In the last year, the popularity of K-Dramas has taken over social media. With thrilling plot lines and enticing character backstories, author Tlou Seopa has centered her debut novel, Nabi, around societal issues, identity and the misuse of power and authority found in said dramas. The novel is a truly unique point-of-view into a world that one could only dream of (or watch on TV). The KREST House author Tlou offers some insight into the inspiration
and planning that went into creating Nabi.
Author Bio:
Tlou Seopa is a local South African author who shares her love for Korean pop culture and dramas on her socials. When she’s not promoting her sensational debut novel, she reveals tips and tricks for aspiring authors to help them write their own books. You can find Tlou Seopa on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.
About the book:
Elena Song, born and orphaned in South Africa, is adopted by wealthy Koreanparents. Despite her unusual situation, Elena grows into a confident eighteen-year-old with lots of friends and an unmatched talent for dancing. Her teenage life in South Africa is just perfect … until her family moves back to Korea, and she’s forced to go with them. When Elena enrols in KSEA (Korea School of the Elites Academy), she is exposed to a world she’d only ever seen on TV. It’s a glamorous school, with K-pop stars as classmates, constantly publicised for its enviable student life. But behind the walls of KSEA is a dark world of bullying and elitism. Elena, the new girl on the block and the only black girl in school, finds herself in the centre of it all. Elena is soon involved in a social media scandal far worse than any K-drama she’s watched, and this is the final straw. She joins hands with another outcast student at school, Nabi, to bring the stormy world of KSEA to public light and create an everlasting change at the school.
Q&A:
1. Nabi is compared to the K-Drama Hierarchy. In what ways are they similar?
Both Nabi and the drama Hierarchy are about social order & background differences within elite schools, with the stories unfolding between ranges of friendship, family, revenge and compassion. Nabi takes the extra mile by spicing it up with a rather unpopular family dynamic that Elena Song is from, her friendship and peculiar relation with Kim Eun-Jae, as well as racial differences that trigger various issues.
2. How did you go about researching the setting and the sort of people that Nabi would be surrounded by on her journey?
A part of my research was informed by the observations I have made through watching K-dramas, as well as the patterns that have emerged that portray everyday life in South Korea, keeping in mind that the dramas are, however,
fiction. To further strengthen my knowledge about some of the social issues faced in South Korea, similar to South Africa and the rest of the world, I read a lot of news articles and academic papers to understand the dynamic of the rich vs poor, bullying in a broader spectrum, mental health problems, as well as the concept of being a foreigner in South Korea. I also watched a lot of videos online of people of different backgrounds and cultures sharing their experiences while visiting or living in South Korea.
3. What was your favourite scene to write about, and why does it stand out?
It is hard to choose! However, one scene that really stands out for me is when Elena finds out that Kim Eun-Jae, the friend whom she loved dearly, was her parent’s biological daughter. For me, that was the ‘high’ of the story, maybe even a little unpredictable for the reader, but moreover, the beginning of breaking down and putting an end to the social hierarchy at KSEA and realising how the harm goes beyond the walls of the school.
4. If Nabi were to become a K-Drama, who would you cast as the characters?
My top three would be Kim Sun-Young as Elena’s mom. I think as a seasoned actress, she would embody the role perfectly, bringing all the drama! Shin jae-ha as Lee Ha-jun and Park Ju-hyun as Kim Eun-jae.
Where to buy:
Copies of Nabi are available from:
– The Krest House
– Amazon
– Dot Dot Direct
– Takealot
KREST Publishers is the book publishing imprint of The KREST House, based in Durban, South Africa.