The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
  • Economic Essay Contest
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Opinion
  • Park Moo-jong
  • Choi Sung-jin
  • Mark Peterson
  • Troy Stangarone
  • Tong Kim
  • Lee Seong-hyon
  • John Burton
  • Jason Lim
  • Donald Kirk
  • Kim Ji-myung
  • Hyon O'Brien
  • Deauwand Myers
  • Bernard Rowan
  • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
  • Stephen Costello
  • Semoon Chang
Sun, January 24, 2021 | 00:14
Kim Ji-myung
On literary translation awards
Posted : 2017-09-22 17:38
Updated : 2017-09-22 19:37
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Kim Ji-myung

In 1970, The Korea Times celebrated its 20th anniversary of its foundation as the first English daily in this nation. Around that time, "Snow Country" by Japanese writer Yasunari Kawabata was announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

To most Koreans, it was shocking news, as the prize had been deemed as targeted to the Western hemisphere. The news inspired editor-in-chief Hong Soon-il with a vision to establish an annual contest for literary translation as a celebration of The Korea Times anniversaries of foundation. Hong thought the best Korean novels needed to be translated first, to get the attention of the global audience.

Since then, the translation of Korean works of literature has come a long way. Many efforts are being made by public and private institutes and individual writers and translators. A big success story was the English version of "Please Look After Mom" (Knopf, Random House) and "Please Look After Mother" (Orion Publishing Group in the U.K.) in 2011.

Winning an internationally renowned literature prize is a sure way to draw the world's attention. The name Man Booker became a household word when "The Vegetarian" by Han Kang won the Man Booker International Prize in 2015.

The story of its translator Deborah Smith surprised Korean readers in two aspects. First, she learned the Korean language on her own between 2009 and 2015, doing masters and doctoral courses in Korean Studies. The next year, her translation won the Man Booker International award, one of the world's major literary prizes.

Secondly, the prize honors the original author and the translator, which is against the general concept here. Translation is not usually acknowledged as a creative or scholarly achievement in Korea. The Man Booker, however, awards equal honor and equal prize money to writer and translator.

The literary translation awards are effective tools to encourage the exchange of cultural ideas and understanding among people through literature.

As I am now involved in organizing the newly launched GKL Translation Award, I find the questions below do not have simple, easy answers. Please visit www.gkltranslationaward.org if anyone is interested.

How much money is good enough to be attractive prize money? What should be the criteria for judging the excellence of an original work and then the translation? Which is a smarter strategy, whether to focus on the domestic readership or the global market? Is it a good idea to funnel a big prize to one top winner or to spread the benefits to encourage a greater number of budding hopefuls?

Another fundamental question: What is more important between the accurate translation of the original Korean text into a foreign language or the final English version as a literary work in itself? Upon the Man Booker being awarded to "The Vegetarian," much debate has been made: between the famous analogy of translations as "faithful but ugly" or "beautiful but unfaithful."

Depending on the policy of the awarding organization, their authority and honor is deemed much more valuable than the amount of the prize money. The most authoritative prize in literature is the Goncourt Literature Prize, presented since 1902 to French-speaking writers. Goncourt winners get only 50 francs, which means the prize is really for the honor. But it brings no less fortune than any other prize, because the Goncourt-winning book will sell more than 300,000 copies.

The Korea Times Translation Award is known for its long tradition and long list of prize-winning, prominent translators of Korean literature. No big financial benefit is given to the winners.

Probably the most lucrative literary prize is the Man Booker, which awards 50,000 pounds each year to a full-length novel.

The GKL Translation Award plans to increase its prize money from 20 million won for the top winner this year to a bigger sum next year. An expert advised me not to increase the top prize too much, as finding a deserving winner may become difficult.

I would endorse enterprises to install sponsored "literary translation funds" at newspapers such as The Korea Times, or academic organizations, as the GKL (Grand Korea Leisure) did this year. It would be a valuable long-term investment for the nation.


The writer is the chairwoman of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage). Her email address is heritagekorea21@gmail.com.













 
WooriBank
 
  • New Year brings despair
  • Pakistani man killed during TikTok video stunt on train track
  • From 'America first' to 'Earth first'
  • North Korea sees talks as way to advance nuclear program, says US intel official
  • LG's value to improve with mobile biz restructuring: analysts
  • 'Choose - I kill you or rape you': Abuse accusations surge in Ethiopia's war
  • [INTERVIEW] AMCHAM chief says more chemistry to come between Korea, US
  • Balance of Joseon royal court interpreted through contemporary design
  • Inexcusable deaths of children in Korea
  • Growing number of businesses seek to tap into EV battery waste
  • [K-POP INTERVIEW] What are MOMOLAND's comfort foods? [VIDEO] [K-POP INTERVIEW] What are MOMOLAND's comfort foods? [VIDEO]
  • Korean National Ballet, KBS criticized for dangerous filming location Korean National Ballet, KBS criticized for dangerous filming location
  • National Theater Company pursues barrier-free, reduction of carbon footprint National Theater Company pursues barrier-free, reduction of carbon footprint
  • Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo: Music is my destiny Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo: Music is my destiny
  • HyunA to drop new EP, ending yearlong hiatus HyunA to drop new EP, ending yearlong hiatus
DARKROOM
  • Biden takes office as 46th president

    Biden takes office as 46th president

  • Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

    Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

  • Second Trump impeachment

    Second Trump impeachment

  • Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

    Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

  • Our children deserve better (Part 2)

    Our children deserve better (Part 2)

WooriBank
  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright