Art on Fire

‘The photo, the crime, the dog, and the artist. I kept asking myself: is this for real? I couldn’t stop wondering and couldn’t stop reading either. Yun Ko-eun is such a master storyteller, and this translation immaculately reflects her style. So many disparate events are happening in this novel and yet they are all convincingly probable. In the end, I am left pondering about reality. About how we all live once before we burn.’

-- Bora Chung, author of Cursed Bunny

‘Art on Fire, by turns comical and apocalyptic, is a brilliant satire of the art world, late-stage capitalism, and climate change … [An] enjoyable romp through our current plutocratic hellscape, with Yun Ko-eun skewering the sacred cows of fine art and the oligarchs who buy it.’

* Driftless Area Review *

‘Yun Ko-eun gloriously takes on the art world, hysterically, delectably, thoroughly exposing its gatekeepers, makers, and audiences.’

-- Terry Hong * Shelf Awareness *

‘Yun Ko-eun is back with another darkly humorous and biting satire … The creation, commodification, and celebration of art will leave an indelible mark in readers’ minds.’

-- Andrienne Cruz * Booklist *

‘Yun Ko-eun puts a lighted match to our present-day bonfire of the vanities, and the result is a memorably bizarre spectacle.’

-- Simon Morley, author of Modern Painting: A Concise History

‘Yun Ko-eun’s surgical satire on the age-old war between art and commerce has never felt this fresh and this relevant.’

-- Sean Ellis, film director

‘While nature usually serves as inspiration for art, in Art of Fire it also plays a role as a barrier to the public consumption and commodification of art. A lot happens in this book with a lot of themes being explored, and it’s done with humour and wit … I am continually impressed with the seamless translation of Lizzie Buehler. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys surrealist fiction, especially to those who want to explore more Korean translated books.’

-- Helen Kim Rhee * Manse *

‘[An] absurdist satire that skewers modern capitalist culture and the art world.’

-- Matt Witt * World Wide Work *

Praise for The Disaster Tourist:

‘A fresh and sharp story about life under late capitalism … an entertaining eco-thriller.’

* The Guardian *

Praise for The Disaster Tourist:

‘The forces pitched against Yona reveal their true scale and monstrosity in a frothy-seeming satire that, in the end, shreds the very idea of commerce to bleeding tatters. I’d say this was a perfect short novel for reading on the beach, but given what’s in store ...’

-- Simon Ings * The Times *

Praise for The Disaster Tourist:

‘Throughout The Disaster Tourist, there is a sense of impending catastrophe, of something huge and uncontrollable swallowing up those who spend their lives packaging, controlling, and creating these macabre tours ... Phenomenal.’

* The Spectator *

Praise for The Disaster Tourist:

‘Excellent ... a plain rendering of the extraordinary.’

* The Irish Tim