VOL.97/2026.08

Korean Publishers

 

MUZE, a Publishing House Without a Title

 

 

2026.08

 

 

True to its philosophical name, MUZE (meaning "untitled") publishes books filled with profound thought. The books from MUZE contain writing that is as beautiful as it is deep. It releases works that leave a lasting imprint on readers' hearts, such as The Story of Manu, My First Summer, Wanju, Sister’s Diary, and Saving Deeds. We look forward to seeing what comes next for both the books of MUZE and the publishing house itself. In this issue, we aim to explore the publishing philosophy and vision presented by MUZE.

 

 

 

 

 

Q. The name of your publishing house is MUZE, which means "untitled" or "having no title." Could you explain the origin and meaning behind this name?

 

When I first established the publishing house, I could not come up with a suitable name at all, so I registered the company under the name MUZE, which is commonly used to indicate having no title. You could say it was a byproduct of hassle, lacking both a proper name and meaning at the time. However, as we published author Park So-young's Saving Deeds, meaning began to take root in the name MUZE. Working alongside an author who dedicated her life to caring for nameless abandoned animals to create a book about their rights, I felt a growing desire to continue telling stories about nameless things in the future. With the conviction to serve as a voice for the countless nameless existence in this society, not just abandoned animals, MUZE strives to craft every book with care and devotion.

 

 

 

 

 

Q. We are curious about how MUZE came to be. Could you share the story behind founding MUZE with our international readers?

 

After publishing my book A Useful Human Being in 2016 and opening a bookstore called “Book, Night, and Day” in 2019, I began to learn a bit about how books are created and introduced. Books also became much more precious to me in my personal life. Although the bookstore came to an end during the pandemic, I wanted to continue working with books, which naturally led me to set up a publishing house. After making one book, we were unable to publish another for four years. Then, as we created Sisters’ Diary in 2024, our engine started running again. In 2025, My First Summer, Wanju received immense love from many readers, and before I knew it, three wonderful colleagues joined the team. Together with them, I pour my passion into crafting books every single day, and I plan to build this company into something truly remarkable for the even more colleagues who will join us in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Q. While all your books are precious, if you were to introduce one signature MUZE title to international readers, which book would you consider MUZE's flagship title?

 

I believe My First Summer, Wanju by Kim Geum-hee, one of the defining authors of our era, will continue to serve as a major pillar for MUZE for a long time to come. It was the first installment of our Listening Novel series, where audiobooks are produced first for visually impaired readers before being released as print editions. Thanks to author Kim Geum-hee, who deeply resonated with this vision, and the overwhelming support from countless readers who embraced this cause, MUZE was able to clarify the path of what we must do moving forward. It is a deeply precious book that made us acutely realize which direction our attitude toward books and the sincerity of those who create and introduce them ought to head.

 

 

 

 

 

Q. You, as the publisher of MUZE, recently opened "Book and Day" within the shelf-rental shared bookstore Yeonnam Seoga. What does a book mean to MUZE?

 

I believe books have walked alongside humanity for a very long time, and they will continue to do so in the future. MUZE aims to be a sturdy amplifier so that valuable words can endure over time. We want to keep creating books that serve as a medium for sharing, communicating, and discussing good thoughts.

 

 

 

 

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Interview with Park Jeongmin (Publisher of MUZE Publishing)

He is an actor and the publisher of MUZE Publishing. Since founding the publishing house in 2020, he has published nine books, starting with Saving Deeds.