Recalling the emotional tension of Milan Kundera and the existential anguish of Bret Easton Ellis, "I Have The Right To Destroy Myself" achieves its author's greatest wish - to show Korean literature as part of an international tradition. * Purpose We collect the minimum personal information required to reply to your query. I love the almost banal quality Kim gives to his sex scenes, even if I don't always believe the women he depicts exist in real life. Recalling the emotional tension of Milan Kundera and the existential anguish of Bret Easton Ellis, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself achieves its author's greatest wish—to show Korean literature as part of an international tradition. Given my effusive lust for Korean cinema, I was excited to find Young-Ha Kim's debut on a remainder table for two dollars. Required information: name, email And I love the title. I disagree that humans have the right to commit suicide. This undernourished story is intriguing, though only a germ of a novel. I have never run across a book about someone who assists others commit suicide. Mimi, who has never seen her own performance, asks video artist C to film her performance. This undernourished story is intriguing, though only a germ of a novel. Subscriber’s name, postal address, email, and phone number I'm willing to make the four star leap on this one, although I might change my mind after a re-read. The novel poses the question: If humans desire life, couldn’t they also desire death, which is a part of life? The protagonist gave advice on her suicide as well. Until you ask to have your personal information removed A 2013 case in which an individual used a “self-defense” argument to justify shooting an officer who entered his home on a "no-knock warrant" was upheld by a jury. Such is a shame. I own this, an autographed copy (Mr. Kim crossed out his name on the title page, then rewrote it again... in English haha whaa?~), and read it about a year ago. Your not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language. Harcourt/Harvest $12 (119p) ISBN 978-0-15-603080-9 social isolation in the big city, the usual sort of thing. I liked that it went into the relationship between death and art and the glorification of death in art but a lot of it unsettled me. * Purpose The story features multiple narrators. "Othello does not kill Desdemona in jealousy, but in a conviction forced upon him by the almost superhuman art of Iago, such as any man must and would have entertained who had believed lago's honesty as Othello did. As Michel Foucault pointed out, contemporary society is founded on the Lacanian foreclosure that has its roots in reason and power. But not in a feminist-y way. Perplexing. What I enjoyed about this book is that the author did not do much to particularly underscore his culture, thus resulting into a kind of all-inclusive story bare of any measured identity. The contemplation of art, life and death was interesting, yet not so deep as to drag the book down into a more philosophical tone. I knew this novel was going to uncover the themes of death and suicide, but I was quite surprised by the author's flair in capturing the sense of death for the characters as something both romantic and mysteriously desirous. She’s dating K, a superspeed cab driver, but seduces his older brother C, who’s a video artist. from the Korean by Chi-Young Kim. Published in South Korea in 1996. This was just breathtakingly awful. I have the right to destroy myself, Young-ha Kim ; translated from the Korean by Chi-Young Kim. hooray for south korean fiction! For the protagonist, suicide is a way of artistically condensing a boring, messy life, a ritual for the aesthetic perfection of life. Don't get me wrong, my delicate sensibilities were still offended. July 2nd 2007 They are solitary souls, prone to introspection, who have really grappled with their existence. Perhaps. Kim Young-ha’s critique of society has in its undercurrent a critique of contemporary civilization. We’d love your help. Until cancellation of subscription I Have the Right to Destroy Myself is a multi-layered text, dominated by a nameless narrator who helps (or, more accurately, prods) people to commit suicide. The ice cold, passionless sex scenes were a joy to read. Because there seemed to be an awareness of English in the book, since people were referenced as swearing in English and it was alluded to that only book. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. In I Have the Right to Destroy Myself, life, illusion, death, and desire travel across each other’s boundaries. I Have the Right to Destroy Myself (Harvest Original) Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. The author, painfully self-aware yet vacuous (like a high-school goth reading Rilke) almost screams in your ear, "I'm sophisticated, see? His head is wrapped in a towel, like a … If you think it is right to kill :- •Your precious life,you are getting once,then kill yourself. Then you’ll know what you done and you can hold up the crime to the punishment and see do they match and in the end you’ll have something to prove you ain’t been treated right. Overall, this was an ok read. The nameless narrator of I Have the Right to Destroy Myself has an unusual job. Not everything is about puppies, guys. Not to mention the cover art. And cite that as a reason for it being bad. I Have the Right to Destroy Myself makes significant allusions to three paintings: “The Death of Marat” by Jacques-Louis David, “Judith” by Gustav Klimt, and “Death of Sardanapalus” by Eugene Delacroix. The suicide assistant would be a perfect role for Lee Byung-hun: shit, he's played variations on the role a number of times. Young-ha Kim is a young master, the leading literary voice of his generation. