Day 10: Self-Help Books in the Back Seat

Dialogue

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1. 1

   B 손님, 방송국 가신다고 하셨죠? 혹시 방송 일 하시는 분이세요?

   Sonnim, bangsongguk gasindago hasyeotjyo? Hoksi bangsong il hasineun buniseyo?

   You said the broadcasting station, right? Do you work in broadcasting?

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2. 2

   A 네, 문학 평론가예요. 라디오에서 책 소개하는 코너를 맡고 있고, 신문에 칼럼도 써요.

   Ne, munhak pyeongnongayeyo. Radioeseo chaek sogaehaneun koneoreul matgo itgo, sinmune kalleomdo sseoyo.

   Yes, I'm a literary critic. I host a book segment on the radio, and I write a newspaper column too.

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3. 3

   B 그럼 하나만 여쭤볼게요. 왜 맨날 자기계발서만 베스트셀러예요? 내용은 다 비슷하던데요.

   Geureom hanaman yeojjwobolgeyo. Wae maennal jagigyebalseoman beseuteuselleoyeyo? Naeyongeun da biseutadeondeyo.

   Then let me ask you something. Why is it always self-help books on the bestseller lists? They all say the same thing.

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4. 4

   A 하하, 자주 받는 질문이에요. 기사님은 어떤 점이 비슷하다고 느끼셨어요?

   Haha, jaju banneun jilmunieyo. Gisanimeun eotteon jeomi biseutadago neukkisyeosseoyo?

   Ha, I get that question a lot. What seems the same to you?

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5. 5

   B 제목부터 그래요. "하루 십 분이면 인생이 바뀐다"라든가 "부자들의 아침 습관"이라든가. 결국 일찍 일어나서 열심히 살라고 하잖아요.

   Jemokbuteo geuraeyo. "Haru sip bunimyeon insaengi bakkwinda"radeunga "bujadeurui achim seupgwan"iradeunga. Gyeolguk iljjik ireonaseo yeolsimhi sallago hajanayo.

   Just look at the titles. "Ten Minutes a Day Will Change Your Life," "The Morning Habits of the Rich." In the end, they all tell you to get up early and work hard.

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6. 6

   A 맞아요. 솔직히 저도 좀 식상해요. 교훈적인 말만 늘어놓고 새로운 얘기는 거의 없죠.

   Majayo. Soljiki jeodo jom siksanghaeyo. Gyohunjeogin malman neureonoko saeroun yaegineun geoui eopjyo.

   That's true. Honestly, I find them a bit stale too. They just pile up moral lessons, with hardly anything new.

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7. 7

   B 그래도 사람들이 계속 사는 걸 보면 뭔가 이유가 있겠죠?

   Geuraedo saramdeuri gyesok saneun geol bomyeon mwonga iyuga itgetjyo?

   But since people keep buying them, there must be some reason, right?

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8. 8

   A 사람들이 찾는 건 방법보다는 위로인 것 같아요. 누가 "너도 할 수 있어"라고 말해 주길 바라는 거죠.

   Saramdeuri channeun geon bangbeopbodaneun wiroin geot gatayo. Nuga "neodo hal su isseo"rago malhae jugil baraneun geojyo.

   I think what people are looking for is comfort more than a method. They want someone to tell them, "You can do it."

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9. 9

   B 위로요? 그래도 읽고 나서 인생이 바뀌는 사람은 별로 없잖아요.

   Wiroyo? Geuraedo ilgo naseo insaengi bakkwineun sarameun byeollo eopjanayo.

   Comfort? But hardly anyone's life actually changes after reading them.

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    A 그렇죠. 그런 책이 주는 건 위로지 해결책이 아니죠. 그래도 힘들 때는 그 위로가 필요한 사람도 있어요.

    Geureochyo. Geureon chaegi juneun geon wiroji haegyeolchaegi anijyo. Geuraedo himdeul ttaeneun geu wiroga piryohan saramdo isseoyo.

    Right. What those books give you is comfort, not a solution. But when times are hard, some people need that comfort.

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    B 그 말은 맞네요. 우리 딸도 취업 준비할 때 그런 책을 끼고 살았어요. 덕분에 버틴 것 같기도 하고요.

    Geu mareun manneyo. Uri ttaldo chwieop junbihal ttae geureon chaegeul kkigo sarasseoyo. Deokbune beotin geot gatgido hagoyo.

    That's true enough. My daughter practically lived with those books while she was job hunting. Maybe they're what kept her going.

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12. 12

    A 그리고 몇 권은 꽤 괜찮아요. 뻔한 조언 대신 자기 실패담을 솔직하게 쓴 책은 저도 방송에서 추천해요.

    Geurigo myeot gwoneun kkwae gwaenchanayo. Ppeonhan joeon daesin jagi silpaedameul soljikage sseun chaegeun jeodo bangsongeseo chucheonhaeyo.

    And a few of them are pretty good. The ones where the author writes honestly about their own failures instead of giving predictable advice, I recommend those on my show.

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13. 13

    B 그럼 선생님은 어떤 책이 좋은 책이라고 보세요? 소설이라든가 수필이라든가 종류는 상관없이요.

    Geureom seonsaengnimeun eotteon chaegi joeun chaegirago boseyo? Soseoriradeunga supiriradeunga jongnyuneun sanggwaneopsiyo.

    So, in your view, what makes a good book? Whatever the kind, novels, essays, anything.

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    A 저는 다 읽고 나서 질문이 하나 남는 책이 좋은 책이라고 생각해요. 답만 주는 책은 금방 잊히거든요.

    Jeoneun da ilgo naseo jilmuni hana namneun chaegi joeun chaegirago saenggakaeyo. Damman juneun chaegeun geumbang ichigeodeunyo.

    I think a good book is one that leaves you with a question when you finish it. Books that only give answers are quickly forgotten.

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    B 질문이 남는 책이요? 그거 좋네요. 저는 누구한테 얘기하고 싶어지는 책이 좋던데요.

    Jilmuni namneun chaegiyo? Geugeo jonneyo. Jeoneun nuguhante yaegihago sipeojineun chaegi joteondeyo.

    A book that leaves you with a question? I like that. For me, it's a book that makes me want to tell someone about it.

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    A 그것도 좋은 기준이네요. 결국 좋은 책은 대화를 만드는 거죠. 오늘 방송에서 기사님 얘기를 해도 될까요?

    Geugeotdo joeun gijunineyo. Gyeolguk joeun chaegeun daehwareul mandeuneun geojyo. Oneul bangsongeseo gisanim yaegireul haedo doelkkayo?

    That's a good test too. In the end, good books start conversations. Mind if I mention you on the show today?

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17. 17

    B 제 얘기를요? 그럼 오늘은 라디오 틀어 놓고 운전해야겠네요. 다 왔습니다, 손님.

    Je yaegireuryo? Geureom oneureun radio teureo noko unjeonhaeyagenneyo. Da watseumnida, sonnim.

    Me? Then I'd better keep the radio on while I drive today. Here we are, sir.

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