'In age of AI, uniqueness of personal experience will be last fortress for human-ness'

▲ This photo of Moon Ji-hyeok, a writer known for building a broad literary spectrum ranging from science fiction to autofiction, is provided by his publisher, Hyundai Literature. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) -- “My novel ‘Night Train’ is an extension of my autofiction universe. It is based on a three-week backpacking trip I took across Europe in 1999, when I had just entered my 20s.”

Moon Ji-hyeok, a writer known for building a broad literary spectrum ranging from science fiction to autofiction, has returned with a new work.

Moon recently released his latest full-length novel, "Night Train" (Minumsa), and spoke about the book in a written interview.

◇ Backpacking memories reimagined as fiction — “Finishing it like a relay race”

The new novel is an autofiction that incorporates the author’s own travel experiences and takes the form of a three-layered “frame narrative.”

The story is structured around three versions of the narrator: a young man in his 20s who sets off on a three-week backpacking trip across Europe in 1999; the “I” within the novel that the young man writes during that journey; and a man in his 40s who, 25 years later, looks back and reconstructs the trip through memory.

“The novel written by the 20-something ‘me’ in the story is actually something I drafted in my 20s,” Moon said. “At the time, it was a novel I could never finish no matter how hard I tried. More than 20 years later, it feels as though I picked up the baton that had fallen to the ground and finished the race.”

Having finally put a period on a story he began writing in 1999, Moon said, “I want to focus more on finishing than on recording. I may not be standing on the podium, but I feel a sense of relief.”

The story begins when a parcel sent by the narrator’s father arrives one day.

Inside the box are objects from youth: a silver Sony CD player, a faded military uniform, diaries and college textbooks, photographs, poetry collections and bundles of manuscripts.

Among them, the 40-something narrator discovers a tarnished silver ring, triggering a flood of memories.

The ring had been a farewell gift from a former girlfriend. After the breakup, the narrator in his 20s sets out on a trip to Europe with a singular purpose: to return the ring to Vienna, where she had bought it.

The journey is both a kind of mourning ritual and a quest that can only be completed by discarding the ring. But, as with most journeys, things do not go as planned.

The novel captures turn-of-the-century sensibilities — often associated with films like "Before Sunrise" — with a light, vivid touch, while portraying the growth of an awkward, earnest young man through travel.

▲ This photo of Moon Ji-hyeok, a writer known for building a broad literary spectrum ranging from science fiction to autofiction, is provided by his publisher, Hyundai Literature. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

◇Moon poses a question at the very start of the book

“This is a record of a journey. But is there anything in life that is not a journey?” (p. 11)

Yet, he stresses that his intent goes beyond the familiar metaphor that “life is a journey.”

“More than anything, I wanted to say that the journey itself — stopping everyday life, leaving for somewhere, and then returning to where you were — is what matters most,” he said.

Where one goes is less important than the act of leaving and coming back, he added.

“We think we’ve returned to the same place, but in reality, we always arrive somewhere different,” Moon said. “That subtle difference is what makes us different people after a journey.”

“The more I write autofiction, the more fascinating it becomes”

Readers of Moon’s work often find themselves wondering: how much of it is lived experience, and where does fiction begin?

It is difficult to talk about Moon Ji-hyeok without mentioning autofiction. He builds his stories by mixing elements of his own life and fiction in varying proportions, like bricks and cement forming a house.

“Autofiction has become a term that represents my work,” he said. “I didn’t start out with that intention, but the deeper I go, the more attractive I find it.”

He went on to emphasize, “Especially in today’s world, where artificial intelligence is on the rise and gaining power, the uniqueness of an individual’s body and experiences may be the last line of defense for what we consider ‘human.’”

He added, “As I wrote in ‘Beginner Korean,’ it sometimes feels as though only ‘endless first-person muttering’ will remain as something humans still write.”

◇ Does writing about oneself and those around him come with difficulties?

“Annie Ernaux, a leading figure in autobiographical literature, writes everything she experiences. Some writers change proper names. Some change gender, age or appearance. Others fabricate everything,” Moon said. “None of these approaches is wrong, and none is perfect. Writers simply express what they think and believe.”

“In my case, I’m fine with revealing myself as I am, but when it comes to others, I tend to polish or distort things,” he said with a smile. “The ratio and the method are a trade secret.”

▲ This photo provided by publisher, Hyundai Literature, shows the newly released book "Night Train" by Moon Ji-hyeok, a writer known for building a broad literary spectrum ranging from science fiction to autofiction. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Moon made his debut in 2010 by publishing the SF short story "Chaser" through Naver. Since then, he has steadily released novels and short story collections, firmly establishing his name among readers.

This year alone, he has already published two books, including the short story collection "What You Gave Me" last month.

He also hinted that more books are on the way, revealing that "Practical Korean," the third novel in the series following "Beginner Korean" and "Intermediate Korean," is set to be released this spring.

Currently recovering from major surgery to remove a cyst in his mouth, Moon shared a message of gratitude with readers.

“I hope everyone stays healthy and pain-free in 2026,” he said. “I’m recovering well, and I’ll be back to see you again soon in good health. Thank you.”

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