56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards Fiction Grand Prize winner Diana Akhmetova

Diana Akhmetova / Courtesy Diana Akhmetova

Cover of Kim Ji-yeon's "The Things that Go By" / Courtey of Vookda

The Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards organized by The Korea Times have long been exclusive to those who speak Korean or English natively — sometimes both.

This year, however, the winner broke that mold.

Born in Russia, Diana Akhmetova’s mother tongues are Tatar, the language of the Tatar ethnic group, and Russian. She began learning English at the age of 6 and Korean at 14. Now residing in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, she studies tourism management at Kongju National University.

Akhmetova said she was drawn to Kim Ji-yeon’s novel "The Things that Go By" because of its focus on nontraditional relationships.

“What drew me to 'The Things that Go By' were the themes it explores. Nontraditional relationships are still considered taboo by many, which often silences the real struggles faced by those who don’t fit into conventional norms,” she said.

The story follows the love between two women.

“This story addresses issues of self-acceptance, the search for one’s place in the world, the process of letting go of the past and the courage it takes to trust another person. I was deeply moved by how these ideas were portrayed, and I wanted to share that with others.”

The translator said she could personally relate to the story’s themes.

“I’ve always been strong-willed and stubborn by nature. I grew up in the countryside, where life teaches you resilience — I learned to chop wood, milk cows, handle tools, and, most importantly, never cry in front of others," she said.

“As I got older, I began to face expectations that didn’t feel natural to me. The women in my family wanted me to behave and look more ‘feminine’ — to wear dresses, use makeup, talk about boys and play with dolls. None of that ever interested me. For a long time, I felt confused and out of place, as if something was wrong with me simply because I didn’t fit the mold.”

Through reading and meeting different people, she realized that no one owes conformity to anyone — not even to their family.

“We’re all different, and that’s what makes life interesting. For me, a person’s gender has never defined my connection to them. I’m drawn to people’s thoughts, values and actions — to who they are as human beings," she said.

“I find myself interested in both men and women, because each person carries their own unique world within them. When I finally understood that there was nothing wrong with me — that the problem was the world’s narrow view of what’s ‘normal’ — everything became lighter. That’s why I care deeply about stories that explore nontraditional relationships and minority experiences. I believe such stories can help people who feel lost or ‘different’ realize that life is full of colors and countless shades in between.”

Asked what motivated her to apply for the contest, Akhmetova said, “As I got older, I realized that true growth comes from embracing challenges and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. I already had experience translating documents and subtitles, but literary translation was completely new to me, and I was curious to see if I could rise to the challenge.”

The translator said one of the main challenges was translating abbreviations and wordplay from Korean into English.

“These linguistic nuances often lose their full effect when translated. So finding creative equivalents was essential,” she said.

When asked about the difficulty of translating between two non-native languages, she replied, “I started learning English when I was 6, and over the years it has become almost like a native language to me. So I feel comfortable using it. The challenge lies in adapting quickly to the patterns of each language.”

While honored by the award, Akhmetova said her aspirations go beyond literary translation.

“After graduating, I hope to stay in Korea and build a career that lets me promote the country’s beauty to the world. I truly believe that cultural exchange can make the world a kinder, more connected place.”