Written interview with writer Moon Ji-hyuk, who published his new work ‘Night Train’
Autofiction based on travel… “Is there anything in life that isn’t travel?”
enlarge image
[현대문학 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Ki-hoon = “‘Night Train’ is a story that is an extension of my autofiction world view, and is a novel written based on a three-week trip to Europe that I took in 1999 when I was just entering my 20s.”
Author Moon Ji-hyuk, who has built a wide literary spectrum ranging from science fiction (SF) to autofiction (autobiographical novels), stands before readers with a new work.
We had a written interview with author Moon, who recently published the full-length novel ‘Night Train’ (Modern Literature).
◇ Adding fiction to the backpacking experience… “Complete as if you were running one after another”
The new work is an autofiction that reflects one’s travel experiences and a ‘framed novel’ composed of three layers.
In the work, there is ‘me’, a young man in his 20s who went on a backpacking trip to Europe for three weeks in 1999, and ‘me’ in the novel he wrote while traveling at that time. It is composed of three layers, including ‘me’ in her 40s, who reminisces about the past and reconstructs the trip 25 years later.
The author said, “The novel written by ‘me’ in my 20s in the novel is actually a novel I studied in my 20s,” and “I feel like I, 20 years later, have completed a novel that I could not complete no matter what I did at the time, as if I was running a relay, holding a baton that had fallen to the ground.”
Having finally put an end to the novel he started writing in 1999, he said, “I want to place more meaning on the completion of the race rather than the record,” and added, “Even though I can’t get on the podium, I feel relieved.”
The story begins one day when a delivery box from his father arrives.
The box contained objects of youth, including a silver Sony CD player, faded military uniforms, diaries, college textbooks, photographs, poetry collections, and bundles of manuscripts.
Among them, I, in my 40s, found a rusty silver ring and was filled with memories.
The silver ring was given to me as a farewell gift by a former girlfriend. I, in my 20s, went through a breakup and went on a trip to Europe to throw away the silver ring she had bought in Vienna, Austria.
It is a kind of mourning ritual, and a journey whose purpose is only completed when the ring is thrown away. However, the trip does not go as planned or as intended.
enlarge image
[현대문학 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
The work depicts the sensibility of the end of the century, represented by the movie ‘Before Sunrise’, with sensuous and pleasant brush strokes. It also depicts the process of a young and fresh-faced youth growing up through travel.
As the author begins the novel, he asks:
“This is a record about travel. But can there be something in life that is not travel?” (Page 11)
However, what he emphasizes is not simply the old metaphor that ‘life is a journey’.
The author said, “More than anything, I wanted to say that the journey itself, that is, the process of stopping everyday life, going somewhere, and then returning to the original place, is the most important thing.”
It doesn’t matter where you go, what matters is how you leave and come back.
He added, “We think we have returned to our original place, but in reality, we always end up in a different place,” adding, “The subtle differences make us different beings after the trip.”
◇ “Autofiction becomes more attractive the more you use it… The ratio of fact and fiction is a trade secret.”
When reading his novels, curiosity arises. How much is experience and how much is fiction?
It is difficult to talk about writer Moon Ji-hyuk without mentioning the genre of autofiction.
He mixes his life and fiction in a certain ratio to make bricks and cement and build a house of stories.
The author said, “Autofiction has become a term that represents my work. It started out unintentionally, but now I feel like it has more appeal the deeper I get into it.”
He emphasized, “Especially in today’s era where artificial intelligence is emerging and gaining popularity, I believe that the uniqueness of an individual’s body and experience may be the last line of defense for what we think of as ‘humanity.'”
He also added, “I wrote about it in ‘Beginner Korean,’ but I think it won’t be long before ‘endless first-person murmurs’ will be the only novels written by humans.”
enlarge image
[현대문학 제공. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
So, are there any difficulties in writing stories about me and those around me?
“No, Erno (a French writer representing autobiographical literature) writes about everything he has experienced. Some writers change proper nouns. Some writers change gender, age, and appearance. Some writers make everything up. None of them are wrong, and none of them are perfect. They just express what they think and believe.”
He then wittily replied, “In my case, I think it’s okay to reveal myself as I am, and I embellish or distort the parts related to others,” adding, “The ratio and method are trade secrets.”
Jihyuk Moon made his debut in 2010 by publishing the science fiction short story ‘Chaser’ through Naver. Since then, he has steadily published novels and novels, making his name known to readers.
This year alone, I have already published two books. Last month, the novel collection ‘What You Gave’ was published.
The author said that there are several more books left to be published this year, and that the third novel in the series, ‘Practical Korean’, which connects ‘Beginner Korean’ and ‘Intermediate Korean’, is scheduled to be published in the spring.
The author, who is currently recovering from major surgery to remove a cyst that formed in his mouth, shared his current status and expressed his gratitude to his readers.
“I hope everyone stays healthy and doesn’t get sick in 2026. I’m recovering well, so I’ll see you again in good health soon. Thank you.”
kihun@yna.co.kr
Report via KakaoTalk okjebo
Unauthorized reproduction/redistribution, AI learning and use prohibited>
Sent on February 22, 2026 at 08:01
