Novelists Name Kim Ae-ran’s 'I Said It Was Goodbye' Book of the Year
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
In a special 10th-anniversary project, Kyobo Book Centre asked 50 Korean novelists to pick the year’s best novels (published Nov 2024–Oct 2025). Kim Ae-ran’s novel I Said It Was Goodbye took first place from among 95 titles, reaffirming her status as a leading voice in contemporary Korean literature. Second place went to Koo Byung-mo’s Jeolchang, praised for its imaginative storytelling and exploration of empathy. Four works tied for third, including Jeong Yi-hyun’s No People and Seong Hae-na’s Honmono, the latter noted for its distinctive characters and new-generation realism. Established mid-career writers such as Jeong Yi-hyun, Lee Gi-ho, Kim Hye-jin, Yoon Sung-hee and Pyun Hye-young also received steady support. The list reflects peer recognition within Korea’s literary community and highlights trends in recent Korean fiction.
