Recognizing the reality of women

The novel weaves a four-generation saga of women, projecting their intertwined lives, quiet defiance, and emotional odysseys against the backdrop of South Korea's tumultuous modern history, as the country rose from the shadows of Japanese occupation through the fractures of rapid industrialization.

Among more than 22,000 comments posted by Chinese readers about Bright Night, many say that they deeply resonated with the female characters.

Zhang Li, professor of Chinese language and literature at Beijing Normal University, describes the book as "both warm and powerful".

"The writer doesn't just capture the emotional landscape of Korean women — she articulates what can not be cleared stated, giving form to the deeply felt but rarely voiced truths that resonate profoundly with us as Chinese women," she says.

Explaining why the book is so well-received in China, Choi says: "Regardless of cultural background or location, humans all share some universal emotions. Starting from birth, each person carries their own pain, even those that appear to lead relatively easy lives. Therefore, no matter what kind of story is being told, it will touch upon the pain in a reader's heart, which is what defines a good story.

"On the other hand, as someone who is part of the East Asian cultural circle, some of our emotions and values are influenced by Confucian culture. Therefore, I guess readers from the East Asian region may have a deeper understanding of my stories compared to those from other cultural background," she says.