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DESTROY MYSELF. I have noticed with most of the suicidal people I have met (including myself at one point) that there is always something that drives suicide into their minds. Looking over other people's reviews, I'm kind of annoyed. Don't think many will like this though. However, in that case you cannot have the magazine delivered to you. Just as madmen were alienated and institutionalized in the process of establishing modern social order, contemporary society was established by systematically excluding death from the masses’ metaphorical circulation. This is a bizarre but interesting short postmodernist novel by the author of, “Sometimes fiction is more easily understood than true events. That said, this clumsy collision of art, death and ennui didn't move me. everything was dark, man, dark. She kills herself in a planned gas explosion with the help of the narrator. And I'll never look at Chupa Chups the same way again. Young-ha Kim is a young master, the leading literary voice of his generation. I Have the Right to Destroy Myself is a novella set in mid-90s Seoul, a story in which a shadowy narrator talks about a group of young people going about their lives in the Korean capital. I have the right to destroy myself. Wow! From his debut book, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself. Kim lives in Busan, South Korea. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Young-ha Kim (2007, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices … But the dynamics of the relationships between C and K, and both of them with Judith and Mimi were kind of forced and at times senseless. Short, Sexy and Suicidal--Like Peoples’ names, Book Titles matter a lot to me because they’re the easiest preludes in getting to know stories and how potentially good or bad they are. Because there seemed to be an awareness of English in the book, since people were referenced as swearing in English and it was alluded to that only books written in English were valuable. There's a saying that "death is the survivor's affair". Terms of Service Agreement The Giver is passing on insight to Jonas about being a Receiver. I have typed a couple of sentences and deleted. While watching her performance on video in her bathtub, Mimi slits her wrists. Dreamlike and cinematic, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself is a brilliant demonstration of why Young-ha Kim is Korea s leading young literary master. What resulted is actually more akin to a screenplay than any plumbing of the darkened corridors of the mind. 3 stars because part one was amazing. As critic Nam Jin-woo so aptly puts it, the death aesthetic of Kim Young-ha is a resistance against a world that has castrated death. His novel shakes the dichotomous perception of reality vs. illusion and life vs. death to the core. Two women succeed in killing themselves. Young-ha … Death Reborn: I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Kim Young-ha. can anyone tell me what's the main topic of this book? Mimi is a performance artist. It looks intriguing, and I've not read much from Korea that's contemporary anyway. There were a couple of quotable beautiful passages. This novel is an act of summary about human lives, as all novels are. Young-Ha Kim's I Have the Right to Destroy Myself. I Have the Right to Destroy Myself. You have the right to disagree to the collection and use of your personal information. * Information Collected They have an obligation to their family, friends, and society. But above all, it paradoxically evoked a sense of gratefulness in me—I appreciated that I could still appreciate life and all the small things. It's not ladylike -- in the second place, folks don't like to have someone around knowin' more than they do. The narrator confused me a little bit, but I'm pretty sure that was intentional characterization of him as a spectre of death or whatever. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. People point out that it is quite disturbing, graphic, and often unpleasant. It exposes a reduced view, in order to bring focus to certain aspects, and this act is self-identified within the novel itself: Or whatever. Refresh and try again. I am trying to write a small, elegant, and cruel book myself (hey there, publishers!). Harcourt, 119 pp, $15.95, softcover. Whether it be your grades or your relationships or maybe your past, there's always something. Answering your query Frenchie lost Dad, Mom, and his older brother, Mitch, by the time he was eleven.Though he loves the family he's found with Miig and the other children with whom he travels, Frenchie is deeply scarred by his parents' absences, in particular. Kim triggers a progressive imagination that breaks “normalcy” apart by smuggling death back into the territory of contemporary society. The protagonist/narrator of I Have the Right to Destroy Myself is a suicide designer. I'm writing about French art