Day 57: A Novel Sold Back Unloved

Dialogue

♪ Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.

Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day

1. 1

   A 저, 실례지만 그 책 파시는 거예요? 올해 문학상 받고 베스트셀러까지 된 소설 맞죠?

   Jeo, sillyejiman geu chaek pasineun geoyeyo? Olhae munhaksang batgo beseuteuselleokkaji doen soseol matjyo?

   Excuse me, are you selling that book? It's the novel that won this year's literary prize and became a bestseller, isn't it?

   Line 1
2. 2

   B 네, 맞아요. 솔직히 다 읽기가 바쁘게 팔러 왔어요.

   Ne, majayo. Soljiki da ilgiga bappeuge palleo wasseoyo.

   Yes, it is. To be honest, I brought it here to sell the moment I finished it.

   Line 2
3. 3

   A 아이고, 저는 출간되자마자 사서 두 번이나 읽은 소설인데, 중고 서점에서 보니까 좀 서운하네요.

   Aigo, jeoneun chulgandoejamaja saseo du beonina ilgeun soseorinde, junggo seojeomeseo bonikka jom seounhaneyo.

   Oh dear, I bought that the day it came out and read it twice. It's a bit sad to see it at a secondhand bookshop.

   Line 3
4. 4

   B 앞부분은 저도 좋았어요. 문장도 섬세하고 등장인물들도 매력적이고요. 근데 결말이 너무 허무했어요.

   Apbubuneun jeodo joasseoyo. Munjangdo seomsehago deungjanginmuldeuldo maeryeokjeogigoyo. Geunde gyeolmari neomu heomuhaesseoyo.

   I liked the first part too. The writing is delicate and the characters are appealing. But the ending felt so empty.

   Line 4
5. 5

   A 주인공이 떠나는지 남는지 안 알려 주고 끝나서요?

   Juingongi tteonaneunji namneunji an allyeo jugo kkeunnaseoyo?

   Because it ends without telling you whether the main character leaves or stays?

   Line 5
6. 6

   B 네. 삼백 쪽 넘게 따라왔는데, 마지막에 독자한테 알아서 생각하라고 던져 놓은 느낌이었어요.

   Ne. Sambaek jjok neomge ttarawanneunde, majimage dokjahante araseo saenggakarago deonjyeo noeun neukkimieosseoyo.

   Yes. I followed him for over three hundred pages, and at the end it felt like the author just tossed it to the reader and said, 'Figure it out yourself.'

   Line 6
7. 7

   A 그게 바로 작가가 노린 거예요. 열린 결말이지 대충 쓴 결말이 아니에요.

   Geuge baro jakgaga norin geoyeyo. Yeollin gyeolmariji daechung sseun gyeolmari anieyo.

   That's exactly what the author was going for. It's an open ending, not a lazy one.

   Line 7
8. 8

   B 그 둘을 독자가 어떻게 구별해요? 작가 인터뷰라도 찾아봐야 하나요?

   Geu dureul dokjaga eotteoke gubyeolhaeyo? Jakga inteobyurado chajabwaya hanayo?

   How is a reader supposed to tell the two apart? Do I have to go and look up interviews with the author?

   Line 8
9. 9

   A 앞에 나오는 장면들을 떠올려 보면 알 수 있어요. 기차역 장면이 세 번 나오잖아요.

   Ape naoneun jangmyeondeureul tteoollyeo bomyeon al su isseoyo. Gichayeok jangmyeoni se beon naojanayo.

   You can tell if you think back to the earlier scenes. The train station scene comes up three times, right?

   Line 9
10. 10

    B 아, 할머니가 배웅하는 장면이요? 그냥 분위기 내려고 넣은 줄 알았는데요.

    A, halmeoniga baeunghaneun jangmyeoniyo? Geunyang bunwigi naeryeogo neoeun jul aranneundeyo.

    Oh, where his grandmother sees him off? I thought that was just there for atmosphere.

    Line 10
11. 11

    A 처음 두 번은 주인공이 끝내 기차를 못 타요. 그런데 마지막에는 표를 사는 데서 이야기가 끝나죠.

    Cheoeum du beoneun juingongi kkeunnae gichareul mot tayo. Geureonde majimageneun pyoreul saneun deseo iyagiga kkeunnajyo.

    The first two times, he never manages to get on the train. But the story ends with him buying a ticket.

    Line 11
12. 12

    B 그러고 보니까 표를 샀으면 떠나기로 마음먹은 거겠네요.

    Geureogo bonikka pyoreul sasseumyeon tteonagiro maeummeogeun geogenneyo.

    Now that you mention it, if he bought a ticket, he must have made up his mind to go.

    Line 12
13. 13

    A 제 해석은 그래요. 물론 정답이 있는 건 아니지만요.

    Je haeseogeun geuraeyo. Mullon jeongdabi inneun geon anijimanyo.

    That's how I read it. Of course, there's no single right answer.

    Line 13
14. 14

    B 그래도 작가가 조금만 더 친절했으면 좋았을 것 같아요. 독자한테 다 맡기는 건 좀 무책임하잖아요.

    Geuraedo jakgaga jogeumman deo chinjeolhaesseumyeon joasseul geot gatayo. Dokjahante da matgineun geon jom muchaegimhajanayo.

    Still, I wish the author had been a bit kinder to readers. Leaving it all up to us feels a bit irresponsible.

    Line 14
15. 15

    A 하하, 그 말도 일리가 있네요. 저도 처음 읽었을 땐 좀 화가 났으니까요.

    Haha, geu maldo illiga inneyo. Jeodo cheoeum ilgeosseul ttaen jom hwaga nasseunikkayo.

    Ha, you have a point there. I was a bit annoyed too the first time I read it.

    Line 15
16. 16

    B 그런데 이렇게 말씀을 듣고 나니까 팔기가 좀 아까워지네요.

    Geureonde ireoke malsseumeul deutgo nanikka palgiga jom akkawojineyo.

    But now that I've heard you out, I'm starting to feel it's a shame to sell it.

    Line 16
17. 17

    A 그럼 파시지 말고 한 번만 더 읽어 보세요. 두 번째 읽을 때 감동이 더 큰 책도 있거든요.

    Geureom pasiji malgo han beonman deo ilgeo boseyo. Du beonjjae ilgeul ttae gamdongi deo keun chaekdo itgeodeunyo.

    Then don't sell it. Read it just once more. Some books move you even more the second time round.

    Line 17
18. 18

    B 그래야겠어요. 사장님, 죄송한데 이 책은 안 팔래요!

    Geuraeyagesseoyo. Sajangnim, joesonghande i chaegeun an pallaeyo!

    I think I will. Sorry, sir, I'm not selling this one after all!

    Line 18