Korean-American Novelist Chang-rae Lee of Princeton University Lectures at Yonsei as UIC Chair Professor and Praises UIC An audience of 200 packed into the main auditorium of the Millenium Hall at Yonsei University to listen to award-winning Korean-American novelist and Director of the Writing Program at Princeton University Chang-rae Lee talk about “The Novel in Full Effect.” The lecture, given on November 7, was the first of a month-long lecture series on literature and creative writing by the writer, in fulfillment of his duties as UIC Chair Professor of Creative Writing at Yonsei. In the lecture, Professor Lee read part of “The Surrendered,” a new novel on the Korean War that is scheduled for publication in April 2008. The students who attended his lecture were enthralled by the story, as it came to life in the passionate voice of the author. Professor Lee, one of the most-recognized Asian-American writers of today, entered the spotlight in 1995 when he was awarded the PEN/Hemingway Award for the novel “Native Speaker.” In this and other novels such as “A Gesture Life” and “Aloft,” Lee has continually explored the identity issues of immigrants from Korea and Italy. During the lecture, he revealed his plans for the next book: “I’m planning on writing a comic novel about a Chinese immigrant family.” As a writer who focuses on identity and isolation issues, Lee emphasized his roots, calling Korea a “Moon in my life,” but also added: “Language is a decisive factor in literature. Because my medium is the English language, I do not feel that my literature can be called Korean.” During the press conference held after the lecture, Professor Lee explained his reasons for coming to Yonsei. Having moved to the U.S. at the age of three, he welcomed the opportunity to teach in Korea, where his roots lie. He feels a strong affinity toward UIC students: “There are many Korean students in the UIC who grew up overseas and use English as their first language. I feel that they are in many ways similar to me.” When asked what he thought of the future of Korean literature in the world, Professor Lee answered: “There are many talented writers in Korea, but few write in English. If authors who write in English increase, it will do a great deal for the globalization of Korean literature.” Later on, looking back on his experience at Yonsei, Professor Lee had nothing but praise for UIC and its students: “My recent visit to UIC ranks as one of my favorite teaching experiences of my career. The students at UIC are absolutely a joy to teach, as they are intelligent, creative, and forthright, as well as delightfully open to new ideas. Agile thinkers, quick to question and learn, and highly motivated, they are among the most engaged students I have ever encountered, no doubt in part due to their wonderfully diverse life and educational backgrounds.” He was also very excited about the prospect of a new Creative Writing Program at UIC, with his former colleague and award-winning novelist Gabe Hudson as director, which “will insure that UIC students receive some of the finest creative writing instruction available anywhere in the world.”