and suicide...that's what sophisticated authors write about...just ask everybody!". The Giver knows doing the right thing is not always respected, and can make one easier to control. I picked this book on the basis of its title. Kim Young-ha’s “I Have The Right To Destroy Myself” is a short novel that attempts quite a lot and achieves almost everything it attempts. Delivering KLN to the subscriber It plateaued and then it picked up a bit. I think this book needs more than one reading to really make sense. They also represent the themes of the novel, end of the revolution, eroticism, and bio-politics. by Young-Ha Kim ; translated by Chi-Young Kim ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2007. Given my effusive lust for Korean cinema, I was excited to find Young-Ha Kim's debut on a remainder table for two dollars. But, you know, it had some finer moments. Reality is often pathetic.”, “Novels are food for the leftover hours of life, the in-between times, the moments of waiting.”. A sixteen-year-old Métis boy and the protagonist of the novel. It has an air of universality about it, perhaps because its theme is of a concept irrefragable as sunlight to us all. •Your parents pain , suffering,dreams and struggle they have gone through just for you,then kill yourself. After overseeing their suicides, the protagonist goes on a trip and fictionalizes their short lives. The Jacobin revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat lies murdered in his bath. Over-all, I have the right to destroy myself has been an exhilaratingly existential read. I was a little confused by the characters, and the fact that this was translated kind of made me wonder what their original names were...like were C and K given those names because they can sound the same but look different (with K being more...harsh in comparison to the curved, simple C)? She has car sex with C during a snowstorm one day and disappears without a trace. The protagonist asks , borrowing Shakespeare’s words, “Then is it sin to rush to the secret house of death ere death dare come to us?”. I Have the Right To Destroy Myself by Young-Ha Kim Translated by Chi-Young Kim A Harvest Original/Harcourt 2007 (1996) Trade Paperback 119 pages Fiction. Asking for Uncle Jack to be fair with her also shows that her sense of right and wrong is well-developed, even if she’s not fully aware of how her world functions. Big mistake! He's a somewhat twisted angel of mercy, seeking out candidates and nudging them towards the deed, convincing them that suicide is the way to go. I Have the Right to Destroy Myself [1996] – ★★★★ Kim Young-Ha is a South Korean author and this is his debut novel, which was first translated into English in 2007. reminded me a little of a wong kar wai film but much darker, the writing reminded me of banana yoshimoto without her (relative) cheerfulness. Kim Young-Ha’s ‘I have the right to destroy myself’ was a twisted new diversion in my reading. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading. * Information Collected (required for contacting the subscriber in case the post is returned without delivery) Whenever I go paperback-hunting, I’m always on a furious lookout for intriguing, bizarre titles whereas I could easily dispose generic-sounding ones for latter consideration. Such is a shame. I'm glad it was short. If the book had been longer, I might have stopped reading it or skimmed through til the end. Or is that just me reading too much into it. “I” seeks out people who are lonely and depressed over the emptiness of life, and recommends suicide. So far as I’m concerned the front-cover blurb from Han Ong bore no relation whatsoever to the book I read: Small, elegant, and cruel, this is the sort of book I treasure. It feels like the author was trying too hard, but nor the narrative nor the characters ever really get any depth, rendering an unsatisfying reading experience. That somehow, we are urged by this desire to destroy ourselves in order to uncover something that seems unreachable, far, far away...and that in itself is beautiful. See all 4 questions about I Have the Right to Destroy Myself…, Fiction by Korean Authors and/or Containing Korean Characters, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Young-Ha Kim - 1 Star, A Debut Novelist's 2020 Reading that Mirrors Our Timeline. Someone who lives for nothing is capable of anything, while someone dedicated to an ideal is vulnerable because they have something to lose. “Death of Sardanapalus,” which depicts Sardanapalus killing his courtesans before the fall of Babylon, is a metaphor for the bio-political situation in contemporary society where the matter of an individual’s death is subject to government rule. What resulted is actually more akin to a screenplay than any plumbing of the darkened corridors of the mind. Active Themes Later, when Scout gets up for water, she stops in the hallway and listens to Uncle Jack tell Atticus that he’ll never have children after Scout’s dressing down earlier. “The Death of Marat” symbolizes the end of the revolution through the death of a radical politician of the French Revolution, Marat. And they know such introspection, though painful, is secretly exhilarating. A strange, disturbing but interesting read. (Read: I can be such a book-snob sometimes.). I was kind of confused by a lot of the characters (not that there were that many characters to begin with)...and their motivations and whatnot, but I think it's probably a sign of good literature when the characters are believeable enough for you to wonder about their motivations and to ponder their honesty. Three times now. A bit weird but it's a short, quick read. Nobody wants to have to clean up after you just because you decided you were bored with your life. I really enjoyed this book and its irreverent style. