Cultural Insight

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On today's cultural news, we bring you the story of writer Hwang Sok-yong becoming the second Korean author to be nominated for the Man Booker International Prize. Take a look

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Writer Hwang Sok-yong has become the second Korean author to be nominated for the Man Booker International Prize. It's considered one of the top-three international literature prizes along with the Nobel Prize in Literature and the French Goncourt Prize. The international Man Booker Prize is given to the most outstanding novels written by authors from countries outside of the British Commonwealth. The prize committee wrote on the Website that 13 writers including Hwang Sok-yong have been nominated. Hwang has been nominated along with translator Kim So-ra, who translated into English his novel "At Dusk." The prize committee will soon narrow down the list to six candidates, and the winner will be announced on May 21. The winner will receive 50,000 pounds, or around 75 million Korean won. BTS' agency said the group will make a comeback on April 12 with the new album entitled "Map of the Soul: Persona." The new album will be released about eight months after BTS' previous album "Love Yourself: Answer." So far, BTS has emphasized through its music the importance of loving oneself. But the new album is said to contain a completely different message. All of BTS' previous albums broke records in terms of sales and global rankings. All eyes are on what record the group's album will set this time around. Once the new album is released, BTS will launch a world tour on May 4. Tickets to BTS' upcoming concert at Wembley Stadium in London were sold out in 90 minutes. On March 11, tickets to the group's concert in Brazil were sold out in just 75 minutes, attesting to the group's skyrocketing popularity in the South American country.