Tập 1 và 2, 『Người chăm sóc đáng ngờ』 là một cuốn tiểu thuyết nhân văn kể về tình bạn cảm động giữa một người chăm bệnh đáng ngờ và một người già mắc bệnh Parkinson nặng.
