Kategorie: News
Author Sean Kwon on Fire, Loss, and the Sea
The diving novel ALOR has been available in English since September 2026. It was inspired by a real experience of the author: Soon Buhm Kwon, who publishes under the pen name Iruda and now lives in Berlin, experienced a nighttime fire in September 2015 at a dive lodge on the Indonesian island of Derawan. In the novel, a man must start over after losing his dive resort.
At the time, Kwon was a guest at the Derawan Dive Lodge in East Kalimantan, along with his now-wife. As he recalls, he woke up around one or two in the morning and first felt the heat. The flames were only a few meters away. The two were still able to grab their passports and wallets, but his companion wouldn’t let him go back for his laptop. Shortly afterward, the building collapsed. Photos from the morning after show charred rubble, bent corrugated metal, and scorched palm trees; the wooden pier by the sea was still standing.
According to his account, the islanders helped the guests by providing simple sandals and some money for their onward journey. Once the resort had been rebuilt, the couple accepted an invitation, returned, and went diving again on Derawan.
Between Experience and Fiction
ALOR is explicitly a work of fiction. In the novel, the fire takes place on the Gili Islands, and the main character, Jin Taehoon, a Korean manager, is not a guest but runs the resort himself. According to the author, his financial losses, the mysterious events, and the subsequent adventures are fictional. The feelings experienced while diving, encounters with people, and some travel experiences are based on the author’s own experiences. After losing the resort, Taehoon takes a job that leads him to a liveaboard in Alor. This new beginning gives rise to a story with elements of mystery.
Kwon chose Alor in eastern Indonesia as the setting because his first liveaboard trip there, aboard the WAOW, is one of his most memorable experiences. For him, the region symbolizes freedom, adventure, and the opportunity to reshape one’s life. The ship is long gone: The WAOW burned out and sank in the port of Biak in Cenderawasih Bay in the night of January 31 to February 1, 2018, as Taucher.Net reported at the time. According to reports, no one was injured. He says the book’s message is that every single day is a gift.
Seven Questions for Sean Kwon
The interview was conducted in writing and slightly edited for publication.
You experienced the fire on Derawan in September 2015. What stands out most in your memory from that night?
When I woke up around one or two in the morning, the first thing I felt was the intense heat. The flames were already just a few meters away from us, and we barely had time to grab our passports and wallets. I even wanted to go back to get my laptop, but my girlfriend at the time—now my wife—stopped me. Shortly afterward, the building collapsed—and to this day, I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had gone back.
You describe how helpful the islanders were. Did you stay in touch with the island afterward, or did you ever go back there?
Yes, indeed! The people on Derawan even helped us back then by giving us simple sandals and some money for our onward journey—I’ll never forget that generosity. After the destroyed dive lodge was rebuilt, we were also invited to return. My wife and I visited Derawan again and went diving there once more. It was a moving moment to see this place again and witness how something new had emerged from the destruction.
ALOR is a novel, but it was inspired by your experiences. What in the book is based on real events or similar experiences, and what is fictional?
The feelings I experienced while diving, the encounters with people, and some of the travel experiences are based on my own experiences. The actual fire took place on Derawan, though in the novel I relocated it to the Gili Islands. In real life, we were guests at a dive lodge, whereas the main character, Jin Taehoon, runs a dive resort himself. His financial losses, the mysterious events, and his subsequent adventures are fictional—but the themes of freedom, loss, and a fresh start are very personal to me.
Why did you choose Alor as the setting, and what makes this region special for divers?
My diving experiences in Alor and my first trip on the liveaboard WAOW are among the most memorable moments of my life. Living on a boat, traveling between remote islands, and waking up every morning surrounded by the ocean made me dream of a completely different life. For me, Alor therefore represents not only Indonesia’s fascinating underwater world, but also freedom, adventure, and the opportunity to reshape one’s own life.
Did the fire change your safety awareness on diving trips? Are there any practical tips you’d like to share with other divers?
Ever since that night, I’ve had a somewhat unusual habit: When I arrive at a dive resort, the first thing I do is look for a fire extinguisher! (laughs) I also recommend familiarizing yourself with the emergency exits and keeping important documents within easy reach. Above all, I’ve learned that no laptop and no personal item is worth risking your life for.
You went diving with your oldest son for the first time on the Gilis. What does diving with your family mean to you?
When I started diving in 2011, I could never have imagined that one day I’d be exploring the underwater world with my own son. After the fire on Derawan, I realized how precious life is—because if we hadn’t survived, I might never have married my wife, and our four sons would never have been born. When I was diving next to my oldest son on the Gili Islands in 2026, all those memories came flooding back. In that moment, I felt one thing above all else: deep gratitude.
ALOR is available in German, English, Japanese, and Korean. In which language did you originally write the book, and what are you working on next?
I originally wrote ALOR in Korean. The novel was then translated into English, and the German version was based on that English translation. I had previously published a science fiction novel in South Korea. ALOR is a somewhat different work, one that’s particularly shaped by my personal life experiences and my passion for diving. I’m currently continuing to develop my own science fiction universe and am publishing the first English translations of my works already released in Korea, as well as new novellas, on Patreon. And because diving remains one of my greatest passions, I would like to one day write a science fiction story that connects the world of the oceans with this universe.
ALOR at a Glance
Title: ALOR
Author: Iruda (Soon Buhm Kwon)
Edition: Hardcover, German, 149 pages, available since October 10, 2026
English edition: published September 2026
E-book: Kindle edition, also available via Kindle Unlimited
Original language: Korean (German version based on the English translation)
ISBN-13 (hardcover): 979-8161400562
Price: €24.98 (hardcover), €3.99 (Kindle e-book); retail prices on Amazon.de according to the author
Genre: Contemporary fiction, diving adventure, drama, mystery
Photos: © Soon Buhm Kwon / Suah Kim
Sources:
ALOR on Amazon.de
Taucher.Net: Luxury liveaboard WAOW burned out and sank (February 2, 2018; in German)
Soon Buhm Kwon on Patreon