“Interviewing Death” is an anthology of interviews that explores the meaning and hope of life by reflecting on the losses and farewells we will all one day face. Park San-ho, a translator, novelist, essayist, and recipient of the 18th Yoo Young Translation Award, engages in in-depth conversations with five “death experts.”

Among them are Lee Eun-joo, a long-term care worker who dedicates herself to caring for patients and demonstrating the profound value of caregiving; Yoo Jae-cheol, a funeral director who has guided countless individuals—from presidents to the most vulnerable—through their final journey; Cho Ji-hoon, South Korea’s first pet bereavement counselor, who helps people navigate the grief of losing a beloved companion animal; Father Hong Seong-nam, a priest who runs a counseling center rooted in faith; and Dr. Kim Yeo-hwan, a hospice physician who, through witnessing thousands of deaths, has come to see the deep connection between life and death. Through their vivid voices, this book conveys the most heartfelt stories of those who have built their work and lives in close proximity to death.

In our busy daily lives, we often forget about death—or even turn away from it. Yet death is an inevitable part of the human experience, always present at the side of our lives. “Interviewing Death” offers a profound insight: in the very moment we acknowledge death, life paradoxically becomes clearer. By simply facing the inevitability of our end, we gain the strength to live fully in the present. When you feel the need to rediscover the direction and meaning of your life, this book reminds you why—and how—we can truly learn to love life.

Park San-ho
A translator, novelist, essayist, and interview journalist. He graduated from the Department of English Education at Hanyang University and went on to pursue a master’s degree in English Literature at Brunel University in the UK. He has translated nearly 100 works, spanning a wide range of genres including novels, essays, and graphic novels.
He is the author of essay collections such as “Sentences for Adults,” “Positive Words,” and “The Usefulness of Novels,” as well as novels including “Live Joyfully Today” and “Searching for You.” He has also published an interview collection titled “Taking a Different Path.”
In 2024, he was awarded the 18th Yoo Young Translation Prize for his novel “Layla.” In the course of writing “Interviewing Death,” he came to realize that the more one contemplates death, the more one comes to cherish life.
He remains committed to seeking the meaning of life and continues to engage in the ongoing work of reading, listening, and writing.

Foreword

Part 1: Small Farewells Converge into Death: Elder Care Worker Lee Eun-ju
Part 2: Only Those Who Have Lived Well Can Die Well: Funeral Director Yoo Jae-cheol
Part 3: I Believe We Will Surely Meet Again: Pet Grief Counselor Cho Ji-hoon
Part 4: How Long One Has Lived Is Not What Matters: Priest Hong Seong-nam
Part 5: Life and Death Are Inevitably Connected: Hospice Physician Kim Yeo-hwan

From the President’s Funeral Director to a Hospice Physician Who Has Accompanied Thousands on Their Final Journey:
Five Conversations on the Inevitable Connection Between Life and Death, Awakening to the Abundance of Existence