Korean literature expanding global reach

By Chung Ah-young

Ha Il-ji

Ha Il-ji’s 2009 novel “The Republic of Uzupis”

Moon Chung-hee

Moon Chung-hee’s “Celle qui Mangeait le Riz Froid”

Kim Ae-ran

Kim Ae-ran’s “My Palpitating Life”

Choi Jae-joon

Choi Jae-hoon’s “Seven Cat Eyes”

Lee Seung-u

Lee Seung-u’s “Journals from Days Past”

Not so many years ago prominent authors such as Hwang Sok-young, Yi Mun-yol and Kim Young-ha began reaching an international readership, the first sign that Korean literature would one day be globalized.

Now a handful of rising authors are beginning to be recognized in some countries where Korean literature was not previously read.

Philippe Picquier, a French publisher specializing in Asian literature, will

soon publish the works of four young Korean authors ― Kim Ae-ran’s “My Palpitating Life,” Choi Jae-hoon’s “Seven Cat Eyes,” Kim E-seol’s “Welcome” and Koo Byung-mo’s “The Greatest Fish.”

Moon Chung-hee’s “Celle qui Mangeait le Riz Froid,” a poetry collection published last October in France with the support of translation by the Daesan Foundation, received rave reviews in French literary circles and media. A French radio show featured Moon’s poems in an hour-long program, describing them as “works that move the hearts of readers using the daily subjects.” Moon was invited to various literary events in France. Last year, Korean literature including her poems was featured in PO&SIE, a quarterly French poetry magazine.

Moreover, some authors are gaining growing attention among the Baltic States because some of their stories are set there. Ha Il-ji’s 2009 novel “The Republic of Uzupis” was recently named one of the 12 best modern literary pieces of 2012 by the Lithuanian literary translation organization, according to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI).

The Lithuanian Association of Literary Translators picked the best books among 400 books according to artistic merit and the quality of translation. Ha's novel is set in Uzupis, a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and was published in November, 2011 with the support of the LTI.

“The mysterious but humorous novel tells the story about a lost world which cannot be brought back to us and the past which brings an inevitable result through the eyes of a South Korean writer,” stated one article in 15MIN, a Lithuanian magazine about Ha’s novel

.

The LTI said that even before Ha’s debut in Lithuania, an interest in Korean literature had already begun there. Kim Young-ha’s “Whatever Happened to the Guy Stuck in the Elevator” earned rave reviews from critics as “great work equivalent to Haruki Murakami’s” while Yi’s “Lithuanian Woman” will soon be published by Mintis, a Lithuanian publisher. Neighboring nation Estonia will also introduce Han Mu-suk’s “And So Flows History.”

Jung Jin-kwon, manager of the cultural exchange and public relations team at LTI, said that Korean literary works have not been frequently translated in the Baltic area due to geographical and cultural differences, as well as the language barrier.

“But now the settings in the literary works are becoming diverse, escaping from Korea to various other countries. Countries used as literary settings are showing the interest in Korean literature. Also more quality translations are helping Korean literature to become known to readers in other countries,” he said.

“Our literature has the power to appeal to readers in other countries but remains unrecognized mostly because of a lack of translations. So our literary jewels works were only read within Korea. However, not only the government but also other private institutions are stepping up efforts to boost the profile of Korean literature with the support of translations,” he said.

More notably, Lee Seung-u’s “Journals from Days Past” is gaining popularity among Japanese readers. The recent publication came after previous works “The Reverse Side of Life” and “The Private Lives of Plants,” both of which received positive reviews from Japanese critics.

According to recent statistics, some 900 Japanese titles are published in Korea every year

while a mere 20 Korean titles are released in Japan. Due to this, the recent publication of Korean literary work there is seen as a positive indication that more Korean work could be sold in Japan.

Cuon, a Japan-based content agency run by Kim Seung-bok, pointed out that due to the hallyu phenomenon, many Japanese people perceive Korea as a “premium” or “cool” place. The agency has introduced some Korean works such as “Vegetarian” by Hang Kang and “The Library of Instruments” by Kim Jung-hyuk and “Nagasaki Papa” by Ku Hyo-seo into Japan.

Some private agencies and government institutions have been striving to promote Korean literature around the world. The LTI and Daesan Foundation support translations of Korean literary works in other countries. The LTI has not only supported translation work but also held various events to promote Korean literature overseas.

An increase of support from both the government and the private sectors is essential because the nature of the publishing industry has changed over the years. More promotion to overseas readers is required now for a title to become popular overseas.

The LTI organized an event during which Yi met students at the Lake Forest Academy in Chicago in the United States on March 7.

Literary critics argued that work by Korean authors first made inroads into French and Japanese bookstores but this failed to succeed commercially because overseas readers associated the literature with the Korean War (1950-53) or other historical issues. To counter bias, a concerted effort has been made to advertize young and aspiring authors who write about contemporary life, causing a shift in perception, albeit gradual.