Booker Prize nominated novel ‘Love in the Big City’ set for TV adaptation

‘Booker Prize’ nominated novel “Love in the Big City” will be adapted into a drama, set for release on streaming services next year.

“Love in the Big City” (2019) written by Park Sang-young and published in English in 2021, tells the story of a writer named Young, who is HIV positive. The book, divided into four novelettes, was nominated for The Booker Prize for Fiction in 2022. Park will be involved in the production of the screenplay, according to the production companies Merry Christmas and Bigstone Studio.

Four directors — Huh Jin-ho, Hong Ji-yeong, Son Tae-gyum and Kim Se-in — will be responsible for producing a total of 8 episodes, with Hong acting as the executive creator.

“We plan to pleasantly deliver energetic stories about love and growth of the young generation in ‘Love in the Big City,’” said Hong in a press release.

Director Hur is best known for his works: “Christmas in August” (1998); “One Fine Spring Day” (2001) and “The Last Princess” (2016), Hong for film “Marriage Blue” (2013) and “Will You Be There” (2016); Son as the director of short film “Fly By Night” (2011) which ranked No. 3 on Cinéfondation at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and Kim for film “The Apartment with Two Women” (2022).

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]