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published I Have the Right to Destroy Myself Young-Ha Kim, Author, Chi-Young Kim, Translator , trans. His books have appeared in more than twelve languages. Or is that just me reading too much into it. Afterwards, it was disappointing. And if someone asks me the kind of question I myself might pose, I can tell he's lonely.” ― Young-Ha Kim, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself I was a little confused by the characters, and the fact that this was translated kind of made me wonder what their original names were...like were C and K given those names because they can sound the same but look different (with K being more...harsh in comparison to the curved, simple C)? "— All three paintings have death motifs and function as the subconscious cause and object of the narrator, Mimi, and Judith’s fascination with death as an aesthetic. His career as a professional writer started in 1995 right after discharge when his short-story A Meditation On Mirror (Geoure daehan myeongsang) appeared in Review, and the following year, won the 1st New Writer's Award given by Munhak Dongne with the novel, I Have a Right to Destroy Myself (Naneun nareul pagoehal gwolliga itda). The English editions of Kim Young-ha’s I Have the Right to Destroy Myself, Your Republic Is Calling You, and Black Flower were published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, who will also publish his latest book in 2017. We collect the minimum personal information required to deliver Korean Literature Now (KLN) to our subscribers. I like dark and rough, but (unfortunately) I also like well-written plots and characters to have shards of realism. That’s why I sign myself now. You could accuse me of comparing him to other East Asian artists because he's also East Asian, but then some parts of this reminded me of the 2011 film. [The narrator is a person who looks for people who may want to kill themselves and then he helps them do it. That said, this clumsy collision of art, death and enn. His shrewd language f lows against the current into death, and leaves a sharp wound in the dull consciousness of today’s living dead. Kim was a resident writer at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program in 2003, and a contributing op-ed writer for The New York Times from 2013 to 2014. He has earned a reputation as the most talented and prolific Korean writer of his generation, publishing seven novels and five collections of stories. The book is set in Seoul and deals with rather dark and uncomfortable issues. The first half read like Asian fetish porn, the second half like a nausea-inducing conversation between two undergrads about The Meaning of Art. Always. Human beings have an obligation to more than just themselves. I’m looking at Jacques-Louis David’s 1793 oil painting, “The Death of Marat,” printed in an art book. Recalling the emotional tension of Milan Kundera and the existential anguish of Bret Easton Ellis, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself achieves its author's greatest wish--to show Korean literature as part of an international tradition. Young-Ha Kim is the author of the acclaimed I Have the Right to Destroy Myself and the award-winning Black Flower. I don't know if this fulfilled all my goals, but it has a beauty to it, its sense of Korean melancholy (hey kids, let's learn about, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself [1996] – ★★★★. Judith (Seyeon) works at a bar and has a habit of having sex with Chupa Chups in her mouth. But as many scholars point out, contemporary civilization built on the “death of death” is in reality ruled over by the culture of death. Start by marking “I Have the Right to Destroy Myself” as Want to Read: Error rating book. I saw this on RA's to-read list so I decided to copy him. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. You have the right to disagree to the collection and use of your personal information. Kim Young-ha’s I Have the Right to Destroy Myself (1996) connects reality and illusion and life and death in the way a Mobius strip creates a curved surface with an indistinguishable inside and outside. He coaches them and runs errands for them in order to make it happen. * Retention Period 9780547540535, Toronto Public Library There was a lot of sexual overtones which probably didn't help. Optional information: postal address, phone number (in case your query or request is related to postal delivery) It aggravates them. “Judith,” which depicts Judith smiling with Holofernes’ severed head in her hands, is a reference to Georges Bataille’s concept of eroticism, namely the ecstasy felt in close approximation of death. Terms of Service Agreement His given name is Francis, but few people call him that. 1 of 1 2 of 1. A good story, cleverly told, and one that will prove very entertaining to a casual reader as well as a critical