Long story, but I find that I have managed to get myself committed to giving a talk on how Korean literature in translation is received by English-speaking readers. It’s a bit of a tall order. And while I can of course articulate the ways in which I personally am drawn to Korean literature, why I read it, and what elements in Korean literature I find compelling, I feel that my audience will want a broader perspective. So I wonder if you can help expand my knowledge by telling me what YOU think about Korean literature in translation and what YOU find appealing (or otherwise).
I have constructed a Google survey, which I would be really grateful if you could complete, ideally by the end of March (though the survey will remain open until 5 April).
The survey can be found here —> https://forms.gle/ZVnbUf2nRCJo1Cov6
I need to write my paper by 20 April and the more time I have to analyse your answers the better. There are a lot of open-ended questions, which hopefully will be fun to fill out: I’ve tried to avoid the quantitative multiple-choice type questions (How much do you agree with statement X? Violently disagree / somewhat disagree / neutral / somewhat agree / wholeheartedly agree) because they always annoy me when I have to fill them out myself. None of the questions are compulsory, but the more you tell me the more chance I have of saying things that are representative of a wider readership rather than just my own narrow perspective.
Please also forward the survey to your friends or anyone you know who might have read a few Korean titles.
More details of the project are included in the survey document itself. And if you want to have a think about how you would answer the questions before you launch the survey, here are the key questions:
- Why do you read Korean literature in general? Or, if you have only read one or two titles, why did you read those titles?
- If you have only read one or two Korean titles, what would persuade you to explore other titles?
- How do you find out about what Korean literature is available? (eg websites, browsing in bookshops, BookTok, Bookstagram, newspapers, literary prizes)
- Do you have a preference for Korean novels rather than short stories? If so, why?
- Are there particular authors that you follow? If so, mention up to three authors that you would recommend to others (and if you have time, explain why these three)
- Are there particular translators that you follow? Why?
- Are there any particular themes or genres you find appealing? Conversely, are there genres that you avoid? Why?
- Are there particular publishers that you follow? If so, why?
- How else do you decide which titles to read? eg Book clubs; reviews in newspapers / websites / magazines; recommendations from friends; celebrity endorsements; podcasts; literary festivals / author appearances; “I try to read everything, apart from thrillers” etc
- What titles that you have read would you recommend to others and why? Mention up to 5 titles
- What titles that you have read did you really dislike or find boring? Why?
- Given a choice between a novel that displays a uniquely Korean experience (eg the Colonial period, scars of the Korean War, Gwangju etc) vs a Korean angle on more universal issues (eg family, gender issues, mental health, social pressure) vs a primarily narrative led story which could be set in any society (eg thrillers, sci-fi), which would you choose? Why? Do you restrict your reading to particular genres?
- Are there novels or short stories that you wish someone would translate? Which ones and why?
- In what format do you prefer to read Korean literature (hardback, softback, e-book, audiobook) – or does it depend on the genre?
- Do you usually buy your books or borrow them (from a library or a friend)
- Do you ever have difficulty in sourcing the books you want to read? If so, what titles have you found difficulty with?
- Have you read any translated non-fiction (eg self-help, memoirs etc)? If so, how did you feel about those titles?
- Have you ever read any Korean poetry in translation and if so would you recommend it to others?
- Have you read Korea-related fiction written in English (eg Pachinko, If I Had Your Face etc)? Do you feel differently about such titles as compared with fiction originally written in Korean?
- Do you think that the Korean titles you have read have any unique features which you can’t find elsewhere? If so, what features?
- If you read extensively, how would you compare Korean literature with literature from other countries?
- If you had to describe Korean literature in three words, what would those three words be?
- Is there anything else you want to say? What should I have asked you about your thoughts on Korean literature and how would you answer?
Again – you can skip some of the questions if you have nothing to say. Thanks for your help. And, as I say in the introduction to the survey, you’ll find the results on LKL over the summer.