"Within three months of arriving in Hubei, I visited Chibi because it's the site of the pivotal 'Battle of Red Cliffs' in Romance of the Three Kingdoms," he said, adding that seeing statues of Zhou Yu and Pang Tong felt like witnessing the stories from the book come to life.

Ha shared that he began reading the book in middle school and remains familiar with the geographical names and characters from the novel. "The life wisdom embedded in the book deeply resonates with our Korean readers," he said, adding that the classic explores themes like strategic planning, filial devotion and philosophies of life.