The Canning Factory (Modern Korean Literature, #68)

Asia Publishers presents some of the very best modern Korean literature to readers worldwide through its new Korean literature series . We are proud and happy to offer it in the most authoritative translation by renowned translators of Korean literature. We hope that this series helps to build solid bridges between citizens of the world and Koreans through a rich in-depth understanding of Korea. Part of the story “Sometimes I think about my own death. I think I’d like to be cremated and have the ashes sealed inside a can. I don’t like the idea of rotting in the soil underneath a burial mound, and I sure don’t want to be stored in one of those marble urns at a crematorium. I’ve worked at a canning factory my whole life. My whole life I’ve handled cans. They’re making cans with better materials now, and it’s become easier to open the lids, which tells me that the world is becoming a better place to live. The changing designs of the can labels tell me that people’s tastes are changing. Their actual taste for food also changes. I learn about that when new canned foods are developed or flavors are modified. In other words, I’ve learned about the world through this can.” “If the world were like an empty can, we’d be in trouble.”