Tower is a collection of interconnected science fiction stories in which Bae Myung-Hoon focuses more on the socio-economic situation of the inhabitants than on the technological or scientific elements of the world he has created.
The stories take place in Beanstalk (a skyscraper named after the legend of John and the Beanstalk), in an unspecified future; each of them focuses on a different aspect of life in the independent country of Beanstalk, showing the problems of the modern world in its mirror. You will read about professors who, using several bottles of expensive alcohol, follow the relations of power and influence between the inhabitants of Beanstalk; a young emigrant tasked with pacifying protests with the help of an elephant; or the great evacuation of a skyscraper with its half a million inhabitants, which almost became an accidental invasion of neighboring countries.
Bae Myung-Hoon studied diplomacy at the Seoul National University and much of his experience and knowledge is reflected in his work – there are mentions of war, terrorism, relations with other countries, as well as immigration and tensions between social classes.
Tower is a clever satire of the politicized world we live in, full of absurdity and sharp humor. It will surely appeal not only to science fiction fans, but also to all interested in Korean literature, as well as sociology and politics.
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