Fredrik Backman on the power of humor to connect people

Fredrik Backman attends the 2024 Seoul International Writers' Festival at JCC Art Center in Jongno, Seoul, Saturday. (SIWF)

"This is a very uncomfortable situation for me," Fredrik Backman admitted candidly to reporters on Saturday. "When I leave here, I'll probably spend the next few days thinking, ‘I shouldn’t have said that,’ or, ‘That was a stupid answer.’ ... But I know I'm learning from these situations. One day, a moment like this will become a character in a book."

The celebrated Swedish author of "A Man Called Ove" is currently visiting Korea for the first time. His debut novel became a global sensation, selling across 46 countries. In Korea, the book also topped the bestseller lists in 2015. It got into two film adaptations: "A Man Called Ove" (2015) in Sweden starring Rolf Lassgard and "A Man Called Otto" (2022) with Tom Hanks.

“But I don't know why (it was so popular),” said Backman. “I wish I did, because people keep asking me why it was so popular in other countries and I have no idea. When I wrote it in Swedish, (the critics) didn't like it very much and said it would never work abroad. Because it’s so typically Swedish, so Scandinavian that they would not get the jokes.”

Fredrik Backman speaks to reporters at a press conference at JCC Art Center in Jongno, Seoul, Saturday. (SIWF)

The novel follows Ove, a curmudgeonly man whose life is upended by the death of his wife. Despite his desire to die, Ove finds himself repeatedly pulled back into life by unexpected responsibilities -- such as fixing a new neighbor's car, caring for a stray cat and rescuing someone from an oncoming train.

"When I started writing ‘Ove,’ I was 29 or 30, and Ove in his 50s. But I didn’t see him as much older -- I saw him as someone who shared the same smallest emotion we all have in common: loneliness."

The theme of loneliness runs through many of his novels, said Backman, a reflection of his own experiences.

"I’ve struggled with loneliness my whole life, and that’s what I put into my writing. And I’m only interested in people who are a little weird, not the ones who do everything the way they’re supposed to," he said.

Backman has continued to be successful with his works, including the "Beartown" trilogy and “Anxious People.” A hallmark of Backman’s novels is that, like "Ove," they are driven by eccentric characters with peculiar personalities. And Backman never loses his touch of humor, which he believes is essential for connecting people.

"For me, humor is a defense mechanism, in a way. When I’m scared or nervous, my instinct is always to look for the joke."

From left, English editions of "A Man Called Ove," "Beartown" and "Anxious People" (Atria Books)

He noted that a shared laugh is what connects people together.

"Growing up, my dad and I didn’t talk a lot," he said. “I think this is common for many people of our generation, where the previous generation was less open about emotions."

Backman recalled a moment of connection with his father: "But I remember one time, we were sitting together watching a TV show, and someone made a joke. I laughed, and I heard my dad laugh, too. At that moment, I felt closer to him than I ever had before. That’s when I realized that humor is a way of connecting with people."

“I tried to write the book, in a way, for me to understand my father a little bit better. And I hope my children will understand me a little bit better (through this book),” added Backman.

The SIWF runs through Wednesday. Talk programs are available with simultaneous English interpretation on LTI Korea's YouTube channel under the 2024 SIWF playlist.

Backman attended a talk program on Saturday night with Korean writers Jung Young-su and Kim Ki-tae.

By Hwang Dong-hee(hwangdh@heraldcorp.com)