Brenda Paik Sunoo

Catch News & Events

  • Click Here to order now!Those living in Asia, Europe and Australia may order and receive the book now, directly from seoulselection.com.
  • Cruel April, Remembering Together is Condolence and StrengthBy Ahn Hyekyeong I greeted this morning’s radiant spring sunshine. The flowers and pale green new leaves were so beautiful. They bloomed by absorbing this bright spring sunlight as well as spring rain, which fell after enduring the cold winter. For a moment, I forgot the news that the flowers bloomed ahead of time due to global warming. Feeling grateful for the natural cycle, I wore a little smile like sprouts on my face. But then, April also evokes horrendous memories. One simply can’t greet this warm spring sunshine after the winter. The April 3rd Massacre 73 years ago, and the Sewol Ferry incident on April 16th, seven years ago! Nature in April blooms warmly, but the human society recoils coldly with anger and sadness. We have met the 7th year with the harsh memories on the day for which no one has yet taken responsibility. The more radiant the spring sunshine becomes, the more sorrowful we feel due to the collective pain and memory of April. The huge passenger ship, MV Sewol, which was heading to Jeju with young students chatting happily with friends, never reached Jeju Island.  While watching the news on the TV screen, I didn’t doubt that they would be rescued soon from the huge ship which was sinking and lying in the peaceful sea like a lake. What era are we in now? We are in the era whereby pictures, video images, and conversations move across the world instantly, and spaceships are shot into space. However, as we all know, the rescue attempts failed, and the investigation as well as any punishment of people in charge are still in a fog. At that time, the whole nation was seething with shock, anger, and sadness; however, it seemed that those memories are getting distant from most people including me. However... Brenda Paik Sunoo, who is a third-generation Korean-American and published “Moon Tides” with interviews of Jeju haenyeo women divers in 2011, recently released a web-book In Memory of Sewol. Brenda said that she wanted to console the bereaved families who lost their precious children in front of their eyes and have lived with pain and a huge void in their hearts. Brenda also has experienced the same sadness that is beyond reckoning, as her second son suddenly died from cardiac arrest years ago at high school. Alongside beautiful pictures under the sea, the web-book unfolds a heart-warming story of a daughter who wants to end her mother’s nightmares with the help of a dolphin.  When I learned that Brenda had received positive responses from the Sewol family organization, I thought they were just being polite. I know Brenda’s sincerity and true heart. But I frankly doubted how much the web-book could console the parents who have suffered the painful seven years. It was because their children who they believed would be rescued lost their lives in front of their eyes (as they watched the scene on TV). Even the Moon Jae-in government, which was inaugurated after the Candlelight Protest, hasn’t solved the investigation nor punished anyone in charge after 7 years. Then, after reading the interview article on “Your April”, a documentary film directed by Ju Hyeon-sook and recently released, I realized that I was too cynical when I doubted how much the web-book could console the bereaved families. “Your April” is a documentary film made with interviews of people who were asked what memories of Sewol tragedy still remained. The bereaved families wondered what people would think about them as they raised the issue of Sewol for 7 years. They wondered if people got sick and tired of hearing about it. But actually, they were comforted when they knew that people still remembered the day, felt sad, and were afraid should they ever be in such a situation. I thought that rash consolation would hurt them more, especially after the government investigation was completed. But I was wrong. I realized later that remembering Sewol tragedy together can offer consolation and strength. My rash critical perspective meant that I didn’t understand enough. As I was finishing this article, Brenda sent me a web-poster on the memorial event in Jeju Island for the 7thanniversary of Sewol. She was on her way to Sagye village to join others on a 4.16 kilometer walk from Sanbang Mt. to Songak Mt. In April, we have to remember that for some people remembering Sewol together can bring consolation and strength to the surviving families.To view the webbook: rememberingsewol.com
  • Seoul Selection, a publishing company in South Korea, has announced that two of its titles “Ahn Joong-geun Anthology” and “Stone House on Jeju Island--Comforting Wind and Healing Moonlight” have received the Sejong Book Award on July 27, 2020 by KPIPA (Korea Publishing Industry Promotion of Korea).See the announcement here: Sejong Book AwardAnd the announcement in Koreanhttps://m.blog.naver.com/seoulselection/222044040980
  • International Examiner Newspaper in Seattle, Washingtonhttps://iexaminer.org/a-korean-publishing-company-with-humble-beginnings-grows-a-following-of-ardent-fans-and-expands-its-geographic-reach-and-influence/
  • Brenda Paik Sunoo, American photojournalist who first published an English book on haenyeo 해녀 소개 첫 영문책 펴낸 재미교포 사진작가 브렌다 백선우Jejudo Island is a popular tourist destination and there is a writer and photojournalist who built the stone house on the island at the age of 70. Brenda Paik Sunoo is a writer and photojournalist and she published the book {quote}Moon Tides - Jeju Island Grannies of the Sea.{quote} It is the first English book by an American photojournalist on haenyeo, female divers. She captures the culture and life of haenyeo on camera and hopes to enlighten the global community. We sit down with Brenda Paik Sunoo and learn more about her activities and her love for the island on today's Heart-to-Heart.신비의 섬, 제주를 향한 남다른 애정으로 일흔의 나이에 제주로 이주해 돌담집을 짓고 사는 이가 있다. 제주의 상징인 해녀들의 이야기를 모아 첫 영문 서적으로 발간, 전 세계에 제주 해녀를 알린 사진작가 브렌다 백 선우. 아름다운 제주의 풍경과 해녀들의 생생한 삶을 카메라로 담아낸 '제주 알리미' 브렌다 백 선우의 이야기를 오늘 [하트 투 하트]에서 만나보자
  • For those living in Asia, Europe and Australia, you may order your copy of {quote}Stone House on Jeju Island--Improvising Life Under a Healing Moon{quote} from Seoul Selection. Click below:https://www.seoulselection.com/bookstore/default/product_view.php?part_idx=265&goods_data=aWR4PTEwNzA2JnN0YXJ0UGFnZT0wJmxpc3RObz0xMDMmdGFibGU9Y3NfZ29vZHMmcGFydF9pZHg9MjY1JnNlYXJjaF9pdGVtPTM=||
  • November 17, 2018:Nori Gallery, Jeoji Art Village. Jeju Island, South Korea3 - 5 p.m.February 27, 2019Evening with two authors: Lisa See and Brenda SunooThey will discuss writing about Jeju Island from two different genres: historical fiction and creative non-fiction.Korean Culture Center Los Angeles5505 Wilshire Blvd.Ari Auditorium, Third Floor7 - 9 pmMarch 21, 2019East Bay Community Foundation200 Frank H. Ogawa PlazaOakland, Calif.7 - 9 p.m.For more information: ebcf.orgMarch 2019Seattle (To be announced)
  • HoangChi Truong, author of TigerFish + Blogger at ChiBeingChi.com, interviews Brenda:https://www.chibeingchi.com/authors-community/2018/11/30/author-interview-with-brenda-paik-sunoo?fbclid=IwAR3WW7p7G7LIxg_-WNQlAY2zuwUI7qK7nooa8RZrhTwY0DMyM5W61kjh0LY
  • https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2018/09/141_255644.html
  • An article about people moving to Jeju Island.https://www.voanews.com/a/new-beginnings-found-on-jeju-island/4618568.html?Korea Foundation NewsletterFebruary 1, 2019Interview by Joey RositanoClick here to read the interview.
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