Sylvain Tesson arrives in Seoul to promote the 4th Goncourt Prize Korea program

French writer and journalist Sylvain Tesson, famed for his travel narratives, arrived in Seoul as the promotional writer for the 4th Goncourt Prize Korea program. He spoke at a press briefing held March 18 at the French Embassy in Seoul’s Seodaemun district, detailing his views on travel, writing and the human relationship with nature.

Tesson said travel is “the fastest means to reach a dream through reality,” and that writing serves as the echo of that journey. He lauded Korean students for their strong command of French and their passion for literature, saying the program helps restore the central place of books in everyday life. Under the program, Korean students learning French read the four finalist works in their original French over five months and discuss them to select a winner.

The author’s career has long centered on the tension between civilization and the natural world. He described two recurring threads in his work—acceptance of nature and human existential freedom—and said his literary aim is to balance civilization with the natural environment. He has a personal interest in Greenland’s civilization and has argued that civilization and nature continually engage in dialogue.

Tesson’s life has included dramatic turning points. He was seriously injured in 2014 after a fall from a roof, breaking 26 bones and spending six months in hospital. He reflected that the accident did not overturn his life but reinforced his resolve to move forward and pursue his writing and travels.

In discussing travel and life, he argued that travel cannot escape reality, but it offers opportunities to harvest beauty, danger, joy and sorrow. He defined travel as a process of stepping onto the ground and pursuing dreams, a view he connects to his own experiences and his body of work, including a book about crossing the Alps and studies of the relationship between humans and nature.

On technology and artificial intelligence, Tesson offered a skeptical view. He contended that AI does not fill human deficiencies but can create new ones, and he warned that society risks being drawn toward machines rather than staying grounded in reality. He urged finding happiness in art and nature and reclaiming a sense of ancient wisdom about the natural world.

The Goncourt Prize Korea program is a joint effort by the French Embassy in Korea and the Académie Goncourt. It is designed to promote French-language literature among Korean students by having them read the four shortlisted works in French and discuss them before selecting the prize winner. In France, the Goncourt Prize is one of the country’s premier literary awards, and the Korea program illustrates how the award’s prestige extends to international audiences.

Tesson has previously won major French literary prizes, building a profile that resonates with both francophone readers and international audiences. His earlier novel Homeless Life earned him the Goncourt Prize in 2009, his 2011 essay In the Forest of Siberia won the Médicis Prize, and his 2019 novel Snow Leopard earned the Renault/Renaudot prize, marking him as one of France’s leading contemporary writers. For U.S. readers, the cross-cultural reach of his work highlights ongoing exchanges in translation, education and cultural diplomacy that influence how French literature is understood and consumed abroad.