A recent event in Beijing, hosted by the Beijing Publishing Group, featured a sharing session with South Korean author Gong Ji-young. The discussion included prominent participants such as writer Zhi An, translator Xu Lihong, and Kan Ziwen, the host of the Korean literature podcast “Cloud Waves,” who engaged with Gong over her works, including “The Crucible” and her latest book, “Far Seas.”

Gong Ji-young, born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1963 and a graduate of Yonsei University’s English department, has written notable works including “The Crucible” and “Dear Daughter.” Over her career, she has been awarded several prestigious Korean literary honors, such as the 21st Century Literature Prize, the Woo Yong-soo Literary Prize, and the Yi Sang Literary Prize.

“Far Seas” tells the story of a woman, Lee Mi-ha, who, on the brink of becoming a grandmother, reunites with her first love after 40 years. Once lovers, Lee and John were torn apart when John disappeared, leaving their romance unresolved and shrouded in questions. Four decades later, Lee encounters him online, and they agree to meet at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Over the course of their day together, the narrative unfolds, revealing truth and emotion.

Following the release of the film adaptation of “The Crucible,” Gong received numerous expressions of gratitude from victims’ families and was invited to contribute to legal reforms in South Korea. She reflected, “Later, South Korea enacted laws against sexual violence and for the protection of disabled individuals. Being able to play a role in this process has been one of the brightest moments of my life.”

Both “The Crucible” and “Far Seas” draw from significant social events in Korea. Initially, Gong had concerns about whether international readers would resonate with these themes. However, after engaging with readers outside of Korea, she discovered a shared emotional landscape among humanity.

Zhi An offered a nuanced reading of Gong’s work, noting that she skillfully creates deeply immersive and relatable characters. He remarked, “The process of reading this piece is a delicate and comprehensive analysis and experience of human emotions.”