French author and Nobel laureate J . M . G . Le Cl ? zio holds a press conference at the office of the publisher Seoul Selection in Jongno - gu District , Seoul , on Dec . 3 , 2017 . ( YouTube ) By Yoon Sojung What is Seoul like in the eyes of a French novelist and Nobel laureate ? The answer can be found in the novel “ Bitna -- Under the Sky of Seoul ” published in December last year by Nobel prize - winner Jean - Marie G . Le Cl ? zio . Le Cl ? zio has been showing his affection for Korea by learning the Korean language just for himself . He has been repeatedly saying that he would write a story about Seoul someday , ever since his first visit to Korea in 2001 . Last October , the author wrote a novel inspired by a story titled “ Temp ? te : deux novellas " ( " Storm : Two Novellas ") about the haenyeo women divers from Jeju Island . He even taught at Ewha Womans University at the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation there as an honorary professor in 2007 and 2008 . The novel ' Bitna -- Under the Sky of Seoul , ' written by French writer J . M . G . Le Cl ? zio in December 2017 , has been published in both Korean and English . Le Cl ? zio ’ s new novel centers around a 19 - year - old young woman named Bitna . Originally from a small fishing town in the Jeolla - do region , she moves to Seoul to begin university . Bitna begins a part - time job to tell stories to Kim Se - ri , a woman who rather hopes to be named “ Salome ” and who has been suffering from an incurable disease . The five stories Bitna tells Salome include one about a man named Cho who left his home town in the north during the Korean War , one about an orphaned child named Naomi and the woman Hanna who looks after her , and one about a singer named Nabi who becomes a pop star but experiences hardships due to greed and untruth . All the characters created by Bitna touch upon various issues faced by Korean society , such as politics , history , religion , the generation gap , issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and other social issues . These characters all seem to be individual and separate , but in some moments they become intertwined . Le Cl ? zio sends a message of comfort and hope to readers while telling the stories to Salome as she faces death and Bitna who sees the intersection between life and death . The name of the main character , Bitna , symbolizes the main message of the book . During a press conference with journalists on Dec . 3 last year in Seoul , Le Cl ? zio emphasized the meaning of the name Bitna . “ I like the name Bitna as bit means ' light ' in Korean and the name is pure Korean , ” the author told journalists . “ I want Bitna , a young woman , to represent courage and positive energy , as she brings light to a city like Seoul , ” he said . Le Cl ? zio also said he traveled to many places in Seoul , not only well ? known attractions like the royal palaces , the Hangang River or the Myeong - dong shopping district , but also lesser - known shabby and dark backstreets of the metropolitan city . “ Seoul is like broken glass , pieces of broken glass that shine individually rather than as a whole ” he said . “ Seoul has been shattered by war and technological advances , but it has managed to cherish the beauty of its struggles , ” said Le Cl ? zio . The press conference for author J . M . G . Le Cl ? zio that was held at the Seoul Selection offices can be seen on YouTube at the link below . ( source : Seoul Selection ) arete @ korea . krCopyright ? 1999 - 2013 KOCIS . All rights reserved .