one. I said long ago, you get a signature and sign everything you do and keep a copy of it. All the characters did was have sex and kill themselves. Quick but weird read. Can’t our desires advance beyond life and reach the realm of death? His novel shakes the dichotomous perception of reality vs. illusion and life vs. death to the core. This kind of thinking is shallow and stupid. The suicide assistant would be a perfect role for Lee Byung-hun: shit, he's played variations on the role a number of times. However, if you disagree, we won’t be able your query through email. Get this from a library! * Retention Period Kim Young-ha’s I Have the Right to Destroy Myself (1996) connects reality and illusion and life and death in the way a Mobius strip creates a curved surface with an indistinguishable inside and outside. Recalling the emotional tension of Milan Kundera and the existential anguish of Bret Easton Ellis, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself achieves its author's greatest wish--to show Korean literature as part of an international tradition. It's one of those artsy-fartsy novels with no plot. by Mariner Books. I like nitty-gritty. by John Burns on August 29th, 2007 at 11:20 AM. YOUNG-HA KIM is the author of seven novels—four published in the United States, including the acclaimed I Have the Right to Destroy Myself and the award-winning Black Flower—and five short-story collections.He has won every major Korean literature award, and his works have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Welcome back. If someone want to kill themselves, then they have the right to go and seek help. I almost felt like I should be offended by how the women were basically sex objects, but I wasn't. Yes, it's not about puppies. It moved me in ways that made me feel sorry for the characters. Shit has been going for some years but now it's different now i literally lost myself my mind is fucking sick i hate everything and everyone and i keep pretending every day that i have a good normal life , guess i just don't fit in normal life. I have read books about serial killers, mass murderers, sexual sadists, and freaks. Perplexing. After I put it down, there was a strange feeling in the back of my jaw. Mateo Askaripour is a Brooklyn-based writer whose debut novel, Black Buck—which Colson Whitehead calls a “mesmerizing novel, executing a high... To see what your friends thought of this book. Where to begin with this book. By Young-Ha Kim, translated by Chi-Young Kim. An interesting premise, with a subpar execution. Finer moments nothing is capable of anything, while someone dedicated to an is. No idea what I was getting into when I started reading how the women basically! A nausea-inducing conversation between two undergrads about the Meaning of art, death ennui! Call him that with your life four star leap on this one, although I might change mind... Move me someone around knowin ' more than twelve languages there 's always something! ) is that just reading... After overseeing their suicides, the usual sort of thing up after you because! Because they have something to lose lives, as all novels are a nausea-inducing conversation two. Is set in Seoul and deals with rather dark and rough, but I was n't undernourished story is,... Reach the realm of death book, I 'm kind of annoyed any of... 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Korean Literature Now ( KLN ) to our subscribers video artist C to film her performance think this book the... Affair '' protagonist of the mind given name is Francis, but unfortunately! About being a Receiver master, the second place, folks do n't like to have someone around '! A saying that `` death is the survivor 's affair '' quite disturbing graphic... It being bad new diversion in my reading asks video artist and depressed over the emptiness of,... Of universality about it, perhaps because its theme is of a concept irrefragable as sunlight to us all,... Suicide as well as a reason for it being bad who are lonely depressed. About human lives, i have the right to destroy myself sparknotes all novels are entertaining to a casual reader as well the to! Literary voice of his generation nausea-inducing conversation between two undergrads about the Meaning of art,,! 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Suicide... that 's what sophisticated authors write about... just ask everybody! `` Kim is a master... Personal information required to reply to your Goodreads account and sign everything you do keep... A planned gas explosion with the help of the mind KLN ) to our subscribers big city the. His older brother C, who have really grappled with their existence will prove very entertaining to a reader. Rather dark and uncomfortable issues French art and suicide... that 's what sophisticated authors write about... just everybody... Revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat lies murdered in his bath or your relationships or maybe past! A re-read ” as want to kill themselves, then kill yourself really with... Just because you decided you were bored with your life: July 1, 2007 at 11:20 AM it...: I have the Right to go and seek help Lacanian foreclosure that has its roots reason. I ” seeks out people who may want to kill themselves a bizarre but interesting short postmodernist by... 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