Bernard Werber basks in Korean audience's love

Bernard Werber's popularity with Korean readers lies in their penchant for the future, the French sci-fi novelist told the local press Wednesday in Jung District, central Seoul. “Part of my job, I believe, is predicting the future. I don't...

French novelist Bernard Werber speaks to the local press about his writing career and new books in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Bernard Werber's popularity with Korean readers lies in their penchant for the future, the French sci-fi novelist told the local press Wednesday in Jung District, central Seoul.

“Part of my job, I believe, is predicting the future. I don't care much for the present. My success is due, in large part, to this audience who seem very interested in what is to come. Many are nostalgic and sticklers to the past in other parts of the world, like Europe.”

Werber has 56 works translated into Korean, although only his debut novel, “Empire of the Ants” (1991), has been translated into English. “Empire of the Ants” is part of Werber’s “Ant” trilogy for which he is primarily known globally.

His most recent work, “Memoires d'une fourmi” (2022), or “Memories of an Ant,” is Werber’s first-ever autobiographical essay, recounting his past 30 years as a writer and revealing behind-the-scenes stories of his debut novel.

The Korean translation hit local bookstores in May.

French novelist Bernard Werber speaks to the local press about his writing career and new books in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The Korean translation of his novel "La Prophétie des Abeilles” (2021), or “The Prophecy of the Bees,” was released last week. The novel depicts a dystopian future for mankind as honeybees disappear.

“I have always been interested in animals that are very social, that form a structural society, hence my initial interest in ants,” he said. “I think bees are also interesting because we eat what they produce. They don’t just trigger our intellectual interest but also our taste buds. When we eat honey, we are exploring the civilization of bees through our mouths.”

Werber's fascination with honeybees grew with further research, but he also found that they were being decimated by pesticides and foreign, invasive bee species.

“Humans depend on bees for our vegetables and fruits,” said Werber, “but I saw that my country’s government wasn’t creating policies to protect them. So one of the book's objectives was to bring public attention to these dying honeybees and highlight the connection of humans and bees.”

Werber also hinted that his most recent novel, "La Diagonale des Reines" (2022), or "The Diagonal of the Queens," was inspired by Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-1598), known for leading the epic sea battles against the Japanese during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

“Visiting Korea nine times now, I've come to learn of Korea's heroic history. Discovering Korean culture, history, and energy so far has been so joyous,” he said.

French novelist Bernard Werber speaks to the local press about his writing career and new books in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

As a sci-fi novelist, Werber believed that humanity shouldn't fear technology, but embrace it.

“For authors, and sci-fi writers in particular, I believe that the emerging artificial intelligence will improve the quality of published works because it will encourage writers to strive for more original and creative storylines that can outthink technology."

Although he doesn’t have any literary awards, Werber felt fulfilled as a writer.

“I am a writer outside the system,” he said. “I have never studied literature. I think my job is just being a storyteller.

“I am content because I have a lot of readers, which I think is the most important thing for a writer. The worst thing for an author is to have no readers. When my first book was published, I held a signing event, but no one came. I remember feeling very lonely and yearning for people to read my writing. Now, many people come! And I am still writing, 30 years into my profession, with 30 published books.

“For one to be happy, one must find their place in life. Unhappy people think they have not done this. My place is in France and Korea and making people happy in these places. If I can do that, I am happy.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]