By Felicia Chua

In celebration of the global bestselling DallerGut Dream Department Store duology, as well as the recent release of the novella, Break Room, author Miye Lee and translator Sandy Joosun Lee flew in from Korea to meet with readers at POPULAR NEX on 13 September. This marks Miye Lee’s first book tour, making it a significant milestone for the engineer-turned-author.

Joined by emcee Lee Yoo Jin, the three ladies naturally fell into conversation, code-switching between Korean and English with ease. This synergy was the catalyst for the riveting discussion that followed surrounding Miye Lee’s books — DallerGut Dream Department Store, Return to the DallerGut Dream Department Store, and Break Room — and the multitude of characters within. 

Dreams, thoughts & dialogue

During the sharing, Miye Lee and Sandy Joosun Lee candidly talked about their craft, such as finding inspiration for the dreams sold at the DallerGut Dream Department Store, the writing process, translation insights, and character analysis.

Soft-spoken and poised, Miye Lee’s sincerity shone through with her thoughtful responses in spite of the language barrier. When asked about how the story of a department store selling dreams came to her, Miye Lee replied that it was a lengthy work of 10 years in the making, and that she held on to this idea for a long time. Most of the dreams were actually dreamt by her, while the rest were made up.

Fuelled by her own curiosity, Miye Lee also took the opportunity to chat with Sandy Joosun Lee about her field of work. From how she balances her full-time job with literary translation work to staying true to her translation style and voice, it was a treat to hear about what goes into the work of the Korean-to-English translator.

A surprise in the works

Rounding up questions from the floor, one stood out in particular. When asked about her ideal drama cast for Break Room, Miye Lee casually broke the news that even though she had never thought about the casting, the novella is actually in the talks for a drama adaptation, taking everyone by surprise. This is undoubtedly a testament to the popularity of her works, and we’re certainly eager to see how the gripping and darkly funny game show thriller will unfold on screen.

During the book-signing segment, readers then got the chance to meet and chat with Miye Lee and Sandy Joosun Lee up close. Some readers shyly snapped photos with the duo, while the inquisitive ones readily chatted with them. Small talk flowed and smiles were plentiful as both author and translator happily signed each copy and left cute messages within the pages.

Before departing for the next leg of their book tour, Miye Lee and Sandy Joosun Lee also left behind signed copies of the DallerGut Dream Department Store duology and Break Room in limited quantity. If you’re feeling lucky, head on down to POPULAR NEX and you may just be able to get your hands on them!